#Hooptober9

💀 NUMBER THIRTEEN 💀
💀 ONE FILM SET IN SPACE OR THE FUTURE 💀

"Creature" (1985)
* dir: William Malone
* Horror / Science Fiction / A Creature Feature Called "Creature" Whose Worst Feature Is Said Creature
[ ★★★ / ★★★★★ ]

Of all of the many incredibly derivative post-"Alien" sci-fi horror flicks, "Creature" is DEFINITELY the only one directed by the guy who made "FearDotCom".

Ya know, I don't think I have a lot to say about this one; you kind of always know what you're getting into with flicks like this, and "Creature" is...well, let's just say that it's a lot less "Lifeforce" and a lot more "Carnosaur 2".

I guess the sets are quite nice, with some decent model work and a couple of nifty matte paintings here and there? And once he eventually shows up, Klaus Kinski adds some reliably unhinged, unpredictable energy to everything (did anyone even tell the man that they were making a movie? Jury's still out!). There's also this plot detail involving a sort of psychic hivemind corpse reanimation effect that the titular creature has that adds an interesting new wrinkle to some otherwise very well-trodden story ground (and reminds me more than a bit of my beloved "Event Horizon"). Honestly, the best thing about this film is inarguably its wonderfully evocative score by Thomas Chase & Steve Rucker, equal parts lushly sweeping and eerily majestic. It ain't Jerry Goldsmith, but it definitely comes within spitting range. And that ain't nothin'.

Look: did I add this one to my Hooptober list for this year because it featured a young Wendy Schaal (Francine from "American Dad") in one of her very first notable film roles? Yes.

Did I expect Wendy Schaal to be such a totally out-of-control smokeshow cutie? Also yes. But it's still nice to have the confirmation!