Every now and then, we have that one generation that’s
trying to bring back nostalgic properties for a new and more updated audience,
and this generation is no exception. With remakes of old movies, movies of old
tv shows, reboots on tv and internet streaming, you definitely get a vibe of
familiarity with these properties, even if you haven’t seen the existing one.
One of the most popular tv shows on right now, “Stranger Things,” is one that
REALLY sucked in its audience with elements from 1980’s films like “E.T,”
“Stand By Me,” and “The Evil Dead” put into one. Hell, I just picked up the
blu-ray for the first season, and I normally don’t buy Netflix Originals on
blu-ray.
With this October 27th bringing in the new
season, I wanted to take a moment to talk about a film that you can definitely
identify as a “Stranger Things” influence, and one that so happens to be
celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. That film, ladies and
gents, is “The Monster Squad.”
We
follow the story of a group of kids (Sean, Patrick, Horace, and Rudy), who are
huge monster movie fans, and one day their town is under attack by the classic
Universal Monsters (Dracula, the Wolfman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon,
the Frankenstein Monster, and a Mummy). With no authorities to believe them,
it’s up to the kids to fight against this new menace and save the town.
Usually
movie fans have that one guilty pleasure from the 1980’s that’s beyond dated,
but still just as fun to watch as when you first discovered it. For me, “The
Monster Squad” is one of those films that perfectly describes that, and is one
of my favorite movies to watch every Halloween. Beforehand, there wasn’t really
much of a movie that had a monster mash as big as this, and even then, previous
attempts weren’t as successful as you’d think. Even with the Jeff Goldblum
movie, “Transylvania 6-5000,” it hold a candle to what “The Monster Squad”
brings to the table. Imagine “The Goonies” mixed in with “House of Dracula” and
“Hocus Pocus,” and that gives you an idea of what this film is really all
about. You don’t come to find some intellectual Oscar darling, you come to see
kids fight with monsters, in this fun Halloween adventure around town. And
that’s the best way to describe “The Monster Squad,” it’s just so much fun to
watch. This film was directed by Fred Dekker, and co-written by him and Shane
Black, in one of their earliest collaborations together. You can definitely get
the vibe of them just having the time of their lives making this happen.
The
cast doesn’t really contain any recognizable names, aside from Tom Noonan who
plays the Frankenstein Monster, and they don’t really have that much that
stands out about them. You got the main leader kid, the little sister who wants
to join, the fat kid who gets picked on but also has the most badass moments,
the leathered rebel who adds to the sense of toughness, the good natured best
friend character, they’re all tropes we had seen before. But unlike “Scouts
Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” where they do these tropes and do them in such
a bottom of the barrel fashion and through the perspective of someone who
THINKS that’s what kids or teens are like, “The Monster Squad” manages to do
these things and make the cast likable. You buy their chemistry as friends,
without them ever resorting to mean spirited humor or talking about low-brow
stuff. And when you do see them step up to these creatures, you do feel tension
with them and you do want to them to succeed.
Much
like other films with this kind of cult status, there are some really awesome
scenes and hilarious lines to match up with it. If I had to choose a favorite
scene in the movie, it would probably have to be the climactic battle between
the Monster Squad and Dracula’s full out attack. Just seeing moments like a
werewolf being blown up by dynamite, the crossbow and shotgun take downs of the
Gill-man and the mistresses of Dracula, it’s just such an entertaining finale…and
I won’t spoil it, but the ending does get me a little teary eyed. As for my
favorite line in the movie, it’s hard to choose, especially when you have
dialogue like “Woflman’s got nards,” “The name…*shotgun pump*…is Horace,” or “Give
me that amulet, you bitch!” However, if I did have to choose a line, I would
definitely say it’s the reaction when you discover someone’s not a virgin. That
dialogue exchange gets me every time, it’s so perfect.
Now,
before I end things out, I can’t help but talk about the cancelled remake. For
those who don’t know, Platinum Dunes had announced back in 2010 that they were
going to be producing a remake of “The Monster Squad,” but that never came into
play. Some say it was due to the negative reception their previous horror
remakes got, they couldn’t get a script they liked, but it never came to be.
And personally, it’s kind of a shame. Don’t get me wrong, Platinum Dunes would
have definitely made it crap, but it’s kind of a shame that no one else has
attempted to bring “The Monster Squad” back into mainstream popularity again,
aside from James Rolfe and Doug Walker’s reviews of the movie. I would
really love to one day see a new “Monster Squad” come into play, maybe even be
a sequel if any of the surviving cast members are interested. Hell, maybe Netflix
and The Duffer Brothers might make it someday. Or better yet, Shane Black and
Fred Dekker could return, but we get Shane to direct this time. How awesome would
that be?
If
you love “Stranger Things” or the new “IT” and you haven’t gotten around to
seeing “The Monster Squad,” you need to definitely check it out, especially
with Halloween just around the corner. From its premise, to its fun tropes, and
just all around fun presentation, it’s a film that you’ll get a kick out of.
After 30 years since its original release, it still holds up, despite its age.
Rating: 10/10
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