Writer / director Jeff Liebermans' enjoyable entry into the "Nature Strikes Back" genre is good fun, a very knowing and tongue in cheek homage to B level creature features of earlier decades. Yes, there may indeed be moments here that are kind of silly, but that disclaimer could apply to countless horror films of all kinds of budgets.
What happens is that during a heavy storm in the coastal region of Georgia, an electrical tower falls to the ground and sends electricity into the ground that mobilizes thousands of ugly sandworms, which proceed to feast on the luckless locals. Mick, played by the amiable Don Scardino, is a New Yorker who comes to the small town of Fly Creek to visit a recent female acquaintance, Geri, played by the lovely Patricia Pearcy, and probes the Nancy Drew style mystery of what is happening to the citizens.
The shock sequences in this flick are excellent, depending on not only some amazing makeup effects wizardry by Rick Baker, but the inherent creepiness of these slithering terrors. The atmosphere is strong, with delicious local flavour. The music by Robert Prince adds to the effective "late show" quality of the material, and comes equipped with an unusual but haunting use of a young boys' singing. One amusing touch is that the worms are heard to scream; the sound is actually that of pigs squealing in "Carrie" (1976); Dan Sable was the sound editor for both films. Joseph Mangine, a B movie veteran whose credits also include "Alligator" and "Alone in the Dark" (1982), does the cinematography.
The cast is very engaging, with Scardino making for an unlikely but worthy hero, and Pearcy an alluring female lead. R. A. Dow has the role of the put-upon Roger, who has the best scenes in the picture. Jean Sullivan and Peter MacLean go amusingly over the top as Geris' fragile mom and the mean, suspicious sheriff, who takes an instant dislike to the Yankee outsider whom he dismisses as just a troublemaker. Fran Higgins is a delight as Geris' tomboyish sister, Carl Dagenhart a total hoot as miserable worm farm operator Willie Grimes, and character actor William Newman, whose memorable mug you may have seen in one thing or another, makes his film debut as Mr. Quigley.
"Squirm" is not bad at all, as some reviews may have you believe. For any lover of B level monster movies such as this viewer, it should prove to be an acceptable diversion, building steadily up to a cool and eerie finale inside the Sanders home as it's besieged by hordes of worms. Best of all, the movie has an ingratiating sense of humour that lets us know that it's never taking itself too seriously. If you love ecological horror, it's definitely worth checking out.
Trivia note: "Squirm" could have ended up with Martin Sheen as Mick, Kim Basinger as Geri, and Sylvester Stallone as Roger!
Seven out of 10.
What happens is that during a heavy storm in the coastal region of Georgia, an electrical tower falls to the ground and sends electricity into the ground that mobilizes thousands of ugly sandworms, which proceed to feast on the luckless locals. Mick, played by the amiable Don Scardino, is a New Yorker who comes to the small town of Fly Creek to visit a recent female acquaintance, Geri, played by the lovely Patricia Pearcy, and probes the Nancy Drew style mystery of what is happening to the citizens.
The shock sequences in this flick are excellent, depending on not only some amazing makeup effects wizardry by Rick Baker, but the inherent creepiness of these slithering terrors. The atmosphere is strong, with delicious local flavour. The music by Robert Prince adds to the effective "late show" quality of the material, and comes equipped with an unusual but haunting use of a young boys' singing. One amusing touch is that the worms are heard to scream; the sound is actually that of pigs squealing in "Carrie" (1976); Dan Sable was the sound editor for both films. Joseph Mangine, a B movie veteran whose credits also include "Alligator" and "Alone in the Dark" (1982), does the cinematography.
The cast is very engaging, with Scardino making for an unlikely but worthy hero, and Pearcy an alluring female lead. R. A. Dow has the role of the put-upon Roger, who has the best scenes in the picture. Jean Sullivan and Peter MacLean go amusingly over the top as Geris' fragile mom and the mean, suspicious sheriff, who takes an instant dislike to the Yankee outsider whom he dismisses as just a troublemaker. Fran Higgins is a delight as Geris' tomboyish sister, Carl Dagenhart a total hoot as miserable worm farm operator Willie Grimes, and character actor William Newman, whose memorable mug you may have seen in one thing or another, makes his film debut as Mr. Quigley.
"Squirm" is not bad at all, as some reviews may have you believe. For any lover of B level monster movies such as this viewer, it should prove to be an acceptable diversion, building steadily up to a cool and eerie finale inside the Sanders home as it's besieged by hordes of worms. Best of all, the movie has an ingratiating sense of humour that lets us know that it's never taking itself too seriously. If you love ecological horror, it's definitely worth checking out.
Trivia note: "Squirm" could have ended up with Martin Sheen as Mick, Kim Basinger as Geri, and Sylvester Stallone as Roger!
Seven out of 10.