Stephen King | Monster Zone

Directed by Mick (CRITTERS 2) Garris, written by Stephen King, starring Brian (BEYOND LOCH NESS) Krause, Mädchen (THE BORROWER) Amick, Alice (STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT) Krige, Jim Haynie, Cindy Pickett, Mark (STAR WARS) Hamill and Ron (HELLBOY) Perlman.

Also known as STEPHEN KING’S SLEEPWALKERS, this is a fun, cheesy tale about a mother & son who are the last of their kind: a shapeshifting species originating in ancient Egypt that feed on the life energy of virgins and, for some reason, are afraid of (and can be killed by) pet cats!

These ancient beings like to consume the life force from virgins!

These shapeshifters can be seen for what they really are in mirrors... — The shapeshifters can be seen for what they really are in mirrors…

One cop is murdered... by a corncob! — One cop is murdered… with a corncob!

At the beginning of the film we see Charles Brady, the Sleepwalker son, start a new school, where he is charming and friendly, so that nobody guesses he’s actually a werecreature who has regular sex with his mom!

Charles Brady seems like such a nice young man... — Charles Brady seems like such a nice young man…

Mother and son are rather too fond of each other

Mommy can get rather catty... — Mommy can get rather catty…

The premise is interesting, but some stuff isn’t explained: why can Charles take the life force from victims but his mother can’t? How on earth can Charles make himself and his car invisible? Why does the previously charming & subtle Charles suddenly become a wise-cracking, campy, cartoony villain halfway through the film?

Charles loses an eye after being stabbed with a corkscrew! — Charles doesn’t like being stabbed in the eye with a corkscrew!

But there’s definitely stuff to enjoy: the full-body werecat creature suits, the goofy early 90s ‘morphing’ special effects, the moments of blood-squirting fun, and the cameos from Clive Barker, Stephen King, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper and John Landis.

It's morphing time! — It’s morphing time!

Supposedly Stephen King’s wife Tabitha wrote a treatment for a SLEEPWALKERS sequel, which would have featured a women’s basketball team, but the project never progressed beyond treatment stage.

If you are happy watching a movie featuring a cheese-tastic, not-too-deep tale of incestuous werecat beings seeking out virgins in modern America… you won’t be disappointed.

Here are some posters…

Some lobby cards…

A publicity shot…

Alice Krige, Brian Krause and Mädchen Amick

One more look at those old school morphing effects…

He's a werecat-thingy! — He’s a werecat-thingy!

It's the big, bad wolf! — It’s the big, bad wolf!

Starring Corey (THE LOST BOYS) Haim, Gary (PREDATOR 2) Busey, Everett (QUEST FOR FIRE) McGill, Megan Follows and Terry (THE STEPFATHER) O’Quinn, this 80s-tastic film was directed by Dan Attias. This remains the only feature film directed by Attias, who continues to work for primetime television.

Set in the rural town of Tarker’s Mills (in Maine, of course), SILVER BULLET’s script was written by Stephen King, and is an adaptation of his novella Cycle of the Werewolf.

This movie remains an enjoyable watch: Gary Busey is likeable as Uncle Red and Everett McGill is good as Reverend Lowe, who turns into a werewolf that is partial to beating some victims to death with baseball bats!

SILVER BULLET is a very ‘1980s’ film, and I mean that in a good way, boasting some memorable moments, including the sequence where the werewolf picks off people from beneath billowing fog.

Let’s talk now about the hirsute antagonist…
Carlo Rambaldi’s cheesy werewolf transformation effects, let’s face it, aren’t in the same league as Baker or Bottin, but – and I don’t really know why – I quite like the ‘Big Bad Wolf’/bear look of the critter. Go figure.

Yeah, okay: this ain't the most realistic werewolf to ever stalk the silver screen — Yeah, okay: this ain’t the most realistic werewolf to ever stalk the silver screen

At one point the disabled kid hero (zipping around in a souped-up wheelchair/motorbike) shoots the werewolf in the eye with a firework. It’s a cool moment. But I have always wondered whether this would really permanently harm a wolfman, because presumably he can only really be hurt with a silver bullet? Never mind, I guess the reason this wounding remains permanent in the story is because it serves as an important plot point, allowing our young hero to note that Reverend Lowe has lost an eye just like the werewolf, thus tipping the kid off regarding the beast’s alter ego…

Interestingly, producer Dino De Laurentiis originally offered the project to Don Coscarelli to direct. Coscarelli wrote a version of the script, but ended up quitting, for various reasons, leaving me to wonder what this werewolf film would’ve been like if it had been made by the guy responsible for PHANTASM, THE BEASTMASTER and BUBBA HO-TEP? I think it would’ve been pretty damn good – but we’ll never know. Shame.

Okay, here are some posters for the movie…