Smell the Movies
Smell the TV
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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| Year: | 1989 |
| Country of origin: | USA |
| Director: | Joe Dante |
| Genre: | Horror comedy |
| Starring: | Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman |
| Rating: | 4/5 |
| IMDB link: | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096734/ |
| Tagline: | Life In The Burbs Will Never Be The Same Again! |
| Favourite line: | asas"Green sky at morning, neighbor take warning."a |
Similar in tone to Dante's most famous movie, Gremlins, here's another blackly comic genre piece.
The plot:
Ray Peterson lives in a regular suburb in a regular house with a regular lawn and regular neighbours. One day, a new family move into his street, and Ray and the locals begin to suspect that all may not be as it seems within their home.
Are the new family regular people, just like everybody else, or could they in fact be a pack of flesh hungry cannibals, eager to feast on the local population?
A simple enough premise is brought to life by some excellent cinematography and direction, as well as believable, engaging performances from all concerned.
Though reasonably mainstream, the spook factor is escalated as the movie progresses, the dark heart gradually exposed and, as ever, Dante's cine-literacy is in clear evidence.
Something of a box office flop at the time, this was Tom Hanks' first relative failure following his break out role in Big, but the movie has since developed a devoted cult following on VHS and DVD.
Horror and comedy are not always ideal bedfellows, but Dante manages to pull it all together with some style.
A good film, indeed.
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