Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie Review

For his directorial debut, Fred Dekker is determined to share his love of B-movies from the 1950s. “Night of the Creeps” is a creature feature from 1986 that tries to play modern with a cast of young characters dealing with love and bullying on a college campus, but the heart of the endeavor remains in past, as Dekker serves up a valentine to horror history with the production, doing whatever he can to celebrate his influences, which are numerous. “Night of the Creeps” is about a space slug takeover of a college campus, but Dekker only visits terror periodically, having more fun playing up the cinematic excitement of it all.

Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

First issued on Blu-ray in 2009, "Night of the Creeps" returns to disc courtesy of Shout Factory, who provide an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. This appears to be the same scan many enjoyed from a decade ago, which isn't fresh, but it secures frame details satisfactorily, delivering textured creature encounters and period costuming. Close-ups retain age and makeup achievements, and gore zones are open for inspection. Colors supply appealing primaries, capturing the mid-80s mood through decoration and clothing, and skintones are natural. Campus greenery is secure, as are alien hues. Delineation deals with some crush issues. Source is in good condition, without signs of major damage.

Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix capably supports the viewing experience, offering appealing scoring efforts, which often envelop the listener with a crisp synth push. Surrounds detail atmospherics comfortably, with mild separation and panning effects. Low-end delivers some weight with alien activity. Dialogue exchanges are defined, keeping performances appreciable, even during scenes of panic. Sound effects sustain the slithery creep menace, while weaponry offers a louder presence.

Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Director's Cut Disc

• Commentary #1 features writer/director Fred Dekker.

• Commentary #2 features actors Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, and Jill Whitlow.

• "Real Good Plan" (10:46, HD) is an interview with Jason Lively, who walks viewers through his audition process, where he was desperate to claim the role of J.C. A lifelong horror fan, Lively shares his enthusiasm for Dekker's screenplay, and he goes into cast camaraderie, offering kind words to everyone except Allan Kayser, who went too method during the shoot. Campus shooting locations are assessed, and the interviewee's relationship with Dekker is inspected, while the movie's overnight schedule put a lot of pressure on the cast and crew. Lively talks about the dismal box office performance of "Night of the Creeps," also celebrating its legacy, sharing tales of being recognized by fans.

• "The Bradster" (7:42, HD) is a short chat with Allan Kayser, who details his initial audition for the bully part, and he addresses criticisms of his standoffish behavior during the shoot, assuring fans he's friends with everyone today. Some anecdotes are shared, including an embarrassing command of an automobile in front of extras, and his struggle with whiteout contact lenses, which freaked him out while wearing them during action sequences. Special note: the audio for this interview is damaged, but not completely unintelligible.

• "I Vote for That One" (10:12, HD) sits down with Ken Heron, who played Johnny, the first creep victim in the picture. The actor describes efforts to set the period mood, getting into hair and costume to find his character. The zombie process is also dissected, with Heron dealing with extensive makeup and special effects, working intimately with the creeps. Time with Dekker is recalled, learning to trust the young director. Heron also shares information concerning his famous line from the movie, and moments with fans, who still recognize him.

• "Worst Coroner Ever" (6:28, HD) discusses "Night of the Creeps" with actor Vic Polizos, who also has a history of being recognized for his work on the feature. Character business is examined, with the shoot presenting Polizos with his first spit bucket, used to deal with the excessive eating he had to endure during multiple takes. Tom Atkins is fondly recalled as well. Most interesting is an anecdote about his professional obligations at the time, working days on "St. Elsewhere," while evenings were devoted to "Night of the Creeps," causing some tension between the productions.

• "Answering the Door" (4:00, HD) is a brief chat with Suzanne Snyder, who freely admits she doesn't enjoy horror movies, remaining surprised to find fame in the genre. With only a few scenes to work with (one was cut out of the feature), Snyder describes her efforts to find some level of characterization. The actress shares her observations from the set, points out her popular lines, and offers reasons for the longstanding appeal of "Night of the Creeps."

• "Final Cut" (11:21, HD) pulls "Night of the Creeps" apart with editor Michael N. Knue, who initially met Dekker while working on "House," carrying their relationship to the writer's directorial debut. The quest to find a balance between horror and comedy is articulated, along with Knue's relationship with Dekker, laboring to figure out scenes and conquer production challenges. The feature's strange history of reshoots and unsatisfying endings is recalled, and Knue shares his awe with Atkins, who nailed his ADR duties without breaking a sweat.

• "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" (10:56, HD) is a location tour show hosted by Sean Clark, who provides a fascinating look at the buildings and college campus corners used to make "Night of the Creeps." He's joined at the halfway mark by Dekker and Lively.

• "Thrill Me! The Making of 'Night of the Creeps'" is a 2009 summation of production achievements broken down into individual featurettes (there's no Play All function). "Birth of the Creeps" (10:42, HD) discusses script inspiration with Fred Dekker, finding producing help from Charles Gordon, and maintaining vision with the helmer, who was experiencing his first taste of control. "Cast of the Creeps" (15:58, HD) visits the commentary room to trade memories and jokes with Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, and Steve Marshall. It's a gush fest, but an amusing one. "Creating the Creeps" (15:58, HD) talks monster making with David B. Miller, Howard Berger, and Robert Kurtzman. "Escape of the Creeps" (11:35, HD) covers post-production trials, including a disappointing test screening that forced Dekker into reshoots to fix the ending. Scoring achievements with composer Barry De Vorzon are examined, and the disastrous release of "Night of the Creeps" is detailed, with Tri-Star losing faith in the movie and growing tired of Dekker's demands. "Legend of the Creeps" (10:59, HD) investigates the longevity of "Night of the Creeps," visiting an Austin revival screening to meet with many fans.

• "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" (19:55, HD) is a career overview with the star of "Night of the Creeps," delving into his personal history, his professional climb, and encounters with "wacko" fans.

• Deleted Scenes (7:39, SD) are brief additions of characterization, including a lengthier prologue.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:32, HD) is included.

Night of the Creeps Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Night of the Creeps" is energetic and filled with gory encounters to satisfy more demanding genre fans. And when all else fails the feature, there's Tom Atkins clearly having a ball in the role of a steely but sensitive cop on the case. His performance is something special, and "Night of the Creeps" doesn't drop the ball, backing such perfect broadness with an eventful conflict between college kids and the critters who want to build a comfy home inside human bodies.