Tremors

This valley is just one long smörgåsbord.

Finally deciding to break free of their small town existence, handymen Val and Earl find that it's easier said than done. The reason? Giant underground worms are attacking the place and they are now needed more than ever.

The 50s ream of sci-fi schlockers and creaky creature features are, depending on your persuasion, either genius fun or tacky nuisances. Since I belong to the first group, Tremors is possibly one of the finest homages to a most wonderful time in cinema. What is often ignored is that those 50s film's deal with the paranoia of the time, with nuclear testing and a wondering appertaining to Roswell like alien visits being very prominent in honest Joe's thoughts. So it be that Tremors is ideally set out in the desert, a place from where all manner of terrifying things have come forward to announce a threat to the American way of life.

We are in the small town of Perfection, a place that may be small on residents, but very much large on character. We have dim wits, annoying kid, cutesy single mom types, Mr and Mrs Rambo and courtesy of Finn Carter's seismologist Rhonda LeBeck, a romantic and charmingly fun filled thread. Containing dashes of gore and reams of cheeky suspense, Tremors proudly wears its "B" movie heart on its sleeve. While in Fred Ward (Earl) and Kevin Bacon (Val) the genre possibly has its greatest pairing. As male buddy buddy combos go, these pair take the cake. Funny and full of devilish derring do, Tremors deserves to be watched for this partnership if nothing else - yes they are that good! The creatures are well designed and prove to be a scary and enjoyable foe, whilst the Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California location is perfectly utilised by cinematographer Alexander Gruszynski. Directed by Ron Underwood on his feature film debut, Tremors also sees Reba McEntire, Michael Gross and Victor Wong also along for this fun packed ride. 8/10

Underground monstrosities in the desert prey on the folks of a remote town

Two handymen working in a Southwest town (Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward) team-up with a seismologist (Finn Carter) and the townspeople (e.g. Michael Gross & Reba McEntire) to take on huge creatures that live underground and like to eat people.

“Tremors” (1990) is a desert creature feature similar to “Gargoyles” (1972), but with a less grave tone; there’s a somewhat light air, but it’s not a comedy. The cast is spirited and likable while the creatures are inventive and interesting. Unfortunately, they’re also unbelievable since the hard desert ground would have to have the texture of thick mud for these behemoths to so easily travel through.

If you can overlook this, however, it’s a fun monster flick with magnificent desert cinematography. Yet it’s nothing more than that and so plays tediously on repeat viewings. “Gargoyles” is all-around superior because it’s more cryptic, grave and streamlined.

Finn Carter is a highlight in a girl-next-door kind of way, particularly her brief de-panted scene (lol). Meanwhile Gross is reminiscent of Dennis Weaver while McEntire is a natural as the gun-toting hick woman.

The film performed modestly at the box office, but eventually became a cult hit, followed by several sequels.

It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Olancha & Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.

GRADE: B-

"Tremors" joins "Gremlins" as one of a handful of family friendly creature features. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward have great chemistry as two bickering handymen in Perfection Nevada, population 14 when an invasion of subterranean "graboids' (I know, I know ... that sounds ridiculous, but in the context of the movie it clicks).

Spawning an abundance of bad sequels, "Tremors" solid cast, story and excellent practical effects stands the test of time.