C.H.U.D.
(Douglas Cheek; 1984)
(Anchor Bay Entertainment)
-Overview-
Deep underneath the streets of New York City, in the maze of subterranean tunnels there is something amiss. The homeless people who live down there are being murdered in a ghastly fashion and there is speak of monsters lurking in the darkness. Will the powers that be manage to stop the mutant creatures before they make it to the surface?
Ehh. C.H.U.D. remains a cult favorite to this day, but it’s actually rather overrated. First off, the film very toned down, as evidence of the all too many off screen kills and the edited shower scene (which appears in its entirety as an easter egg on the DVD). So there’s not much gore, and what little there is looks like something ordered out of the back of a horror magazine. Not T&A despite ample potential, and a weak plot. Not to mention it’s rather dull. On a good note, the monsters are well designed and the effects in that respect are decent. This is a film that had much potential, but sadly falls short. Look for John Goodman in a cameo.
-Sound-
Good sound quality. Dolby Digital Mono.
-Picture-
An adequate transfer with minimal artifacting. Widescreen 1.77:1 (enhanced for 16x9 TVs).
-Special Features-
- Audio commentary with Director Douglas Cheek, Writer Shepard Abbott, Stars John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry.
- Trailer
- Behind-The-Scenes still gallery
-Packaging-
Standard DVD keep case.
Sound: 5
Picture: 5
Packaging: 5
(Rating scale is out of 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 the best)