Character Spotlight- Brad- Night Of The Creeps

 

**This post contains spoilers**

He’s young, he’s confident, his hair is perfect, and he’s the leader of a fraternity! So what’s wrong with Brad (Allan Kayser)? Well, he’s not a nice guy. To be more blunt, Brad is a jerk. Brad’s personality is a detestable mix of an asshole jock and a cocky surfer dude, who believes he’s untouchable. He’s exactly the kind of guy you’d expect to have a big ego, as the head honcho of a fraternity, the ultimate narcissist, who thinks the world should bow at his feet.

It’s almost impossible to believe Cynthia Cronenberg (Jill Whitlow) is his girlfriend, but the clock is ticking on her relationship with Brad. Brad goes too far with his bullying. His plans to toy with and humiliate Chris Romero (Jason Lively), and his friend, J.C. Hooper (Steve Marshall) backfired. Brad thought he got the last laugh, kicking one of J.C.’s crutches, which caused him to fall flat on his face. But Cynthia wasn’t amused. Cynthia dumped Brad in front of a crowd, slowly raising her middle finger to throw more salt in the wound. The Bradster’s fragile ego was shattered in front of other people, so you know he was pissed, no matter how hard he tried to hide genuine feelings of embarrassment. 

Brad loses Cynthia to Chris, and his own fraternity bros are quick to poke fun at him? Ouch, that’s gotta hurt! But things only get worse for Brad, as the story unfolds. Drunk and miserable, Brad gets caught off guard outside of Cynthia’s sorority house, when one of the alien slugs jumps into his mouth. So Brad goes from being the popular big man on campus fraternity leader, to a mindless zombie infected by alien slugs? Wow. That’s a big downgrade for sure, and a hard fall from grace.

You have to tip your hat to Allan Kayser for his performance. He IS the reason why you’d want to punch Brad in the face. Kayser speaks in a weirdly pretentious cadence, adding another noticeably annoying character trait to Brad. Whether he’s simply talking, or going on one of his pompous rants, you’ll quickly notice Brad always believes he’s the most important voice in the room (or outside). No one else’s opinions should matter, because he’s the almighty Brad, and you’re not supposed to question him.

Brad’s story ended on the steps of Cynthia’s sorority house, when he wasn’t his normal self. Infested with alien slugs, Brad’s head was blown wide open by Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins), causing a group of slugs to spill out of his skull. To make matters worse, Chris used the flamethrower to torch Brad’s decaying corpse. Brad lost everything, and he got exactly what he deserved, a prime example of a character receiving their comeuppance in the worst possible ways imaginable. 

Chris twisted the knife after he killed Brad (with Ray’s help). Chris took one final look at Brad, staring a hole through his flaming dead body, and he calmly said, “Sorry, Brad. Don’t take it personal.” Brad would’ve loved to dish out one more snarky insult, but Chris got the last laugh, AND he saved Cynthia from Brad’s attack. The douchey ex-boyfriend was literally destroyed by a nerd, someone, who Brad believed was beneath him in the ranks of the social hierarchy on a college campus. A strange and unconventional rivalry, because Chris beat Brad, truly a full circle story, complete with an insanely brutal and gory ending.

Character Spotlight- Chris, J.C., & Cynthia- Night Of The Creeps

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The alien invasion has begun! Send the military, send tanks, send all of the fire power that’s available, because the world desperately needs heroes to fight back! What about Chris Romero (Jason Lively) and his best friend, J.C. Hooper (Steve Marshall)? But Chris and J.C. don’t have big muscles. They’re not skilled in hand to hand combat, and while you could say Chris knows the basics about using weapons, J.C. and Chris really don’t check off any of the boxes for a duo that’s capable of stopping crafty alien slugs. 

Chris and J.C. are nerds. Chris is still carrying a heavy heart and moping around after losing his high school sweetheart. He’s socially awkward, and he’s scared to talk to women. J.C.? He’s a comedian with a quick and snappy sense of humor, a jokester, who doesn’t mind poking fun at himself and his disabilities. For a kid who’s forced to get around on crutches, J.C. still manages to have a positive outlook on life. 

J.C. is the true definition of a good and loyal friend. When Chris spots Cynthia Cronenberg (Jill Whitlow), J.C. does everything he can do to help Chris. Pulling off a prank to join a fraternity, lead by a despicable tool named Brad (Allan Kayser)? Done. When Chris starts whining about J.C.’s habit to make a joke out of everything, J.C. gets annoyed and irritated, but he doesn’t abandon Chris. Chris and J.C. stick together, no matter what, even if they’re staring at an old frozen corpse! 

During her first appearance, Cynthia Cronenberg gets the spotlight, complete with fitting background music for someone, who’s presented as the perfect dream girl. She’s sweet, innocent, and Cynthia has a majestic aura about herself. Okay, she’s dating Brad, but when Cynthia learns the truth about the slug infested walking corpse, who showed up at her window, she dumps Brad. Tricking two good guys into doing a prank that involves a dead body, when you had no intentions of accepting them into your fraternity, is probably a line you shouldn’t cross. And Brad kicking away one of J.C.’s crutches didn’t help things. Everyone has a breaking point. 

Night Of The Creeps shows us college life can be fun. Chris has a fresh tuxedo, Brad is out of the picture, and he’s finally ready to go on his first date with Cynthia! Things are looking up for Chris…..but the invading alien slugs have other plans. J.C. is dead, after coming out on the losing end of an attack from the slugs in the bathroom. So who else is available to help Chris fight against the aliens? Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins)! Yes, Ray is still haunted by the memories of finding the dismembered corpse of his high school sweetheart. But Ray is a tough wisecracking ball of fire, who won’t quit.

Still, Chris needs one more person to join his team. Outnumbered with their backs against the wall, Cynthia steps up to help Chris and Ray. One of my absolute favorite shots from Night Of The Creeps shows Chris and Cynthia together, armed with a flamethrower and Ray’s trusty twelve gauge shotgun, slowly walking towards the basement in Cynthia’s sorority house. Chris is serious, while he’s urging Cynthia’s sorority sisters to get out of the house, knowing they’re all risking their lives, if they stay inside. A cool handful of moments, and, well it’s kind of a bad ass shot, in a comical way of course. 

Ray Cameron jokingly used the nicknames Spanky (Chris) and Alfalfa (J.C.) for Chris and J.C. Fitting nicknames for the duo, because you could say Chris and J.C. are two Little Rascals in their own ways. Chris starts out as a bumbling and nervous geek, but he finds his courage, as the story develops. Chris found the motivation to fight back, after he listened to J.C.’s emotional farewell message on a tape recorder. He couldn’t sit back and hide, or wait it out. No, Chris had to avenge his best friend’s death.

Did Chris, J.C., Cynthia, and Ray stop the alien invasion? Well, no. If you’ve seen the theatrical cut and the director’s cut for Night Of The Creeps, you’ll know both versions ended with cliffhangers. But Chris fought back. Chris, with Cynthia by his side, marched right into the fire to take on the alien slugs. It’s an unlikely and ironic story for an alien invasion, because Chris, J.C., and Cynthia are not exactly the cast of characters you’d expect to try and save the world. 

As far as Chris goes, he survived. Filled with a strong sense of pride, while standing tall with his new girlfriend, Cynthia, Chris finally had a reason to be happy again after Ray’s sacrifice. J.C. is gone, but Chris finally pulled himself out of a miserable stupor, AND he fought through hell to transform himself into a gutsy hero? Not a bad ending for a guy, who started out as someone, who was genuinely terrified at the thought of simply talking to Cynthia.

Character Spotlight- Megan Garris- Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

**This post contains spoilers**

Jason Voorhees is back from the dead! Jason kills Tommy Jarvis’ (Thom Mathews) friend, Allen Hawes (Ron Palillo). Determined to protect the peace in the quiet town of Forest Green, Sheriff Mike Garris (David Kagen) and his trusted Deputy, Rick (Vincent Guastaferro) dismiss Tommy’s pleas for help to stop a resurrected Jason, as ramblings from a delusional nutcase. Sheriff Garris forces Tommy to leave Forest Green, and when that doesn’t work, Sheriff Garris locks him inside a holding cell. Tommy needs an ally to stop Jason, and there’s only one person, who’s willing to help: Sheriff Garris’ daughter, Megan (Jennifer Cooke)!

If you’re going to take the dangerous risk of confronting Jason, you need someone fearless and bold, and Megan might be a little bit crazy. Think about how Tommy sternly warned Megan to stay away from the campsite before the final showdown with Jason. She didn’t flinch at all. Sheriff Garris’ stern warnings and demands to stay away from Tommy? Not enough to stop her. 

The high-speed car chase was the first sign of loyalty from Megan, and let’s not forget Tommy would’ve been stuck in the holding cell, if Megan didn’t grab Deputy Rick’s gun. Megan was dedicated to helping Tommy, and the fact that she noticeably has a crush on him also helps. 

Megan is bratty, but in a playful way, and she has a sharp sense of humor. Megan’s cool, and it’s not just the orange ‘77 Camaro that she drives. Jennifer Cooke brings natural charisma and a magnetic presence to Megan. The scene, where Megan holds Deputy Rick at gunpoint with his new mail order laser scope is one of my favorites. Rick tells her she shouldn’t clown around. Megan’s response? “I’m not the one with the funny red nose.”

A true daredevil, and she can be reckless, but Megan also has a big heart. She showed compassion for Tommy, when no one else wanted to. Megan cares about her friends, Cort (Tom Fridely), Sissy (Renee Jones), Paula (Kerry Noonan), and she protected the kids at the campsite. 

Big contributions from Megan. She saved Tommy’s life, and with some help from the propellers on the boat’s motor and Tommy’s trap, Megan put a stop to another one of Jason’s killing sprees. 

Tommy and Megan are both unhinged in their own ways. Together, they’re the kind of duo you need to fight Jason Voorhees, and there’s no denying Megan Garris is a memorable Friday The 13th character. Megan, the dynamo blonde, with a fierce appetite for danger and adventure, powered by Jennifer Cooke’s enjoyable and electric performance. A camp counselor, the Sheriff’s daughter, Tommy Jarvis’ love interest, and she battled Jason Voorhees? That’s one hell of a résumé for a horror heroine! 

Character Spotlight- Detective Ray Cameron- Night Of The Creeps

**This post contains spoilers**

Three college kids, and a surly wisecracking detective? Not exactly the kind of group you’d expect to save the world from an alien invasion. Chris (Jason Lively), his best friend, J.C. (Steve Marshall), and Cynthia (Jill Whitlow) are outnumbered and outmatched by the invading horde of alien slugs. There’s only one man, who’s bold and crazy enough to help them: Detective Ray Cameron.

Ray doesn’t fit the mold for a hero, but that’s also what makes him a unique character. He’s a burnt-out detective, who drives an old cherry top police car in the 1980’s, a rebel, with a snappy sense of humor who plays by his own rules. His trusted sidekick? A twelve gauge shotgun.

Ray is a fiery veteran, but he’s haunted by the one that got away. In the 1950’s, Ray found the love of his life, Pam (Alice Cadogan) in pieces, after she was killed by an axe wielding maniac. To make matters worse, Pam had already moved on with another man.

The scene, where Ray tells Chris the story about how he took matters into his own hands to kill The Maniac? That’s the scene, where you truly start to understand Ray Cameron. Sure, Ray has a short temper. He’s crass and he’s a loose cannon, but we’re talking about a hopeless romantic with a broken heart. Remember, Ray was ready to commit suicide before Chris showed up at his doorstep asking for help.

It’s also easy to see why Ray feels sympathy for Chris, and why he decided to help him in the end. Ray understands what it feels like to be in love at a young age. He knows Chris deeply cares about Cynthia. Decades after Pam’s murder, Ray is still fantasizing about sitting on a beach, while Pam slowly rises up from the water. And what did Ray use as motivation for a shot of adrenaline, when he was surrounded by the infected horde, facing certain death? Pam’s picture at the sorority house. 

Thrill me! A simple catchphrase, and they’re two words that perfectly describe Ray. Honestly, you can make a best of list featuring Ray’s quotes and one-liners (“It’s Miller time!”) throughout the movie. Nicknaming Chris and J.T. Spanky (Chris) and Alfalfa (J.T.), threatening Walt (Dick Miller), because Ray doesn’t have a requisition form for the flamethrower, or tearing into the other cops at the cryogenics lab. Ray Cameron finds a way to deliver some great bits of comedy, as a grouchy and irritated old man. 

Ray Cameron is a memorable character, if you’re a fan of 80’s horror movies. Tom Atkins truly brings his best for Night Of The Creeps. Effortlessly chewing the scenery, there’s no denying Atkins is the true star of the cast. 

It’s also ironic how Ray was depressed, how he didn’t want to be bothered about anything, and he simply wanted to give up on life. But in the end, Ray is the hero. 

The final wink and the smile for Chris before Ray starts the countdown to blow up the sorority house really works as a weird full circle moment. Facing that big, nasty hive of alien slugs, Ray was ready to do what he had to do. Through wild and unusual circumstances, Ray Cameron found peace again, and it’s truly a fitting ending for him, when you consider Ray’s fearless approach to life.

Character Spotlight- Bill Robinson- Maximum Overdrive (1986)

**This post contains spoilers**

Possessed machines are taking over the world! Who's going to lead the charge to stop them? Batman? Nope. Superman? Nah. Spider-Man? Not a chance. Instead, a small band of survivors from the Dixie Boy truck stop trust Bill Robinson as the savior.

Who is Bill Robinson? Well, he didn't inherit a vast fortune, and he's not swinging around New York City. Bill is a parolee, who's forced to suffer the wrath of his tyrannical boss, Bubba Hendershot. But after a rogue comet transforms every machine on Earth into a lethal weapon, Bill has to ignore his feud with Bubba, and Bubba's scandalous policy to force all parolees to work hours off the clock, so he can save money with the payroll.

Emilio Estevez received a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor as Bill Robinson, but I still get a kick out of watching his performance in Maximum Overdrive. Estevez is a cocky Average Joe with a thick southern accent, who refuses to back down from a fight. Of course, every hero needs a partner or a sidekick, and Laura Harrington's Brett was the ideal female counterpart for Bill. Brett is a feisty and bold fighter, who won't hesitate to use her switchblade on any sleazeballs, who step out of line.

After Hendershot's death, Bill officially takes command, leading Brett and the others to the local marina to find a boat for safety. At the marina, Bill uses Hendershot's rocket launcher to destroy the menacing Green Goblin truck. Need a visual?


                           



Bill Robinson is a rootin'-tootin' live-wire, and he's an unlikely hero, who leads the fight in a bizarre and hostile takeover. Plus, Bill has a few moments as a smooth Casanova during his scenes with Brett. Seriously, it's hard to hate a guy, who fights evil trucks and bulldozers to save the world. And he's able to snag the most beautiful woman at the Dixie Boy? Yep. Bill Robinson is one cool dude.

Follow this link to read a spoiler review for Maximum Overdrive (1986)- http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2013/05/maximum-overdrive-1986.html

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

**This review contains spoilers**

Earth is caught in the tail end of rogue comet Rhea-M, and machines suddenly come to life, and turn on their owners and makers by killing them. In Wilmington, North Carolina, those lucky enough to survive the attacks, barricade themselves inside the Dixie Boy truck stop.

Bubba Hendershot (Pat Hingle) is the ruthless and slimy boss at the Dixie Boy, who forces his newest employee and cook, Bill (Emilio Estevez), a recent parolee, to work hours off the clock to save money. And if Bill doesn’t comply with Hendershot’s secret policy for all parolees, Hendershot will do everything in his power to make Bill’s life a living hell. Deke (Holter Graham) arrives late at night for safety inside the Dixie Boy, but upon arrival, he learns about the death of his father, Duncan (J. C. Quinn), a Dixie Stop employee, who was killed earlier in the day by a speeding truck.

With help from his feisty new girlfriend and hitchhiker, Brett (Laura Harrington), Deke, the newlywed Curtis (John Short), a few of the truck drivers, customers, and Dixie Stop employees, Bill plans to fight the machines, and find a safe escape route for the remaining survivors. But temper tantrums from the lone waitress, Wanda (Ellen McElduff) cause some trouble. Connie (Yeardley Smith), Curtis’ new wife, doesn’t like the idea of her husband risking his life to fight the machines, and Bill will have to find a way to seize control of the weapons in Hendershot’s secret and illegal underground armory.

The big rigs form a continuous circle around the entrance to the Dixie Boy, blocking the survivors inside with the promise to run over anything that steps foot outside. The sleazy and perverted Bible salesmen, who gave Brett a ride is stuck in a muddy ditch after one of the trucks backed into him. Loman (Christopher Murney) screams for help in the ditch, until Curtis and Bill attempt a rescue mission. To further complicate the sticky situation, with a bulldozer for protection, a military vehicle armed with an M60 machine gun arrives one morning to make demands for the machines using morse code. Exhausted and beaten, Bill and the other survivors must help refuel the long line of vehicles outside the Dixie Boy.

Taking one last chance at an escape, Bill and the other survivors sneak out through a drainage pipe beneath the Dixie Boy one night, and head to the local marina to find a boat, and sail away from the chaos. But on their way to the marina, the survivors are followed by Handy’s (Frankie Faison) persistent truck with glowing red eyes in the middle of a custom-made Green Goblin face mounted on the grill.

Emilio Estevez was nominated for a Worst Actor Razzie, but I still enjoy his performance. Using the satire approach, Estevez plays the cocky rebel with a thick southern accent, and Laura Harrington’s Brett is a perfect match for the Bill character. Harrington is sassy and fearless, and the switchblade is a nice touch for her character. Hendershot might remind you of a slimy used car salesman, and Hingle is hilarious, when Hendershot decides to pick up the rocket launcher, and blow up anything in his path. And Joey (portrayed by Patrick Miller) is a nice fit for Hendershot’s most loyal employee and bumbling lackey, who lights Hendershot’s cigars with a simple demand.

I don’t think you’ll have any middle ground with Connie and Wanda. They’ll either annoy the shit out of you, or make you laugh throughout the whole movie, but I enjoy Yeardley Smith (“Curtis, don’t make me a widow on my wedding day!”) and Ellen McDuffie (“WE MADE YOU!”).  Oh, and for those of you, who don’t know, Yeardley Smith is the voice of Lisa Simpson. Although, it’s kind of hard to pick up on any similarities to Lisa, because Smith has a thick southern accent here.

Stephen King is the director, he came up with the short story (Trucks) this film is based on, and he has a brief cameo at the beginning (he’s the guy at the ATM, who almost throws a fit, when the ATM calls him an “asshole,” and the machine refuses to dispense cash). King’s directing style is a big target for a lot of the hateful criticisms directed towards Maximum Overdrive, and along with Emilio Estevez, King received a Razzie nomination for Worst Director. Well, truth be told, King has admitted he was “coked out of his mind” while directing Maximum Overdrive. But I don’t have a big problem with King’s directing. His style is bland and basic, but I wouldn’t call King’s work behind the camera clumsy or unfocused.  Bottom line, the complaints are overexaggerated, and I’ve never been able to understand the big outrage behind King’s directing for this film.

The AC/DC soundtrack is a perfect match for Maximum Overdrive. Every song just works, and more importantly, AC/DC’s music  fits within the context of the entire movie. A great “fight or die” soundtrack for survivors going up against a seemingly unstoppable enemy during an apocalyptic calamity. Good stuff.

Maximum Overdrive is a cheesy, over the top, and VERY campy horror comedy with the right amount of blood and gore. Not too extreme or nasty, just right. It’s mindless fun, and if you try and take this one too seriously, chances are you’ll hate Maximum Overdrive with a burning passion. Soda cans from a vending machine are used as projectiles to kill a baseball coach, trucks, that drive themselves are lethal weapons, and a drive-through menu tries to warn the other machines, as the survivors from the Dixie Boy hide for safety. Maximum Overdrive is suppose to be silly and over the top with a cast full of colorful comedy characters.

It’s not in my top ten of Stephen King film adaptations, but Maximum Overdrive ranks high on my list of favorite horror comedies, easily. It’s one of the few horror comedies I can watch over and over again without getting tired of it, and since I bought the DVD a while ago, I watch it at least once a month.

Rating: 6/10