Night of the Creeps is one of those odd little cult classics that somehow managed to stay mostly off my radar all these years. I’ve heard the name, I know people who are fans, I think I even TIVO’d it once but never got around to watching it. Come October 20th, I’ll have one less excuse, because a brand-new directors cut is hitting Blu-ray and DVD, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Night of the Creeps was a 1986 horror/comedy written and directed by Fred Dekker. Even if you haven’t seen Creeps, you might recognize Dekker’s name from another ‘80s cult classic – he co-wrote and directed The Monster Squad, which means he’s at least partially responsible for introducing the line “Wolfman’s got nards!” into my childhood. While that film set a pack of pre-pubescents against iconic monsters like Dracula and the Mummy, Creeps keeps its eyes on the skies. Designed to lovingly parody classic B movies, Creeps is set in a college town that’s overrun with zombies or aliens or alien zombies. This new edition will include Dekker’s director’s cut and a sizeable array of special features. For $27.95 on Blu-ray or $19.94 on DVD, here’s what you’ll get:
Blu-Ray and DVD Bonus Material
- Audio Commentary with Members of the Cast
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Fred Dekker
- Deleted Scenes
- Alternate Ending – Theatrical Version
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Trivia Track
- “Birth of the Creeps” – Writer/Director Fred Dekker discusses his influences and early filmmaking experiences and how Night of the Creeps evolved into his debut feature film.
- “Cast of the Creeps” – Actors Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall, and actress Jill Whitlow talk about their experiences on the film, and how they have dealt with the film's enduring cult success over the past 25 years.
- “Creating the Creeps” – Make-up FX creators David B. Miller, Robert Kurtzman and others discuss the extensive make-up creations in the film, and how they brought the slithering, sluglike "creeps" to life.
- “Escape of the Creeps” – A detailed look into the film's post-production and why the film was barely released to theatres with writer/director Fred Dekker, composer Barry DeVorzon, and producer Charles Gordon.
- “Legend of the Creeps” – Final words from the cast & crew on the film's enduring cult popularity, plus interviews with the film’s biggest fans.
- “Tom Atkins: Man of Action” – A detailed look at the career of Tom Atkins, with testimonials from filmmakers he’s worked with over the past 30 years.
- Footage from the June 2009 cast reunion screening at The Original Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
