Squirm (1976)

User Rating:

3.5/10   

Director:

Jeff Lieberman

Writer:

Jeff Lieberman (writer)

Release Date:

30 July 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Romance

Tagline:

An avalanche of killer worms...writhing across the land in a tidal wave of terror!

Plot:

At the beginning of the film, we learn from one of the characters that earthworms can be called to the surface with electricity...

Plot Keywords:

Worm | Fishing | Storm | Ecology | Georgia USA

Cast

Don Scardino	...	Mick
Patricia Pearcy	...	Geri Sanders
R.A. Dow	...	Roger Grimes
Jean Sullivan	...	Naomi Sanders
Peter MacLean	...	Sheriff Jim Reston (as Peter Mac Lean)
Fran Higgins	...	Alma Sanders
William Newman	...	Quigley
Barbara Quinn	...	The Sheriff's Girl
Carl Dagenhart	...	Willie Grimes
Angel Sande	...	Millie
Carol Jean Owens	...	Lizzie
Kim Iocouvozzi	...	Hank
Walter Dimmick	...	Danny
Leslie Thorsen	...	Bonnie
Julia Klopp	...	Mrs. Klopp

Runtime:

92 min | USA:93 min (uncut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (cut) | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M | France:-16 | Norway:16 | UK:18 | USA:PG | USA:R (original rating) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Port Wentworth, Georgia, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Once in the 1980s, WPIX-TV in New York accidentally showed the film in black-and-white. Instead of complaining, Jeff Lieberman called the station and mentioned how much he loved the way the film looked. In fact, Lieberman prefers people to watch the film in black-and-white even though a black-and-white version is not available. Instead, you should turn the color down all the way on your television set.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Geri and soaked-shirt Mick leave for Beardsleys', and they get out of the car to follow an upset Roger, Mick's shirt is dry. When they join Roger and Willie by the truck, his shirt is soaked again.

Quotes:

Sheriff: [making love to his girl in an empty jail cell] How do you like the accomodations?
The Sheriff's Girl: Just fine, honey!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Squirm is the very best of the (uniquely 1970's) "nature gets even with humanity for messing her up with its garbage" genre.

Squirm is superior to its brethren primarily because of its use of worms as the "beast". Being at the top of the food chain, as we humans are, there is little risk of any of us being eaten alive by wild animals (e.g. "Jaws") during our little sojourns into nature. Director Lieberman realized this and took this horror sub-genre to a higher level by combining the best elements of "nature in retaliation" cinema with our innate fear of death i.e. literally our fear of being "eaten by worms". Kudos to Rick Baker's make-up design which was probably the inspiration for a countless number of shoddy Halloween make-up kits. He cut his teeth on movies such as "Squirm" and "Incredible Melting Man" and continued his greatness in "Videodrome" and "Ed Wood". Credit must also go to director Lieberman. Whether it was his choice to use sparse lighting in the night scenes or it was merely the lack of a budget, the effect is unnerving nonetheless. In too many horror films night scenes are lit so that you can virtually see everything. In short, they are unrealistic. When the characters walk through the dark, in Squirm, you feel a sense of unease because you can't see what is in the outer edges of the frame. American International Pictures were responsible for the production of many great obscurities like "Squirm" and "Food of the Gods". I hope AIP's films will be rerun on late night TV ad infinitum, and be given their due recognition well into the next millennium!