The Deadly Spawn

by Mike McGranaghan

The horror movie boom of the 1980s led to a lot of cheap independently produced and distributed chillers that were amateurishly made, badly acted, and full of gore to make up for the lack of technical proficiency. Back then, we called such movies “terrible.” Today, though, when the genre is more polished than ever, those works seem quaint, and even a little bit charming. This is likely a factor in the success of boutique labels that release vintage fare on Blu-ray. Synapse Films is one of those labels, and they’re putting out 1983’s The Deadly Spawn on 4K Ultra HD, loaded with bonus features. It’s a goofy delight that looks better than it has any right to in high def.

A plot synopsis is impossible because there is no plot. An alien creature lands on Earth and begins terrorizing the residents of a small town. A group of teenagers try to stop it. The monster - which has three heads, hundreds of razor-sharp teeth, and long tentacles - gives birth to slimy slug-like offspring, making their mission even more perilous.

As was par for the course at the time, The Deadly Spawn is more of a concept than an actual story. All the emphasis is put on the creature attacks, while characterization and plotting are mere afterthoughts. That means the first half of the picture is kind of boring. One character has a long, pointless telephone conversation. Another scene shows two women chatting while prepping a meal. In contrast, the second half is bonkers fun. Writer/director Douglas McKeown, in his sole feature, does try to spice up the early scenes with some goofy comedy, as when a women’s coffee klatch is ruined by the slug-babies. Mostly, though, we bide time watching awkward performances from actors who sound as though they’re sight-reading their dialogue off cue cards.

What the movie has going in its favor is shockingly good effects work. You can tell most of the budget was blown making the alien. It’s legitimately “fugly” and intricately designed. A few of the gore scenes are slightly marred by choppy editing; otherwise, whenever the monster starts chomping down on its victims, we get a blast of that go-for-broke ‘80s horror insanity. Heads are bitten off, flesh is chewed, humans are eaten, and so on. The tone is intentionally over-the-top, making it easy to be amused by the carnage rather than become grossed out by it.

The Deadly Spawn isn’t slick or groundbreaking; it is, however, a perfect representation of what low-budget horror was like during the era. You can feel the fun the filmmakers were having as they put together the monster madness. This isn’t a “good” movie, although it has undeniable retro appeal.

Synapse Films’ 4K Ultra Blu-ray restores the film using the original uncut 16mm camera negative. In terms of audio, you can choose between the original producer’s feature mix or the 21st Century Film Corporation theatrical mix in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio.

The disc contains a nice assortment of supplemental goodies, starting with three audio commentary tracks that feature the producer, director, cast, and crew members. After that, you will find “A Visit with John Dods and the Deadly Spawn,” a 9-minute shot-on-VHS segment in which special effects director Dods shows off his creature designs and generally goofs around. There’s a comic book-style prequel that details more specifically how the alien arrived on Earth. Thirty-five minutes of audition tapes show you the actors trying out the material.

Also included is an alternate opening credits sequence (with the word “starring” misspelled), 8mm behind-the-scenes footage of the effects sequences, a TV spot and trailer, and a still gallery. These extras collectively add more fun once you’ve watched the feature presentation.

The Deadly Spawn will also be released in a standard region-free Blu-ray. Connoisseurs of 1980s horror will want to get their hands on this one. It’s available from the Synapse Films website, at Amazon, and at other retailers.