"MUTANT"/&/"C.H.U.D"
"MUTANT"
Staring: Wings Hauser - Bo Hopkins
Lee Montgomery
- Jody Medford and Jennifer Warren
Directed by: John "BUD" Cardos
Elite Entertainment
Ratings: Movie=
|
Picture=
|
Sound=
|
|
Once in a while there is a movie that comes along that grabs my attention right from the beginning. I must admit that at first I had my reservations about watching this movie, "Mutant". But after viewing this movie I had a surprising change of heart.
This little low budget sleeper horror begins with a cop searching a basement only to discover a dead body. Just then out of the dark a large shadow appears to lift him off his feet and scream in horror.
Next scene cuts to two brothers, Josh (Wings Hauser "Vice Squad") and Mike (Lee Montgomery, child star from "Ben" and "Burnt Offerings"). The two are vacationers and are viciously run off the road by a group of rednecks and their car becomes immobilized. They then find themselves stranded in a small quiet little town. We are then introduced to some strange town folk who are getting killed by something mysterious. Josh and Mike then find a corpse and go in search for the police.
They then find themselves in the local bar and who else would be in the bar but the rednecks who ran them off the road. A big brawl begins and fists go flying. Thank heavens the sheriff just happens to be at the bar and breaks up the fun. Mike is hurt but still manages to tell the sheriff (Bo Hopkins) of the dead man outside. The sheriff goes to investigate but finds a drunk lying on the floor in his place. The sheriff does not believe them until he sees the yellow slime on the floor.
Mike is then taken to the doctors office and Dr. Myra Tate (Jennifer Warren of 70's tearjerker "Ice Castles"), fixes mike up. Just then the sheriff asks the Dr. if she could examine the evidence he has found but it has suddenly become increasingly hot. Our brothers are then led to a boarding house run by a kooky woman. They are given separate rooms and when Josh wakes he realizes Mike is missing. Josh becomes distraught and goes in search of his missing brother. He finds himself back at the pub and in walks Holly, bartender/school teacher. She begins to tell Josh that everyone in the town seems to be getting sick . Back at the Doctors office our Doctor tells our sheriff that she spilt some of the specimen and it began to grow. Just then a break in in the office and someone has stolen blood from the fridge.
Josh and Holly go to the town's public school.
There they hear a strange noise coming from the boiler room. Josh goes to investigate and is surprised a dead girl with blue body falling to his feet. The body is then taken to the doctors office and the the doctor begins her autopsy. With approval from the sheriff but it must be sent to the coroners office in the morning.
Josh then begins to have a sharp pain in his side and goes to see the doctor. She asks him if he had contact with the dead body and Josh declares that indeed he had. The doctor then exclaims that it has to do with some sort of chemical radiation that infects those who come in contact with it. This film has all the makings of a true Drive In Movie with some pretty good acting to boot. Sorry, back to the movie.
Suddenly people begin mutating...People are turning blue and oozing yellow slime. Josh finds a chemical plant and is greeted by some mean and nasty workers. They begin to surround him, just then holly comes breaking through the wall in her car to the rescue. The two escape and head to the sheriff. Just then they are in a struggle with a blue...yellow oozing mutant. The struggle begins and the mutant goes running out into the daylight. It screams in agony as the light hurts its eyes. This is a revelation to Josh and Holly and they realize the Mutants are weaker in the daylight. Suddenly I am reminded of the cult classic, "Night of the Living Dead". Without giving the ending away, let me just say there are many blue...oozing yellow zombie mutants in a town that has gone mad.
Mutant was fun and enjoyable at the same time. I was pleasantly surprised and highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a very good B horror.
Elite delivers a beautiful enhanced 16 x 9 widescreen transfer in it's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. There is some visible grain in the first night scene of the film but disappears quickly. The colors are bright and well balanced. The black level was very good as well. The sound is presented in the films original 2.0 Dolby Stereo surround and was very clear and effective. With a film of it's age, the picture is surprisingly stunning. All and all this DVD is highly recommended.
Back To The Top
(Canniblalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers)
(1982)
Starring: John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry.
Directed By: Douglas Cheek
DVD Information
Anchor Bay Entertainment - 16 x 9 Enhanced of aspect ratio 1:85.1 - Dolby Digital Mono - Audio Commentary with Director Douglas Cheek and Cast members John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry - Theatrical Trailer -
Production Stills - Original Theatrical Poster Replica on a insert card.
Ratings: Movie=
|
Picture=
|
Sound=
|
Below the city lies something horrid that lurks in the sewers of New York. The homeless people of the city are disappearing without a trace. A cop, a journalist and a homeless person join forces to discover the horrifying truth beneath the city streets.
A woman walking her dog late at night in the city is suddenly grabbed by a hideous looking creature. The city is up in arms. People are vanishing without a trace. They have checked the surface and now it's time to go down below. With the help from a homeless woman, the photographer is taken down below into a maze of tunnels and hidden passageways. This is where the horror begins. Mutated due to a toxic experiment gone wrong, the homeless people are metamorphosing into these ferocious creatures who acquire a taste for the human flesh.
The city will never be the same. The creatures are now surfacing to the top of the city streets. They are hungry for humans and they are called C.H.U.D.(Canniblalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers).
Though not one of my favorites, but a cult favorite to many. C.H.U.D has developed a rather large following. I personally just don't understand how you can take a movie with a rubber like looking creature living underground and try to make it serious. No laughs in this one and rather dull and drawn out.
Anchor Bay does provide us with a beautiful DVD film like transfer flawless of any grain, with brightly satuated colors.
The commentary happens to be the best part of this DVD and one of the best that i've heard in a while. The director (Douglas Cheek) with Cast members (John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry) view "C.H.U.D." with a very humorous discussion, with a lot of joking around about how bad this movie is to making fun of each other. For a minute i thought this was "Mystery Science Theater 3000". I recommend watching "C.H.U.D." only with the commentary, because by watching it alone you may fall asleep from boredom
The DVD also has a Theatrical Trailer and a Behind the Scenes Still Gallery.The DVD also has a Theatrical Trailer and a Behind the Scenes Still Gallery.
Back To The Top
Back to the Drive-in Lobby
Return to the
DVD Reviews
