The Red Circle

Though in a sense I am still writing about an idea, for what makes this film the epitome of underrated gems in the horror genre is that it is one of the first examples of modern self-awareness and self-mockery. In other words, it’s not afraid to take a piss on horror conventions. Writer-director Dekker created a film packed with references to the history of horror and infused it with what was happening in the 80′s.

Dekker, while bringing his own vision and personality to the proceedings, deftly manages to weave in horror and sci-fi staples from decades past. Starting with chubby naked aliens running amok through a dark dreary spaceship (reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s ALIEN, natch), we follow a mishandled experiment as it hurls straight to Earth circa “Happy Days” (in a great black and white segment) where it crashes into an urban legend in process. From there we jump to a Hughesian 80′s college campus during rush week. Here Dekker gives us multi-dimensional characters and some of the greatest words Tom Aktins ever got to speak on film. Packed with in-jokes (every character’s last name is a famous horror director), there is a lot to love for any serious horror devotee without even getting to the titular “creeps.”

And what exactly are these “creeps?” Black slug like monsters that breed like cockroaches in your head whilst feasting on your brains. They reduce your humanity to that of a frothing thoughtless zombie; one intent on one thing. Making more zombies. How you ask? Oral rape. The slugs burrow their way into your mouth and straight to the brain, where they take control of the lifeless body you now possess. But it’s not just the mouth you have to watch out for. One of the characters finds this out the hard way.

One of the many strengths of this film, it’s added depth, gets played out by Jason Lively’s character Chris Romero as he returns to find his best friend’s monotone voice on a tape recorder. The realization that is the last time he’ll hear his best friend’s voice is the catalyst to the insane climax, but it’s handled in a manner that gives the friendship of these two boys a realism not found in a lot of other silly horror films. Fred Dekker is able to take a completely unbelievable premise and draw belief out of you.

I can go on and literally footnote every moment of this film, there is so much to love abut it (Tom Atkins, Tom Atkins, and Tom Atkins). It is literally everything a horror film should be wrapped up in a neglected package from a forgotten sender. Fred Dekker had a unjustly short career (ROBOCOP 3 sort of sealed the deal), but he still managed to make the iconic 80′s horror film – bloody, hilarious, told with vicious, reckless vision. As for his next movie, the writing was literally on the wall – the bathroom stall wall. Look for it in the Night of the Creeps, when YOU ALL BUY THIS FILM ON OCT 27th!

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