Campy fun reminiscent of William Castle's classic "The Tingler." Never takes itself too seriously as rather obvious hand puppet leeches crawl up victim's bodies. Not sure why people think this film is "gay." Gosh, boys on swimming endurance team wearing Speedos. What else would they wear? If a woman directed this picture no one would make such an outrageous observation. When two boys strip off their baggy swim trunks to shower in their Speedos we get the feeling that the director is being a little too cautious about offending homophobic straight males. "Porky's" (1982) showed far more male nudity, including frontal, and the boys in the Annette Funicelo-Frankie Avalon "Beach" movies were shirtless more often that these guys. This is one of the better DeCoteau outings: beautiful location work and a good-looking cast (a departure from the pimply 1950s teens this film pays homage to). The shower scene with the leeches is an interesting blend of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" shower murder and the attic bird attack in "The Birds." (This victim showers in his underwear, alone in his own house -- I guess that saves doing laundry?) Like most modern horror epics this is more of an ensemble story with too many characters that lead to dead-end plot lines (no pun intended). This would have been a better film with a smaller cast and stronger character development. Curious R rating, apparently for steroid use. Violence is bloody but make believe. Watch it as a double feature with "The Tingler."
