In our recent LOOK BACK ON 2009 I mentioned some DVD releases that I was particularly happy about. Ever since I have been kicking myself (like ALICE, it's my favorite sport) because I neglected to mention a couple of other really great titles. There's MESSIAH OF EVIL (thanks to Reader Taylor for reminding me of that one) PHANTASM 2 (Phinally!), and the great THE GATE (whose remarkable effects look even more remarkable on DVD) and most importantly… NIGHT OF THE CREEPS!
How could I forget N.O.T.C.? Well, I didn't really forget it, I just hadn't bought it yet due to moths in wallet syndrome but that sad glitch has been fixed. Unfortunately, yet another bricks and mortar video store in our area is closing but not unfortunately, I was able to vulture a half price copy of CREEPS right off its corpse! So now it's mine, all mine and I couldn't be happier because it's a super awesome jam packed director's cut DVD.
We already reviewed CREEPS way back WHEN so I won't go into the plot, suffice to say it involves aliens, zombies, sorority girls and TOM ATKINS. That's really all ya' need to know and if you haven't seen it yet, you simply have to, particularly if you dig eighties horror. CREEPS is like RETURN OF THE LIVING BREAKFAST CLUB, you just can't find a better time capsule.
So I'm not crazy about the cover art or the comic book menu design, but the extras shine like a KOJAK dome polished with Crisco. Two, count 'em two commentaries; one with director FRED DEKKER (who also helmed the lovable MONSTER SQUAD) and one with the film's cast which includes JASON LIVELY of NATIONAL LAMPOON'S EUROPEAN VACATION and the cutest girl who ever lived JILL WHITLOW. There's a superior alternate ending, a tasty trailer and a gratifying plethora of mini docs that go into great detail about the making of this cult classic.
The high point is seeing the core cast reunited, there's obviously real affection on display and it's always an honor to hear any word ATKINS utters. I can't fathom how N.O.T.C. avoided becoming a hit upon release. From what we learn from director DEKKER it sounds like the studio did a crappy job of supporting and distributing the film (times sure have changed, haven't they?) Oh well, as I told my golfing buddy TIGER WOODS, "It's better too be loved deeply by a few than cheaply by a slew." The important thing is, this fun, effervescent, endlessly quotable gem is finally getting the presentation it deserves and passionate new fans are an inevitability.
NOTC is one of those rare films that could be watched on repeat for the rest of yur natural life and never get boring. I always figure it should be a benchmark for new horror films to see how to do 'it' properly. And that's 'benchmark', not 'Slightly Obscure Genre Film That Can Be Ripped-Off Without Many People Noticing' *cough* Slither *cough* 😀
The Prof. and I watched this edition on bluray during our Halloween movie fest. We loved it and the awesome extras. Tom Atkins rules! I remember the poster for this movie at my local video store in the 80s with the line, "The good news is your date is here. The bad news is… he's dead."
"Thrill me"
When you're Tom Atkins all you have to do is walk up to chicks and say, "Give me some!"