Munchies (1987)

I was just in grade school when Munchies came out; I never watched it when it came out, or rented it on video tape/dvd over the years. Probably it was because I may have grown tired of the tiny creature horror comedies that came out in the mid-late 1980s; most all of them seeming to capitalize over the success Gremlins (1984) the first of these types of movies and the most popular and best-remembered today. Full-disclosure: I've rewatched Gremlins and its sequel many times over the years; they are definitely "childhood favorites". I also remember watched Ghoulies (1985) which I didn't like. Then came Critters (1986) and its sequel Critters 2 (1988) and those were fun and I liked those.

But Munchies? Nope, never seen it. Until now.

Watching it for the first time in 2022, I now understand that the filmmakers were aiming for outrageous parody, no question about it. Had I watched the movie as a kid, no doubt most of the subtle satirical humor would have gone over my head. Examples of this are all the cops and townsfolk afraid of communists around every corner, common back then (and modern times!).  A sleazy entrepreneur / media mogul / real-estate developer (Harvey Korman) and his wife are totally reminiscent of disgraced televangelists and politicians of that era (and modern times!). 

It's notable to point out that Munchies director Tina Hirsch was the Film Editor on Gremlins, and co-star Nadine Van der Velde was one of the heroes in Critters. So we've got alot of little movie monster cred happening here. And of course Roger Corman was producer. Back in the 1980s when this movie came out, I had no idea who he was. 

It felt like the filmmakers and actors were all having fun making this movie, and when I can tell that is happening, then it makes me enjoy the film, too. And it seems like the writer (Lance Smith) really got creative in finding new ways the little creatures can attack us. 

For example:

• In Gremlins, we had creatures in a mailbox, a microwave, a movie theater, a bar, and in a department store.
• In Ghoulies, there were creatures in a toilet and in an old mansion
• In Critters, we had creatures in space and on a farm.

But Munchies raises the set-piece bar in new ways - now we have creatures driving a car, in a lake, in a mini-golf course, in a cave, in an ice cream store, in a fast-food restaurant, and finding ways to multiply in a factory warehouse. One of my favorite sequences involves a showdown in a video store, where the heroes shield themselves with a giant Clint Eastwood cardboard advertisement (for Pale Rider). A pretty neat scene, and a nostalgic one, too, as video stores are non-existant today.

When I watch older movies today, what often distracts me is seeing the old technology being used. I recently watched a thriller film where there were countless scenes of people talking on telephones, or people using a phone booth. But....I can't remember any telephones used in Munchies, even with all the mayhem and destruction that happens in the course of the film.  I'm not sure if that was intentional or not. To me, if there are no telephones use in a film, it makes the film appear "less dated" than some other movies of the same time. Funny how one character in the movie is obsessed with a vinyl record collection; a modern viewer (and vinyl collector) might really appreciate that since vinyl collecting is "in" again in 2022. One unappealing thing about this movie - like other movies like it - is how sexist those little creatures are made to be, and this can make a modern viewer cringe. It's satisfying, though, when they meet their eventual demise (no spoilers here, though). 

Then there are the special effects. Some people who are used to CGI don't like these types of movies where puppets are used. But in my opinion, when it comes to tiny alien creature horror-comedies, I'm ok with the use of actual puppets vs GCI, even if they are ridiculous-looking as they are in Munchies.  Recently, I watched a semi-newish horror comedy called Yoga Hosers (2015) starring Lily Rose Depp; in that movie, she battles little sausage creatures. The movie was OK, but the creatures were all CGI and I kept wishing the filmmakers just went "old-school" and just used puppets the old fashioned way. If you are going to make a ridiculous movie, why waste time with all the GCI and just go for ridiculous looking puppets?

This may seem like a small, insignificant, b-movie, but I have a feeling alot of directors have watched Munchies and been inspired by it for their own horror-creature-comedies. 

I'm sorry I passed up on it for so long and never watched it until now. But am so glad I have seen it, and I would recommend it to you if you have never seen it!  

This post is part of the Roger Corman Blogathon!

Hosted by Cinematic Catharsis and Reelweedgiemidget Reviews

Vintage Movie Theaters: Portage Theater (Chicago IL)

Today's featured theater is the Portage (official site), located on Chicago's northwest side in the Portage Park neighborhood. According to Cinema Treasures, the theater opened in 1920 (91 years old!), so this would be the oldest theater in Chicago still showing motion pictures in the same building space using its original name.  How about that!

And the best part is - it shows classic films. Since 2006, it's become a great venue to see silents and talkies.  The Silent Film Society of Chicago and the Northwest Chicago Film Society both screen movies here. 

Today my friend and I went to a Universal Studios monster film fest and saw Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein. The program included a raffle in between each movie. Memorabilia dealers had tables set up in the lobby.

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In this photo from the 1970s, you can see how the theater used to have a huge vertical sign with big red letters that would shine brightly at night. Big red-letter vertical signs were almost always a part of theaters built in the 1920s and 1930s. As the sign became too expensive to maintain, it was taken down. Photo courtesy of Chicago Now-Portage Park

In this 3-minute video, I attempt to explain a little bit about its history. My apologies for the poor sound quality

Here's the cool ticket booth, and it's still being used! This is the only theater in Chicago where you can step back in time and experience this

Here's the elegant inside of the theater; renovated in the early 2000's. Seats over 1,300!

Here's what the inside looked like today for the monster film fest; lots of dealers with vintage monster/horror memorabilia, comic books, videos, etc.

Coming soon to the Portage: The classic silent Nosferatu (with organ accompaniment!) and Bride of the Monster!

I'll end this post with a quick video of fresh hot popcorn popping. Smells so good!

Cheesy space movie marathon coming this summer in Chicago

There's going to be a classic horror/sci-fi quadruple feature at the Portage Theater in a few weeks -- I might skip "The Jetsons Movie" (I never was a fan of the tv show all that much) and just go the others, which I haven't seen yet.

If you have any suggestions on these films let me know what you think. I haven't seen them.
"The Reluctant Astronaut"
"The Last Starfighter"
"It Came Without Warning"



Also, this will be a triple feature in August:

Beware! The Blob (1972)

This movie is so bad that it's funny. Actually, it's intended to be a comedy, unlike the original 1958 Blob that we all have come to laugh at anyway. After all, the cast this time includes comedians Shelly Berman and Godfrey Cambridge. Robert Walker Jr (I wonder if his mother Jennifer Jones ever saw this one) and Gwynne Gilford (mother of actor Chris Pine -  I wonder if he saw this) run all over town trying to warn people about the "giant, one-celled animal", only to be dismissed by all the local authorities who think they're just stoned hippies.

The original 1958 Blob ends with the menace being disposed of in the North Pole, and in this film, he's brought back from the region in a canister by an oil pipeline layer. Kudos to the writers who at least tried to link the two films, but for the rest of the movie, it just feels like everyone's improvising, like one Saturday Night Live sketch after the other. Almost everyone plays a hippie in the movie, including Carol Lynley and Cindy Williams. There's a hippie-trashing hobo Burgess Meredith, who gets sucked alive by the giant jello mold. That scene was pretty funny. The best scene has to be where Godfrey Cambridge is attacked by the Blob just after he watches the original Blob movie on TV with Steve McQueen. Directed by actor Larry Hagman, who also appears.


I just love this trailer. Note: When Godfrey Cambridge says, "Ahh. The Blob!!" - that's not in the movie...this was cut footage of him watching the 1958 movie on TV, but retained in the trailer. "Rated GP - All Ages Admitted". lol

F

Classic horror marathon in Chicago IL: October 26-30, 2009

Only at Portage Theater

Click to Enlarge

Monster on the Campus (1958)

Another Universal monster classic, Our story begins on a 50s college campus of course, when a rare giant fish from Madagascar is delivered to the lab of a biology professor (Arthur Franz, veteran of campy B-movies). Obsessed with endangered species, the doc begins to conduct some studies it, yet doesn't realize that it's filled with a powerful drug that can change any living creature back into its neanderthalic state. So when a dragon fly lands on it, it becomes a huge prehistoric creature. When a dog licks the blood of the fish, it becomes a vicious saber-toothed wolf. And when the good doctor cuts his hand on the fish's jaws, oh brother watch out - because that's when the movie goes Jeckyll-and-Hyde-esque, as the nutty professor instantly transforms into the titular beast. It's most violent part shows the monster throwing an ax into the face of a park ranger, gruesome for 1958. Troy Donohue plays one of his students. Also starring - in her only role as a lead actress - Joanna Moore (mother of Tatum O'Neal) If remade today, I bet the writers would have the savage attack some horny coeds in the bedroom of at some wild frat party. Directed by Jack Arnold ("Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Incredible Shrinking Man"). Interestingly, this film was never featured on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" - it could have been!

The Mole People (1956)

A cheesy, creepy movie from the 1950s about a group of three archeologists who enter a strange, undiscovered civilization below the surface of the mountains (of Mesopatamia).

They are abducted by strange mutant mole creatures, who are slaves of a cult group of albinos who worship the goddess Ishtar.

The captured explorers try to pose as ambassadors sent by Ishtar, and then are treated like medicine men.

The weakness of these people: Light. Even a flash from the flashlight they carry has power, and this all comes in handy as the film progresses as you can imagine.

The post makes the film look more exciting than it actually is. There's very little action, just creepiness, including some strange worship ceremony sequences.

Then there's a pretty slave girl played by Cynthia Patrick, who didn't appear in very many movies after this one came out. 

Co-starring Hugh Beaumont (TV's "Leave it to Beaver")