31 Days of Horror: Day 13

Night Of The Creeps

Dir: Fred Dekker

Starring: Tom Atkins and Jason Lively

Thrill Me. Yes, starting a conversation with that line might seem ultra normal for Tom Atkins in a movie, but it seemed to never have the same effect for me. Night of the Creeps is one of my top ten favorite horror films of all time. Call it nostalgia, but this was one of those repeat rentals when I was a kid, I probably paid enough in late fees to own it after the second rental. It’s just one of those films that seems to get better every time I watch it. Yes, it has cringe worthy dialogue. Yes, the special effects aren’t perfect. But, could it be those dated elements that make it so great? So, here’s the breakdown, two college friends, one of which is vying for the attention of an “out of his league” young lady, are challenged by a frat during rush week to steal a corpse. Little do they know they’ve chosen a corpse that is infected with, what can only be described as, body snatching space slugs.

www.fright-rags.com

 Some might remember the recent James Gunn (Super) movie “Slither”, which if you’ve watched Night of the Creeps, generously pulled numerous elements from this film. Also, Rusty from National Lampoons European Vacation is in this film, really almost playing Rusty the college years. I have a Tom Atkins “Thrill Me” shirt that still turns heads, but I recently saw a fan with a “Screaming Like Banshees” shirt, needless to say, this film is a cult classic. Night of the Creeps is a movie any self respecting horror fan should watch immediately. Fun fact, listen for the last names of characters in the film for a fun homage to some of the genre’s best creators. Day 13 with duct tape over my mouth.