Intruder (1989)

Director:

Scott Spiegel

Writers:

Lawrence Bender (story)
Scott Spiegel (screenplay)
(more)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A new dimension in terror.

Plot:

The overnight stock crew of a local supermarket find themselves being stalked and slashed by a mysterious maniac.

Plot Keywords:

Supermarket | Employee | Serial Killer | Stabbed To Death | Stabbing

Cast

Elizabeth Cox	...	Jennifer Ross
Renée Estevez	...	Linda
Dan Hicks	...	Bill Roberts (as Danny Hicks)
David Byrnes	...	Craig Peterson
Sam Raimi	...	Randy
Eugene Robert Glazer	...	Danny (as Eugene Glazer)
Billy Marti	...	Dave
Burr Steers	...	Bub
Craig Stark	...	Tim
Ted Raimi	...	Produce Joe
Alvy Moore	...	Officer Dalton
Tom Lester	...	Officer Mathews
Emil Sitka	...	Mr. Abernathy
Bruce Campbell	...	Officer Howard
Lawrence Bender	...	Officer Adams
Scott Spiegel	...	Bread Man
Douglas Hessler	...	Townie At Door
Gregory Nicotero	...	Townie In Car (as Greg Nicotero)
Mike Ionascu	...	Customer #1 (as Mike Jonascu)
Jim Hanson	...	Customer #2 (as James Hanson)
Jim Reickel	...	Customer #3
Paula F. Major	...	Customer #4 (as Paula Major)
Laura Schwartz	...	Customer #5
Mark Saticoy	...	Customer #6
Steve Patino	...	Customer #7
Mara Massey	...	Love Bird #1
Christoffer Salzgeber	...	Love Bird #2 (as Christopher Salzgeber)

Directed by
Scott Spiegel

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence Bender		story
Scott Spiegel		screenplay
Scott Spiegel		story

Produced by
Lawrence Bender	....	producer
Douglas Hessler	....	co-producer
Douglas Scott-Hessler	....	co-producer
Charles Band	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Basil Poledouris

Cinematography by
Fernando Argüelles

Film Editing by
King Wilder

Production Design by
Wendy Guidery

Art Direction by
Mara Massey

Costume Design by
Rena Eliashiv

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist
Sean Rodgers	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Jonathan Bogner	....	executive in charge of production
Douglas Hessler	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eddie Ziv	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Sarah Brady	....	adr & foley editor
David Chornow	....	sound mixer
Ted Kosiusko	....	re-recording mixer
Lars Nelson	....	re-recording mixer
Sara Oldfield	....	sound mixer
Jesse Turajski	....	recordist

Stunts
Chuck Borden	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Hawkinson	....	electrician
Michael Martino	....	gaffer

Editorial Department
Juliet Avola	....	post-production
Chris Weber	....	negative cutter
Gary Weber	....	negative cutter
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Other crew
Paula F. Major	....	production coordinator
Joyce 'Doc' Pepper	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Beyond Infinity
• Phantom Productions

Distributors

• Empire Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Another World Entertainment (2010) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Big Sky Video (2009) (Australia) (DVD) (unrated director's cut)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2012) (Germany) (video) (Blu-ray)
• Colourbox (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• Dragon Film Entertainment (DFE) (200?) (Germany) (DVD)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Mr. Horror Presents #16)
• Paramount Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Screen Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Synapse Films (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Synapse Films (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Wizard Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (unrated director's cut)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group

Also Known As:

"Night Crew: The Final Checkout" - USA (video title)

Runtime:

83 min | 88 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:R | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (heavily cut) | New Zealand:R16 (2009) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2010)

Filming Locations:

Bell, California, USA

Company:

Beyond Infinity

Trivia:

The "head in one hand, sandwich in the other" speech was previously used in Raising Arizona (1987).

Goofs:

Continuity: The clippings affixed to the wall calendar at the customer service desk change between shots. This is noticeable while Jennifer is trying to get a hold of the police on the phone.

Quotes:

Craig Peterson:I saw him kill Linda

Movie Connections:

References Evil Dead II (1987)

Is This The Second Greatest Low-Budget Horror Film Ever?

The greatest low budget horror film ever is "The Janitor", but "Intruder" certainly ranks up there as one of the all-time greats. (You can argue that such films as "Evil Dead" are low budget, but they don't have the amateur quality to them I'm speaking about.) In this film, a grocery clerk's ex-boyfriend shows up to harass her. After the store closes, people begin dying off one by one. Is it the boyfriend? With notable appearances by the "Evil Dead" alumni: Bruce Cambell, Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Scott Spiegel and Danny Hicks. What a line-up! The film has its flaws. I mean, it's a very amateur movie so the music is just awful (how long can the produce guy listen to the same song?). Not sure where the regular composer was this day. The acting is decent but iffy, and the overall feel is of a cheap and predictable film.

But that is ignorable. The unique camera angles let you know you're working with a Raimi posse member. You won't find shots like these in anything else, except maybe an M. Night Shymalan film (and in that case maybe he owes someone a thank you). And the deaths are of a kind you won't find in your average slasher film: a simple grocery store is taken to new depths.

Nice product placement for Adidas, Meister Brau and Diet Pepsi. Too bad they didn't actually get the money for doing that. And an excellent re-use of the monologue from "Raising Arizona" about the head and sandwich. The Raimi-Coen connection is strengthened.

If you liked the dark humor of the other Raimi projects, you'll love this. Scott Spiegel does not have the name recognition he deserves, showing us here he is just as able as the big boys to step up to the plate for a low budget horror comedy thriller.