Bug Buster (1998)

Killer cockroaches swarm a small lakeside community.

Director:

Lorenzo Doumani

Writer:

Malick Khoury

Stars:

Randy Quaid, Brenda Epperson, Katherine Heigl

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Randy Quaid	...	General George S. Merlin
Brenda Epperson	...	Dr. Laurie Casey (as Brenda Doumani)
Katherine Heigl	...	Shannon Griffin
James Doohan	...	Sheriff Carlson
George Takei	...	Dr. Hiro Fujimoto
Meredith Salenger	...	Veronica Hart
Ty O'Neal	...	Deputy Bo
David Lipper	...	Steve Williams
Bernie Kopell	...	Gil Griffin
Anne Lockhart	...	Cammie Griffin
Downtown Julie Brown	...	Katie Cunning (as Julie Brown)
Dennis Fimple	...	Judediah
Allen Lulu	...	Lodge clerk
Cliff Emmich	...	Uncle Buck
Charles Glenn	...	Governor

Storyline

A small lakeside resort community is beset by roaches. Big killer roaches that reproduce in dark moist places, and can grow to 10 feet long. The local sheriff may or may not be using them as part of his land-grab scheme. The locals eventually call in an over-the-top bug exterminator to relieve themselves of their problem.

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Plot Keywords:

bugs | lake | towel | shower | cleavage | 

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Taglines:

There's something creepy in the neighborhood...

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence and gore, crude humor, and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Blatella

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shoreline Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

[All trivia items for this title are spoilers.]

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Quotes

[Three separate groups meet up in a mine]
General George S. Merlin: For an abandoned mine, it sure is crowded.

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Connections

Spoofs Ghostbusters (1984)

User Reviews

Is Lorenzo Doumani the Reincarnation of Ed Wood?

In the small lakeside town of Mountview, in California, the Major decides to pulverize a dangerous substance to protect the local plantation. Thirteen years later, a harmful and lethal species of cockroaches appears nearby the lake, threatening and killing the local dwellers. The famous exterminator General George S. Merlin (Randy Quaid) is called to fight against the bugs.

Yesterday I was walking around downtown of Rio de Janeiro, and I found this DVD on sale for less than US$ 3.00. When I saw the names of Star Trek crew James "Scotty" Doohan, George "Sulu" Takei, Randy Quaid and the delicious Katherine Heigl in the cast I immediately bought and saw it at night.

The story of "Bug Buster" is simply ridiculous and the performances are awful, being difficult to highlight the worst in the "amazing" cast: the hero David Lipper, in the role of Steve Williams? Ty O'Neal, the smart Deputy Bo? Meredith Salenger, the slut Veronica Hart? George Takei, the crazy entomologist Professor Hiro Fujimoto? Randy Quaid, the exaggerated General George S. Merlin? I believe the correct answer would be all of them. Further, the cheap special effects are laughable. But this director Lorenzo Doumani is "hors-concours", seeming to be the reincarnation of Ed Wood. In spite of being so bad, the most impressive is that in the end I liked this flick, and I laughed a lot. It has also a great potential of cult-movie, a big joke, missing only the usual naked women, or the breast of Katherine Heigl to complete the appeal. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Baratas Assassinas" ("Cockroaches Killers")