The 1980s were loaded with “kid adventure” films: The Goonies, Explorers, Flight Of The Navigator, etc. But how many of those “kid adventure” films had the kids squaring off against Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s monster, and other close-but-not-close-enough-to-violate-Universal-copyright Universal monsters? Just one: 1987’s cult classic The Monster Squad.
And hey! We’re screening The Monster Squad on Wednesday, October 25 at the Avalon Atmospheric Theater! Reserved-seating tickets to the 7 p.m. show are $11, and are on sale NOW. Happy Halloween!
The Monster Squad tells the tale of a group of real-deal monsters (led by Count Dracula) who descend on a small town in search of a magical amulet, only to find themselves up against a ragtag club of monster-obsessed 12-year-olds. Bullies, treehouse bombings, Van Helsing cameos, Tom Noonan, the guy who played Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, and a concentration camp survivor dubbed “Scary German Guy” also make appearances. Directed by Fred Dekker (Night Of The Creeps, Robocop 3) and written by Dekker and Shane Black (Iron Man 3, The Predator), The Monster Squad is both a charming homage to classic Universal monsters and a weirdly dark horror film. For every gag and goofy quote (“Wolfman’s got nards!”) there’s a nasty death and a bizarre “only-in-the-’80s” moment (Dracula clutching a five-year-old girl by the neck and calling her a “bitch” is a doozy).
As always, the screening is sponsored by our friends at Gruber Law Offices and Lakefront Brewery. A special sponsor for this screening is the Bay View Neighborhood Association’s Pumpkin Pavilion, October 18-21 at Humboldt Park. This year’s theme? “Creature From The Humboldt Lagoon”! And yes, the Creature (or “Gill-man”) is totally in Monster Squad! And yes, the musical montage totally slaps! See you on the 25th!
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