‘He’s just crazy ’bout this store!’
Intruder – also known as Night of the Intruder and Night Crew: The Final Checkout – is a 1989 American slasher horror film co-written and directed by Scott Spiegel, the co-writer of Evil Dead II. Co-writer and producer Lawrence Bender went on to work with Quentin Tarantino on Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and From Dusk Till Dawn.
Special makeup effects were provided by the KNB EFX group comprising of Greg Nicotero, Robert Kurtzman and Howard Berger.
The film was partially based around Scott Spiegel’s experiences working at the real Walnut Lake Market in Michigan. It was also something of a remake of an earlier Super-8 short film by Spiegel. The short was a slasher story called ‘Night Crew’ and featured a more Halloween inspired killer.
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Main cast:
Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Elizabeth Cox, Renée Estevez (Sleepaway Camp II), and Dan Hicks.
Reviews:
“What kind of caught me offguard is that even though Intruder seems like it’s just out to have a blood-spattered good time for a while there, the extended climax is genuinely claustrophobic and intense. It sure doesn’t hurt that the third act is shouldered by a particularly great Final Girl, and the killer is gleefully psychopathic…a far cry from those stone-faced, silent Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers types. Intruder‘s final moments are also wildly unconventional for a slasher…” Adam Tyner, DVD Talk
“Is Intruder a lost classic? No, not really. But it’s an enjoyable, blood-soaked slasher flick with moments of truly inspired, creative filmmaking. I just wish Spiegel had spent more time crafting a unique style that we see fleeting glimpses of here instead of mimicking Raimi’s Evil Dead/Evil Dead II moves.” Mark, Good Efficient Butchery
” …a modest, low-budget gorefest that embraces everything that makes these movies so entertaining and throws in its own brand of charm for good measure.” James Oxyer, Obscure Cinema 101
“Most of the dialogue was hilariously cheesy, and consisted of a lot of that horror movie cliche stuff like “Hey, [insert name here] stop fooling around!” … Very fun little movie. It needs more love!” The Girl Who Loves Horror
“To make up for his surprise-free slasher script, Spiegel resorts to trick shots, filming through a bottle, from underneath a telephone dial or a wastepaper basket or from the point of view of a turning door handle.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror
“The first thing that strikes you about Intruder are the odd camera angles. Cameras peer out from inside telephones, beneath the floor and inside buckets, making for an odd atmosphere … One to watch, particularly for Raimi fans.” Jim Harper, Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies
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Cast and characters:
- Elizabeth Cox as Jennifer Ross
- Renée Estevez as Linda
- Dan Hicks as Bill Roberts
- David Byrnes as Craig Peterson
- Sam Raimi as Randy
- Eugene Robert Glazer as Danny
- Billy Marti as Dave
- Burr Steers as Bub
- Craig Stark as Tim
- Ted Raimi as Produce Joe
- Alvy Moore as Officer Dalton
- Tom Lester as Officer Mathews
- Emil Sitka as Mr. Abernathy
- Bruce Campbell as Officer Howard
- Lawrence Bender as Officer Adams
- Scott Spiegel as Bread Man
