Squirm (1976)

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 | Storm | Fishing | Small Town | Animal Attack

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:

The amount of sea worms used in the film was countless, as the production would order shipments of 250,000 Glycera worms at a time. The production would end up wiping out New England's supply of Glycera fishing worms that year.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Geri and Mick are hurrying away in Geri's station wagon - there is a squealing sound made by the tires, but at the same time, a close up of the tires shows they are on dirt/grass.

Quotes:

Roger Grimes: You gonna be da' worm face!

Movie Connections:

Featured in AIP: Fast and Furious (1985) (V)

Good--for what it is

A vicious storm downs a power line near a very small Georgia town. It (somehow) drives all the worms crazy and turns them into vicious man-eaters! The town is cut off from civilization and the worms attack...

The plot is just silly (flesh-eating WORMS? Come on!) but the film never takes itself TOO seriously. A lot of the dialogue is very tongue in cheek, and there are LOTS of close-ups of screaming worms (news to me--I didn't know worms could scream). So it's really hard to take any of this seriously.

The acting is all pretty bad (even Jean Sullivan the one "name" in the cast) and the plot moves in fits and starts. And it does take a while to really get going. But when the attacks happen things really get going. There are some pretty good, if disgusting, special effects (one VERY disturbing scene shows worms burrowing into a guys FACE) and seeing literally MOUNTAINS of worms squirming around is kind of queasy.

It you take this film literally you're gonna hate it. But if you accept it for the low-budget, slightly campy film it is you'll probably have a fairly good time. Worth seeing at least once for the gruesome special effects.

I saw the PG rated one on cable which (I heard) is one minute shorter than the R rated one. Purportedly all that's missing is some minor nudity (some of which was in the PG one) and some swearing. All the gore is still there.