The Deadly Spawn
by Douglas McKeown
List Price:
Our Price: $12.06
You Save: $7.89 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $8.43 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Charles George Hildebrandt, Jean Tafler, Karen Tighe, Richard Lee Porter, Tom DeFrancoDirector: Douglas McKeown
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Original recording remastered
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 81 minutes
Published: 2004-10-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-10-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Synapse Films
DVD Reviews of The Deadly Spawn
DVD Review: Extremely gory cult classic comes to DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
I have now suffered through so many zero budget horror films that I'm starting to express serious reservations about watching any more of them. You know the sort of "movies" I'm talking about. Some dolt with a hankering to become a the next Quentin Tarentino borrows Mom and Dad's video camera, hires friends as "actors," spends a grand total of a buck and a half on the budget, and shoots the thing in their basement. The editing technique consists of hacking together scenes with two VCRs. I've gone on and on about the greatness of the DVD revolution, how the arrival of this medium has allowed us to see films that haven't seen the light of day for decades, but there's a downside as well. The clamor for product, any product, to fill video store shelves means these shot on video crudfests find a distributor. Heck, the big chains carry a lot of these types of films nowadays. It wasn't always this way. Enter the 1983 movie "The Deadly Spawn," a film that, if made today, would almost certainly be a shot on video production. Twenty plus years ago, however, even low budget filmmakers had to shoot on film.
And the "Deadly Spawn" IS low budget, painfully so. Yet the movie works. The picture begins with a sparking meteorite crashing to earth (We've never seen that before!) and disgorging a disgusting alien life form with murderous intent. Two campers who witness the fireworks are the first to fall prey to the beastie, although their deaths take place off camera so we don't see the alien right from the start. The creature then travels to a nearby house to take up residence in the dark, dank basement. Why? Because the alien needs a quiet place to spawn. Anyway, the family that lives in the house wakes up and begins their daily routine. Mom and Dad are the first ones up, and they're also the first ones to go down into the basement and die horribly. Their kids, Charles (Charles Hildebrandt) and Pete (Tom DeFranco), think nothing of their parents' absence. Chuck, a horror film fanatic with a love for makeup effects and magic tricks, is too busy cooking up new schemes to bother his Uncle Herb (John Schmerling), a psychiatrist worried about his nephew's grisly hobby, and his equally concerned Aunt Millie (Ethel Michelson). As for Pete, he's an astronomy nut looking forward to his friends coming over for a visit.
Charles eventually heads down into the basement and discovers the creature, which has three heads that consist of nothing but mouths packed full of rows upon rows of jagged teeth. Yuck! Even worse, the kid notices two supremely disturbing things. One, the alien is giving birth to what looks like hundreds of little wormlike creatures, and these too sport jagged teeth and an insatiable appetite. Two, and far more relevant, Charles notices the alien spawn feasting upon the ripped and torn face of one of his parents. Upstairs, Pete and a few of his friends discover one of the alien spawn and ponder over what they've found. Is it a worm? Or is it a new life form never before discovered? Pete and his pals are about to find out the hard way. To give the film a further sense of unfolding chaos, a gathering of old folks meeting nearby finds out in no uncertain terms that these little alien spawn play for keeps. How to stop the spread of the monsters? How to save humanity from the crawling terror in the basement? Charles steps up to save the world with a few little tricks and a whole mess of magic supplies, but will his efforts be enough to stop the evil? Prepare to blow chunks!
A fun movie, indeed, although it has problems one always finds in low budget productions. The difference here is that the movie occasionally turns the faults into a force for good. For example, the acting won't win any awards, no doubt about it. I cringed at some of the lines and situations in the movie. But the leaden dialogue and campy performances--see the old ladies screeching during the alien attack--actually helps rather than hurts the film. You're laughing even as you're grossed out by the onscreen carnage. One difficulty inherent in any low budget horror flick usually revolves around the special effects, something I'm proud to say isn't a problem here. The monster looks great, and the gore effects are truly stomach churning. I already mentioned the face chewing, but we also get eyeball violence, decapitations, and other cheer worthy carnage. It's obvious the filmmakers dumped practically every dime they had into making the alien and her (I guess it's a her since she's spawning) vicious attacks look as convincing as possible. Another wise choice involved limiting most of the film to the action unfolding in the house. Doing so gave the movie a real heavy claustrophobic feel that works well for a horror movie.
According to an article I read some time ago, Synapse Films spent more money than the movie cost to prepare the print and compile the supplements for the DVD. After listening to and watching the plethora of extras, I believe it. We get two commentary tracks, one with producer Ted Bohus and the other with writer-director Doug McKeown and other people associated with the production. Cast and crew bios, a trailer, behind the scenes stuff, outtakes, audition footage, a comic book treatment, and an alternate opening sequence round out the bonus materials. It's great to see a cult classic, and "The Deadly Spawn" is definitely cult classic material, receive such regal treatment on DVD. All horror film fans need to check this movie out at some point. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll groan, and you'll ultimately applaud--guaranteed!
Description of The Deadly Spawn
A group of campers stumble upon the remnants of a meteorite and discover some fanged, worm-like creatures have hitched a ride to Earth. After the "camper" appetizer, the alien spawn take refuge in the basement of an isolated house? and get ready for the main course! With the people in the house now becoming the entrees of an intergalactic monster buffet, a group of teenagers, led by a small boy, decide to take this matter into their own hands? to stop the aliens from reproducing and rid the world of THE DEADLY SPAWN once and for all!
Featuring classic creature designs and gory special effects by John Dods (THE X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE, SPOOKIES, "MONSTERS" TV Series), THE DEADLY SPAWN has been totally re-mastered from the original 16mm camera negatives. With extra materials compiled from the personal collections of the cast and crew, THE DEADLY SPAWN can finally invade your home theatre in the best version ever! Just try not to put this DVD in the basement? you might be surprised what you find down there.
SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
- New, Digitally Mastered Windowboxed Transfer in the Original Filmed Aspect Ratio of 1.33:1
- Two Audio Commentaries
- Extensive Still Galleries of Behind-the-Scenes Photos, Make-Up Effects, and the Premiere in New York City
- A Comic-Style Prequel with Its Own Musical Score
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Alternate Opening Sequence with New Effects and Credits
- Animated Menus
- Outtake Reel
- Cast and Crew Biographies
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection (Caliber 9 / The Italian Connection / The Boss / Rulers of the City)E1E; Release date: 2011-03-15; DVD
Best price: $20.95
Price in other shops:
WomanUni; Release date: 2012-01-24; DVD
Best price: $12.68
Price in other shops:
The SleeperPublished: 2012; DVD
Best price: $14.99
Godzilla (Criterion Collection)Image Entertainment; Release date: 2012-01-24; DVD
Best price: $18.99
Price in other shops:
Night Train MurdersRyko Distribution; Release date: 2004-10-26; DVD
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops:
The House on Sorority Row (2 Disc Special Edition) (1982)Release date: 2012-01-24; DVD
Best price: $10.98
Price in other shops:
FascinationWEA DES Moines Video; Release date: 2008-10-28; DVD
Best price: $34.99
IntruderMusic Video Dist; Release date: 2005-08-09; DVD
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops:
The DeadRelease date: 2012-02-14; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Human Centipede II: Full SequenceMPI; Release date: 2012-02-14; DVD
Best price: $10.49
Price in other shops: