Troma is known not only for producing but also for distributing, often picking up films, retitling them, and re-releasing them. Though they had no direct involvement in the production, many notable people got more notoriety through being connected to Troma. For instance, Troma released Buddy Giovinazzo’s debut feature Combat Shock, which was one of the more unique films they released. Enter Baltimore-based filmmaker Don Dohler, who made his directorial debut The Alien Factor in 1972 but wasn’t released until 1978. Following the film’s release, Dohler decided to work on a film similar to The Alien Factor but hired another director. Unfortunately, he was having trouble with the new director, so plans were scrapped and Dohler filmed the 1980 slasher Fiend. After filming Fiend, Dohler decided to revisit the previous concept and start over, working with his usual cast and crew. In 1982, the horror sci-fi film Nightbeast was released.
%
Rating
Synopsis
An alien spacecraft gets hit by an asteroid, which causes it to crashland on Earth in a small town. The alien pilot emerges from the ship before it explodes and is spotted by some hunters who alert the sheriff. County Sheriff Cinder (Tom Griffith), Deputy Sheriff Lisa Kent (Karin Kardian), and some men go out to investigate the monster. Meanwhile, the alien goes out on a rampage, blasting people with its disintegrator ray and ripping people’s guts out. The sheriff tries convincing Mayor Bert Wicker (Richard Dyszel) to evacuate the town, but he refuses because of a party. As the alien creature continues its rampage, local delinquent Drago (Don Leifert) is on the run after killing his girlfriend. Cinder and Lisa begin to fall in love, but it’s soon interrupted as the alien’s body count continues to rise. Will the creature be stopped, or will its rampage continue?
Review
Nightbeast is exactly the kind of movie you’d want it to be: a trashy, low budget sci-fi alien attack romp. For a film that supposedly had a $14,000 budget, it’s surprisingly well made and has some solid effects. The gore effects are pretty top-notch, and the design of the alien, while goofy, is unique and memorable. The score, partially done by a relatively unknown J. J. Abrams, also makes the film feel very creepy and ominous. Much of the nighttime scenes make extensive use of fog, which helps add to its atmosphere, even in daytime scenes. What also helps is that the film gets right into the action from the beginning with the alien attacking people. Watching the actors jump around, hit the ground, and start shooting while laser fly around them is entertaining. This is prime material that’s sure to satisfy anyone looking for cheap B-movie thrills.
However, the film’s biggest problems are that the acting is fairly bland and there are tons of filler scenes. After the first 20 minutes, the action grinds to a halt as the actors run around looking for the alien. It doesn’t help either that most of the acting isn’t that great, though the cheesy acting adds to its charm. There is some nudity thrown in, but it seems shoehorned in and it’s not as sexy as it could be. Even at 80 minutes, the film feels slightly padded, especially with its subplots that don’t amount to much of anything. However, its flaws add to its overall homegrown charm, making it feel like a real small-town, homemade production. Much like The Toxic Avenger, this shows that even a low budget film can get attention and notoriety decades later. Overall, Nightbeast is trashy fun best enjoyed with friends and drinks.
Buy Nightbeast from Vinegar Syndrome: https://bit.ly/35FfTWf
