A mildly diverting low budget horror flick from the eighties. You could do worse than THE BOOGENS, but then, you could also do a lot better.
This 1981 cheapie, filmed in Colorado and Utah, is notable primarily for the fact that Stephen King rather curiously gave it a rave in TWILIGHT ZONE MAGAZINE, and because it took 16 years to be released on video (which lent it an undeserved cult following). It’s about giant carnivorous worms, contained in turtle-like critters loose under a small mining town. It has nowhere near the wit or energy of 1990’s TREMORS (another mutant worm thriller, though leagues better than this one)…rather, it’s an old-fashioned monster movie, and I don’t mean that in a good way.
A man is discovered missing after he and his buddy attempt to explore a long-abandoned mine. A search is instituted, uncovering the possible fact that something evil is loose under the town, a suspicion confirmed by the many murders occurring around the area. Meanwhile, a young couple has just moved into the area with their annoying poodle. The “Boogens” certainly make their presence known, but, in true old school monster movie fashion, don’t actually show up until the last 15 minutes.
The competent but undistinguished direction was by James L. Conway (who’s worked primarily in episodic television before and since THE BOOGENS). The snowbound Northwestern setting is a compelling one, but is pretty much wasted, as it’s in service of cardboard characters, a clichéd story and uninspired visuals. And why does it take so long for the monsters to show up? To be fair, once the silly-looking critters do appear things liven up somewhat, it being my deeply held contention no movie about giant mutant worms can be all bad.
Vital Statistics
THE BOOGENS
Taft Entertainment Pictures
Director: James L. Conway
Producer: Charles E. Sellier, Jr.
Screenwriters: David O’Malley, Bob Hunt
Cinematography: Paul Hipp
Editor: Michael Spence
Cast: Rebecca Balding, Fred McGarren, Anne-Marie Martin, Jeff Harlan, John Crawford, Med Flory, Jon Lormer, Peg Sewart, Scott Wilkinson, Marcia Reider