Today's Pick: Intruder (1989)
So, here's what some might consider the more straightforward version of yesterday's pick. It's a slasher with a small cast of characters, a mysterious villain and some very memorable kills. But, there's a lot that separates Intruder from most of its peers. Not only is it from the same group of artists who brought the world the most ferociously original horror movie of its time, The Evil Dead, but it also features the very first gore effects by the now established masters of the craft, Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, better known as K.N.B. EFX.
So, here's what some might consider the more straightforward version of yesterday's pick. It's a slasher with a small cast of characters, a mysterious villain and some very memorable kills. But, there's a lot that separates Intruder from most of its peers. Not only is it from the same group of artists who brought the world the most ferociously original horror movie of its time, The Evil Dead, but it also features the very first gore effects by the now established masters of the craft, Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, better known as K.N.B. EFX.
There are plenty of issues with the film. The acting is mostly mundane (with the exception of the insanely fun Danny Hicks), the pacing takes a little to kick into gear and the story is fairly basic. However, Intruder makes up for its few flaws with three incredible strengths: excellently over-the-top kill effects, inventive and dynamic camerawork, and a wickedly silly sense of humor (see the above screenshot for proof).
Scott Spiegel's directorial debut definitely takes some cues from The Evil Dead's visual language, but in all the right ways. There's a shot that is supposed to be inside of a rotary dial phone that is just the right balance of cool and ridiculous. The murders almost all get some great effect, including one halfway decapitation that has to be one of the best ever filmed. The best thing though is that all the extreme violence never feels mean-spirited. It's all goofy but in the most extreme ways possible. You can almost hear everyone behind the camera laughing with childishly macabre glee.
Compared to most slashers of its time, Intruder feels like the best version of a simple story. It's certainly held up a lot better than most of its contemporaries, and that's definitely thanks to the talent involved. If you've been looking for a worthy competitor to most of the Friday the 13th films, Intruder is up to the challenge. It's not a classic, but it's just too delightful to pass up.
Tomorrow, it's a double feature! Why? Because I can't choose between the original or its sequel, so I'm doing both!
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