Sleepwalkers (1992)

A mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures come to town to seek out a virgin to feed on.

Director:

Mick Garris

Writer:

Stephen King

Stars:

Brian Krause, Mädchen Amick, Alice Krige

4 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian Krause	...	Charles Brady
Mädchen Amick	...	Tanya Robertson
Alice Krige	...	Mary Brady
Jim Haynie	...	Sheriff Ira
Cindy Pickett	...	Mrs. Robertson
Ron Perlman	...	Captain Soames
Lyman Ward	...	Mr. Robertson
Dan Martin	...	Andy Simpson
Glenn Shadix	...	Mr. Fallows
Cynthia Garris	...	Laurie
Monty Bane	...	Horace
John Landis	...	Lab Technician
Joe Dante	...	Lab Assistant
Stephen King	...	Cemetery Caretaker
Clive Barker	...	Forensic Tech

Storyline

Charles Brady and his mother Mary move to a small town. They are sleepwalkers - they can change their appearance and they need the life force from young women. Charles has picked out young Tanya as his next victim. He asks her for a date and invites her home...

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Plot Keywords:

small town | life force | murder | shotgun | stitch | 

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Taglines:

The first Stephen King story written expressly for the scream.

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Genres:

Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some terror/violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stephen King's Sleepwalkers

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$30,524,763 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Victor & Grais Productions, Ion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The house of the Sleepwalkers is the same one used in the TV series The Waltons.

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Goofs

When Tanya is trying to start the police car in the end so she can get away while Mary Brady is on fire, Mary leans against the car to shout at Tanya and leaves fire on the hood after sliding off. When Tanya finally puts the police car in reverse the fire is still there, but in the next shot when she stops the car going backwards barely 10 feet the fire is no longer on the hood.

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Quotes

Policeman: [They get into a yard full of cats] There's a lot of cats.
Policewoman: Well, I can see that, dickhead.

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Crazy Credits

Cat's claws slash through the screen after the credits, exposing a green glow beyond.

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Connections

Referenced in Masterclass of Horror (2011)

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Soundtracks

"The Rodeo Song"
Written by Gaye Delorme

User Reviews

As Much as I Want to Hate This Film, I Love It

A shape shifting young man (Brian Krause) and his mother (known as "sleepwalkers" for some reason) arrive in a new town. But the mother (Alice Krige) needs to feed, so her son Charles must find him a pure young woman. But who will he love more, his mother or the beautiful Tanya Robertson (Madchen Amick)? "Sleepwalkers" is a film that has a special place in my heart. I saw it repeatedly on television as a teenager watching our local horror host, Ned the Dead. And while I never thought it was great, I found it entertaining. I place it in the same category as "Maximum Overdrive" -- cheesy and fun, though by no means a great film. And look at the cameos in this film! Mike Mayo tears this film apart, calling it "arguably King's worst film". He says the "script meanders through pointless chitchat scenes." Director Mick Garris "doesn't know how to photograph" and throws in "close-ups of knees." Wow. He has nothing nice to say about this film, giving it a dismal 0 on his one through four scale. I must beg to differ with Mike on this one.

First of all, King's worst film is "Langoliers". Second, I did not notice these pointless chitchat scenes he speaks of. Some of the plot is a bit loose, but nothing is completely pointless. I furthermore do not recall any shots of knees, though if the knees belonged to the beautiful Madchen Amick I think this is forgivable. Mick Garris has made many a bad film, this is true. And "Sleepwalkers" is by no means a masterpiece. But I think to lay down such heavy scorn is misplaced and really ignores the "fun factor" of this picture.

Oddly enough, Howard Maxford, whom I almost never agree with, seems to get this one. He calls the film "silly but quite lively" and points out the "nifty effects" and "gag cameos" (Stephen King, Clive Barker, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper and John Landis). And there you go -- recognition of the fun this film was and still is.

Ron Perlman ("Hellboy", "Pro-Life") plays a cop and doesn't get nearly enough screen time. Not sure what else to say about that. Clearly they did not foresee the star power in Perlman.