Review: The Deadly Spawn (1983)
(aka Return of the Alien’s Deadly Spawn)
Directed by: Douglas McKeown
Starring: Charles George Hildebrandt, Tom DeFranco, Richard Lee Porter
Written by: Douglas McKeown
Music by: Paul Cornell, Michael Perilstein, Ken Walker
Country: United States
Available on: DVD (Synapse FIlms)
IMDb
Writer/director Douglas McKeown’s 16 mm sci fi splatterfest, supposedly made for a mere $25,000, is just about everything a horror-loving tot growing up in the ‘80s could want out of a monster movie. It’s got a really otherworldly, slimy alien creature; ingenious gore, gore aplenty, including heads eaten off and faces ripped asunder; an eerie but super catchy score featuring a whacked-out sound palette; a horror-loving tot like myself, saving the damn day; a squad of luncheoning old ladies getting mauled by teethy slugs; and a 10-minute stare-off between the horror-loving tot and the slobbering, frothy mother alien in a dank, flooded basement. However, I never saw The Deadly Spawn as a kid because the VHS cover was too gruesome for a wimp like me. Splashed in visceral crimson glory, it was a forbidden object to behold from afar, literally every time I went to the video store, but never to attempt renting because my parents would have sought immediate therapy for their sweet, young (now obviously psychotic) son. So, I didn’t see this movie until 20 or so years later, and it didn’t quite conjure the magic it would have back then. But this flick, about an alien that crash-lands on earth and begins devouring as much human flesh as possible while spewing its slug-babies as often as possible, is still a whole hell of a lot of fun. It’s ultra-indie conception shows in its rougher edges, of which there are plenty. The acting isn’t professional whatsoever, but everyone’s giving it a spirited go in a cast of mostly likable, relatable, and nerdy characters. McKeown would never be mistaken for an auteur — the script and direction are both just modest vehicles for a wonderful array of practical effects by John Dods (Spookies) — and things can get a little slow here and there. The music, primarily written by Michael Perilstein, is a goddamn treat. It’s just a joy to listen to, really conjuring the ‘50s-cum-’80s vibe of the movie with its swirling flute-lines and synth throbs. It’s the type of score that had 20-year-old Justin scouring the internet at weird hours, desperately looking for tape trades before there was a Death Waltz or Waxwork Records to conveniently put it out in a deluxe LP package. The final shot of the film will give you goosebumps. Though it’s not perfect, The Deadly Spawn has boundless charm and ample enthusiasm — a movie that makes you want to make a movie.
Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10
