Night Shadows (1984)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

John 'Bud' Cardos

Writers:

John C. Kruize (screenplay)
John C. Kruize (story)

Release Date:

August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Mankind's Deadliest Threat Will Not Come From The Skies.

Plot:

Two brothers discover that the residents of a small Southern town are being infected by a form of toxic waste, turning them into blood-ravenous zombies.

Plot Keywords:

Toxic Waste | Dead Boy | Terror | Automobile | Child Murder

Cast

Wings Hauser	...	Josh Cameron
Bo Hopkins	...	Sheriff Will Stewart
Jody Medford	...	Holly Pierce
Lee Montgomery	...	Mike Cameron
Marc Clement	...	Albert Hogue
Cary Guffey	...	Billy
Jennifer Warren	...	Dr. Myra Tate
Danny Nelson	...	Jack
Mary Nell Santacroce	...	Mrs. Mapes
Stuart Culpepper	...	Mel
Johnny Popwell Sr.	...	Captain Tom Dawson
Ralph Redpath	...	Vic
Larry Quackenbush	...	Harve
Ralph Pace	...	Art
Wallace Wilkinson	...	Mr. Mitchell

Also Known As:

Mutant (UK) (USA) (video title (working title))
Pestilence (USA) (working title)
The Pestilence (USA) (original script title)
Toxic Waste (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Australia:R | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Norcross, Georgia, USA

Company:

Laurelwood Productions

Trivia:

According to writer John C. Kruize, the original story (while under the title "The Pestilence" at that time) "concerned secretive and illegal germ warfare research being conducted by the U.S. military in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains. A lab worker is infected by some type of mutant flu virus and carries the contagion to an isolated town." He admits Stephen King's novel "The Stand" was an influence.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Josh discovers Mike in the basement of Mrs Mape's house, the knife wound and bandage have disappeared from Mike's arm.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Mutant" (1998)

Toxic waste of time

Take Dawn of the Dead, let the light hurt the eyes of the zombies so that all the action takes place in unsatisfying darkness, add stupid characters that keep putting themselves into unnecessary danger, and you have Night Shadows. I saw the movie under the title "Mutant" and for the most part regretted having rented the video. The movie, reminds me of Chud, except not as good (provided that you would even want to Chud good). Personally, I'm tired of "chemical waste makes monster" theme - so any movie with that focus has to be good to get my attention. This film is not good. Its not quite a total bomb either, it has some good scares, and one or two spots of worthy black humor. So after you've rented all the other good zombie-type movies, this one might be worth a look -- barely. Rated 3 on 1-10 scale