- Critters (film)
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Critters 
Directed by Stephen Herek Produced by Robert Shaye Written by Stephen Herek
Domonic Muir
Don Keith OpperStarring Dee Wallace-Stone
M. Emmet Walsh
Billy Green Bush
Scott Grimes
Nadine Van der Velde
Don Keith OpperMusic by David Newman Cinematography Tim Surhstedt Editing by Larry Bock Distributed by New Line Cinema Release date(s) April 11, 1986 Running time 82 min. Country United States Language English Budget $2 million Box office $13,167,232 (US)[1] Critters is a 1986 cult science fiction film starring Dee Wallace-Stone, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Green Bush and Scott Grimes. It was directed by Stephen Herek and written by Herek, Domonic Muir (story) and Don Keith Opper (additional scenes). It is the first film in the Critters series. Although widely believed to have been inspired by the success of Joe Dante's 1984 film Gremlins,[2][3][4] Herek has refuted this in interviews, pointing out that the script was written by Muir long before Gremlins went into production and subsequently underwent rewrites to reduce the apparent similarities between the two films.[5]
Contents
Plot
The film begins on a prison asteroid in outer space. A group of unseen creatures known as Crites are set to be transported to another station. When the seemingly intelligent creatures hijack a ship away from the station, the leader of the station hires two transforming bounty hunters to hunt the "Critters" down.
Meanwhile, on Earth, we are introduced to the Brown family, living in a rural Kansas town: the father, Jay; the mother, Helen; the teenage daughter, April; and the trouble-making son, Brad. Brad often hangs out with dopey mechanic, Charlie McFadden. When he and Brad are outside, Charlie accidentally hits Brad's sister with a slingshot pellet, and Brad, not wanting his friend to get into trouble, passes the blame on himself. He is grounded, but sneaks out onto the roof. While on the roof Brad sees what appears to be a comet streaking the sky, falling somewhere in the distance.
The comet, which in actuality is the Crite's ship, lands, causing the ground to shake and alarming Jay and his wife. Walking outside to investigate, Jay discovers Brad in a tree, who says he was thrown clear out of his window by the earthquake. Jay, obviously not believing this, takes his son along with him to find the comet. At the landing site, the Critters survey the damage, and set out for food.
Devouring the majority of a steer, the Crites are interrupted upon Jay and Brad's discovery of the cattle's carcass. Shortly afterward, the Critters make their way toward the farm and manage to cut the power. Jay, Helen and Brad go to the circuit breaker where Jay is attacked by one of the Critters. The family manages to evade the Critters and get into the house. Meanwhile the two bounty hunters, having already landed on Earth, travel from pillar to post in the town looking for the Critters. When Brad goes for help, he manages to bring the bounty hunters to his home. The Critters return to their ship when the bounty hunters arrive, with their large leader having kidnapped April. Brad rescues April from the ship, but accidentally drops a large homemade bomb which he was unable to light. Charlie then lights the bomb with a molotov cocktail created from the whiskey he is always carrying.
The Critters lift off, and blast the Brown's house into pieces. Their ship explodes, supposedly killing all the Critters. The bounty hunters leave in their ship after giving Brad a strange, remote-like device. The Brown's house is repaired in less than a minute, with a push of a button on the remote control. At the very end, the camera zooms into the barn, where Critter eggs can be seen.
Cast
- Dee Wallace-Stone as Helen Brown
- M. Emmet Walsh as Harv
- Billy Green Bush as Jay Brown
- Scott Grimes as Brad Brown
- Nadine Van der Velde as April Brown
- Don Keith Opper as Charlie McFadden
- Billy Zane as Steve Elliot
- Ethan Phillips as Jeff Barnes
- Terrence Mann as Ug/Johnny Steele
- Jeremy Lawrence as Reverend Miller/Preacher
- Lin Shaye as Sally
- Corey Burton as the voice of the Crites/Critters
Release
The film was released theatrically in the United States by New Line Cinema in April 1986. It turned out to be a modest hit for the company, grossing $13,167,232 at the box office.[1]
The film was released on VHS and laserdisc by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video the same year. In September 1997, New Line Home Video re-released the film on VHS.
In 2003, New Line Home Entertainment released the film on DVD. The film was re-released in a set containing all 4 Critters films on DVD by Warner Bros. in 2010.
References
- ^ a b "Critters". boxofficemojo.com. http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=critters.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
- ^ "Critters". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19860411/REVIEWS/604110301/1023.
- ^ Critters, Critters 2, Critters 3 & Critters 4
- ^ DVD Stalk: Asylum, Masters of Horror, Critters, and Region Free Horror Highlights
- ^ Excerpt from interview with Stephen Herek, Critters UK VHS liner notes (Cinema Club edition)
External links
- Critters at AllRovi
- Critters at the Internet Movie Database
- Critters
- Critters 2
- Critters 3
- Critters 4
Films directed by Stephen Herek 1980s Critters (1986) · Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)1990s Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) · The Mighty Ducks (1992) · The Three Musketeers (1993) · Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) · 101 Dalmatians (1996) · Holy Man (1998)2000s Rock Star (2001) · Life or Something Like It (2002) · Man of the House (2005) · Picture This (2008) · Dead Like Me: Life After Death (2009) · Into the Blue 2: The Reef (2009)2010s The Cutting Edge: Fire & Ice (2010) · The Chaperone (2011)Categories:- American films
- English-language films
- 1986 films
- 1980s science fiction films
- American science fiction films
- Space adventure films
- Films set within one day
- New Line Cinema films
- Films directed by Stephen Herek
- Directorial debut films
- 1980s horror films
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