‘Running’s not a plan. Running’s what you do once a plan fails…’
On today’s episodes of Things That Would Never Be Made Today we have Tremors. A film about killer worms murdering people in the desert featuring a bona fide movie star in the form of Kevin Bacon. Sure, this very year has seen Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs in 23 and a murderous bear on cocaine in *checks notes* Cocaine Bear, but these are exceptions. In the ’90s, movies like Tremors were dropping every week…
When huge worms with massive teeth attack a small isolated community, unlikely heroes Earl Bassett (Fred Ward) and (I shit you not) Valentine McKee (Kevin Bacon) try to come up with a plan. Elsewhere, fan favourite Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) and his wife Heather (Reba McEntire) have a whole arsenal to choose from in their well-stocked home and geologist Rhonda LeBeck (Finn Carter) is the adult in the room.
The great thing about Tremors is that it is a horror comedy that is both funny and horrifying in equal measure. The practical effects are stunning throughout and seeing the worms writhing around on camera without the use of CGI made me long for a simpler time. A time when all special effects didn’t look like a computer game. Excuse me while I find some clouds to shout at.
Writer-director Ron Underwood had a good run in the ’90s with City Slickers and erm Mighty Joe Young joining this film on a list that also includes loads of work on high-profile TV shows and it is clear from Tremors that he knows his way around a camera. Come for the wonderful chemistry shared by Ward and Bacon and stay for the competent direction and excellent practical effects. Speaking of the co-leads, despite the fact Bacon disowned the film for a while after it was released, it is clear that they are having a ball and their camaraderie is undoubtedly contagious.
Tremors was a beloved film in my teenage years, and while revisiting it made me realise that it isn’t quite the cinematic masterclass that I remembered, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience.