When I was young - probably younger than 10 - I saw a portion of this movie on broadcast TV. I didn’t see the whole thing, but I remembered liking it. I only remembered the details about the neck-related implant, and the image of the fence running up the hill. I decided to watch this because it’s coming down from Netflix shortly.
It’s better than I expected. I’ve always been a little disappointed with Tobe Hooper’s direction. His work isn’t bad, but it tends to be weaker than I expect, or at least more forgettable. This is probably the most distinct work he’s done. It’s a remake of a 1953 movie of the same name, but this retains a lot of the flavor of that time period. In fact, there isn’t much to date it to the 80’s. There’s a color palette… there’s this fantastic lighting, something that makes houses look like they’re on a massive soundstage.
The effects work is varied, but it’s generally good. The aliens are interesting, because they have horrific elements - like the teeth - but they also have things that seem almost comical or silly - like their leg/arm arrangement.
The dialogue is a bit campy and over-the-top, but it’s exactly what should be expected for this kind of movie. What’s more impressive is how fast the story runs. It’s roughly the second scene when his parents are taken over by the aliens, and the story just runs forward incredibly fast.
There are two effects that I really like in this movie. One of them is the frog-eating scene. The other is the sand-pit effects. Really well done.
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