Night of the Creeps (1986)

Director:

Fred Dekker

Writer:

Fred Dekker (written by)

Release Date:

22 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

"The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is... they're dead."

Plot:

Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.

Plot Keywords:

Parasite | Alien | Fraternity | Corpse | Experiment

Cast

Jason Lively	...	Chris
Steve Marshall	...	J.C.
Jill Whitlow	...	Cynthia
Tom Atkins	...	Ray Cameron
Wally Taylor	...	Detective Landis
Bruce Solomon	...	Sgt. Raimi
Vic Polizos	...	Coroner
Allan Kayser	...	Brad (as Allan J. Kayser)
Ken Heron	...	Johnny
Alice Cadogan	...	Pam
June Harris	...	Karen
David Paymer	...	Young Scientist
David Oliver	...	Steve
Evelyne Smith	...	House Mother
Ivan E. Roth	...	Psycho Zombie
Daniel Frishman	...	Alien Zombie
Kevin Thompson	...	Alien Pursuer #1
Joseph S. Griffo	...	Alien Pursuer #2
Katherine Britton	...	Sorority Girl on Phone
Leslie Ryan	...	Sorority Girl with Hairbrush
Dave Alan Johnson	...	Young Ray Cameron
Suzanne Snyder	...	Lisa
Jay Wakeman	...	Judy
Elizabeth Cox	...	Kathy
Emily Fiola	...	Jennifer
Russell Moss	...	Biff
Richard DeHaven	...	Dick
John J. York	...	Todd
Jim Townsend	...	Chett
Tex Donaldson	...	Cop Outside Sorority
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Cop at Police Station
Craig Schaefer	...	Irksome Cop at Cryogenics Lab
Richard Sassin	...	Irksome Cop at Murder Scene
Robert Kerman	...	Patrolman with Searchlight
Jack Lightsy	...	Patrol Car Driver
Elizabeth Alda	...	Cop in Alley
David B. Miller	...	Beta Zombie
Earl Ellis	...	Beta Zombie
Arick Stillwagon	...	Beta Zombie
Robert Kurtzman	...	Beta Zombie
Ted Rae	...	Beta Zombie
Keith Werle	...	Beta Zombie
Howard Berger	...	Beta Zombie
Beal Carrotes	...	Beta Zombie
Robert Kino	...	Mr. Miner
Todd Bryant	...	Informative Student
Dawn Schroder	...	Sorority Girl at Squad Car
Chris Dekker	...	Dormie #1
Brian MacGregor	...	Dormie #2
Dick Miller	...	Walt
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shane Black	...	Cop in Police Station (uncredited)
J. Armin Garza II	...	Extra (uncredited)
Lori Lively	...	Lori (uncredited)
Melanie Manos	...	Blair (uncredited)
Gregory Nicotero	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Dekker

Writing credits
Fred Dekker		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Finnegan	....	executive producer (as William Finnegan)
Charles Gordon	....	producer
Donna Smith	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Barry De Vorzon

Cinematography by
Robert C. New		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael N. Knue

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
George Costello

Art Direction by
Maria Caso

Set Decoration by
Maria Caso

Costume Design by
Eileen Kennedy

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	makeup effects artist
Frankie Campbell	....	hair stylist
Bonita DeHaven	....	set hair stylist (as Bonita M. DeHaven)
Bonita DeHaven	....	set makeup artist (as Bonita M. DeHaven)
Earl Ellis	....	makeup effects artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	makeup effects artist
Tim Lawrence	....	makeup effects artist
Frank Charles Lutkus III	....	makeup effects artist (as Charles Lutkus)
Mark Maitre	....	makeup effects artist
Shawn McEnroe	....	makeup effects artist
David B. Miller	....	makeup effects and creeps design
Kyle Sweet	....	makeup artist (as Kyle Rae Tucy)
Bruce Zahlava	....	makeup effects artist

Production Management
Vahan Moosekian	....	production supervisor
Donna Smith	....	production manager
Ted Zachary	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Allan	....	first assistant director
Phillip Christon	....	second assistant director
Erica Fox	....	second assistant director
Steve Miner	....	second unit director

Art Department
James A. Burkhart	....	assistant art director
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	construction coordinator (as Richard Douglas)
Matt Hannon	....	carpenter (as Matthew J. Hannon)
Tim Hannon	....	carpenter
David E. Harshbarger	....	assistant property master
William C. Jones	....	carpenter
Johnny Knight	....	set dresser
David Eric Lee	....	carpenter
Kevin Scott Mack	....	set designer
John Hammer Maxwell	....	carpenter (as John Maxwell)
Damon Medlen	....	art assistant
Kurt Meisenbach	....	assistant set decorator
Malcolm T. Morain	....	art assistant
Greg Pruss	....	storyboard artist (as Gregory Pruss)
Joe Rainey	....	assistant art director (as Joseph Rainey)
Cynthia C. Rebman	....	set dresser
Linda L. Rebman	....	art assistant (as Linda Rebman)
Phil Roberts	....	concept artist: spaceship interior
Allen Terry	....	construction coordinator
Gregory R. Wolf	....	property master (as Gregory Wolf)

Sound Department
William H. Angarola	....	sound editor (as Bill Augorola)
Clark Conrad	....	sound editor
Gordon L. Day	....	sound re-recordist
Joe Fineman	....	supervising sound editor
James Dean Fisher	....	foley artist
Doug Gray	....	sound editor (as Douglas N. Gray)
Stephen Halbert	....	boom operator
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist (as Hilda Ann Hodges)
Barbara Issak	....	sound editor
Adam Johnston	....	foley editor
Brian Ruberg	....	sound recordist
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound re-recordist (as Paul Sharpe)
James Thornton	....	sound mixer
James Wolvington	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Roger George	....	special effects
Tony Laudati	....	dimensional animation effects (as Anthony Laudati)
Todd Masters	....	dimensional animation effects
Lise Romanoff	....	special effects assistant
Anton Rupprecht	....	dimensional animation effects
Diana Williams	....	dimensional animation effects
Diana Allen Williams	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Steve Burg	....	alien spaceship designer
Michael Karp	....	motion control operator
David B. Sharp	....	supervisor: spaceship interiors
David Stipes	....	visual effects supervisor: David Stipes Productions
Dana O'Connor	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
John Parish Allen	....	first assistant camera (as John P. Allen)
Michael Bolner	....	electrician
Bruce Byall	....	grip
Paul Elliott	....	second camera operator
Jim Grce	....	electrician
Todd Griffith	....	grip
Frieder Hocheim	....	gaffer (as Frieder K. Hochheim)
John Joleaud	....	electrician (as John A. Joleaud)
Brian H. Reynolds	....	best boy grip
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Lane Russell	....	second assistant camera (as Lane G. Russell)
Roger Schweitzer	....	video playback operator
Philip Sloan	....	key grip (as Philip M. Sloan)
Jeff Smith	....	dolly grip (as Jeffrey Smith)
Gary H. Swink	....	best boy electric
Thaddeus Wadleigh	....	electrician

Casting Department
Reatha Grey	....	extra casting: Grey Images

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gayle Evans	....	set costume supervisor
Sara Markowitz	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Michael Bloecher	....	associate editor
Patrick J. Moore	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Rick Riccobono	....	music supervisor
Doug Timm	....	composer: additional music
Doug Timm	....	orchestrator
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Tim Abbatoye	....	transportation captain (as Timothy Abbatoye)
Billy G. Arter	....	transportation coordinator
Moises Blay	....	driver (as Moses Blay)
John Cahill	....	driver
Jon Carpenter	....	driver
John Jarvis	....	driver
Bud Thompson	....	driver
Val Thorgusen	....	driver

Other crew
Jeff Behlendorf	....	payroll services: Elite Payroll
Michael Burnett	....	stop-motion puppet fabricator
Richard Dixon	....	production auditor (as Dick Dixon)
Margaret E. Fannin	....	production coordinator
Ernest D. Farino	....	title designer
David Fulton	....	publicist (as David N. Fulton)
Lawrence Greenberg	....	production assistant (as Larry Greenberg)
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Joseph A. Liuzzi	....	location manager
Cindy Lovelady	....	payroll services: Elite Payroll (as Cindy Hornickel)
Brian Joseph Moore	....	accounting liaison (as Brian J. Moore)
Warren Oliver	....	craft service (as Warren S. Oliver)
Ted Rae	....	creeps supervisor
David Roessell	....	assistant to executive producer
Rocky Sagebiel	....	set security
Jackie Saunders	....	script supervisor
Joan Scoccimarro	....	assistant to producer
Marian Shambo	....	production secretary
William Shea	....	production assistant
Brian A. Williams	....	assistant production auditor
Chino 'Fats' Williams	....	set security

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents)
• Delphi V Productions

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. / Columbia Pictures (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Video (1987) (Belgium) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1987) (Japan) (VHS)
• HBO/Cannon Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kabel 1 (2006) (Germany) (TV)
• Nelonen (2007) (2009) (Finland) (TV)
• Showtime (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (director's cut)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (director's cut)

Special Effects

• David Stipes Productions

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  trained animals
• Cohen Insurance, New York  insurance (as Cohen Insurance)
• Elite Payroll  payroll service
• Entertainment Completions Inc.  completion services
• Grey Images  extra casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min | Germany:85 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1988) | Norway:(Banned) (1986-2003) (cinema release) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1987) | Germany:16 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Netherlands:16 | Chile:(Banned) | Chile:18 (Valparaiso) | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12

Filming Locations:

California State University Northridge - 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Grafitti on the wall of the men's room where J.C. is trying to escape a number of slugs reads, "Go Monster Squad!". The Monster Squad (1987) was also directed by Fred Dekker.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the tool shed, the flame thrower's pilot is unlit. Later, before Chris and Cindy go into the house, it's lit. In the house, Chris is holding the flame thrower and it is once more unlit.

Quotes:

Detective Cameron:What is this? A homicide, or a bad B-movie?

Movie Connections:

References Scanners (1981)

Soundtrack:

Flame On

Definitely one of the better B-movies!

"Night of the Creeps" is definitely one of the better B-movies that are out there. Granted, like all B-movies it's a bit hokey at times, and also follows along the trademark lines with films of this caliber (obligatory boob shot, corny dialogue, poor camera techniques, etc.).

But give "Night of the Creeps" its due. First of all, it is fairly original for a B-movie. Alien slugs that infest the brain and turn you into a zombie may seem like a typical B-movie theme, but it's portrayed in a fairly unique manner. Given the time period of this movie's release, and it's obviously small budget, I'm quite impressed with the special-effects of the alien slugs as they race along the ground throughout the film. They're so simple, that it makes them look realistic and somewhat unnerving. In horror films, it is often the most simple effects that are the most discomforting to the viewer. I put these alien slugs along that line.

I really like Tom Atkins ("Lethal Weapon") as Detective Cameron too. He's the perfect actor for this particular role as the washed-up detective. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately for Tom's career, it seems that he often got type-cast to play the depressed, on-edge characters. Atkins is one of the bonuses in this B-flick.

Another "acting bonus" would have to be our two young heroes played by Jason Lively ("European Vacation") and Jill Whitlow. Lively as always plays the young, likable clod. Somewhat bashful, somewhat moronic, somewhat accident-prone, but you can't help but like the guy. And Whitlow is just plain cute. I sometimes think that 80's flicks didn't have enough cute girls in them, but Whitlow is definitely one of them.

All in all, "Night of the Creeps" is good for a B-movie. It'll entertain you for sure, and you won't get sick of it while you're watching. It's definitely one to watch if you're into the B-movie thing.