Tremors 4K (1990) Electric Paced Creature Feature & ‘Modern’ Classic (Blu-ray Review)

Tremors, Ron Underwood’s 1990 creature feature & ode to the classics made in the 50s, is there any movie that is served worse by the franchise it spawned? Based on the fact that it has gone out of control, spanning a further 23 films – at the time of writing – Amityville Horror, maybe? For Tremors, those humble origins have since spawned Aftershocks (1996), Back to Perfection (2001), The Legend Begins (2004), Bloodlines (2015), A Cold Day in Hell (2018), Shrieker Island (2020) & the 2003 TV series – each measurably worse than the last. Despite the worst intentions, that 1990 original will forever hold a firm place in the hearts of monster movie lovers, purely on the premise that its titular monster is among the most inventive in science fiction and horror history. I know that’s quite a bold and hyperbolic statement, but it’s one I stand by – now, thanks to Arrow Video, you can see the Graboid in beautiful 4K.

Before the fate of ever-diminishing returns, Tremors told the story of the isolated town of Perfection, where Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward), struggling to get by, do odd jobs for the people around the few shacks, sheds and militaristic bunkers they call a town. Out in the beautifully desolate badlands (shot in California) Seismologist grad student – Rhonda (Finn Carter) – is studying the unusual seismic behaviour in the valley. Other characters include Burt (Michael Gross) & Heather (Reba McEntire), heavily armed conspiracy theorists and survivalists; precocious teen, Melvin (who in a previous decade would’ve been played by Cory Feldman, but here Bobby Jacoby plays him), & local businessman, Walter Chang (Victor Wong). There are other, more incidental characters, but those are the central human players. Burrowing deep below Perfection is a species of monstrous worm creatures whose mouths open to reveal a slither of snakes – monsters that Walter Chang dubs Graboids. And Graboids react badly to noise, killing anyone or anything that makes it. The only way any Perfection inhabitant survives is through quick thinking, as these Graboids are quick studies when adapting to and hunting their prey.

Monster movies were ten a penny in the 1980s & 90s – so much so that sub-genres like aquatic horror flourished. Tremors have stood the test of time because of the monster, designed by Amalgamated Dynamics. While the 4K print may expose it a little, we are still talking about one impressive feat of prop design. The Graboid is a colossal worm about 20 feet long with a hardened shell covering the entire body with the mouth opening like a beak. There are protruding spikes to propel it through the dirt, no eyes or ears, and a mouth which opens to reveal loads of snakes which grab their prey, pulling it inwards to digest. Considering how such a monster functions is one thing; the look and feel of the beast are even more impressive. It’s a shame that the future iterations of the series downscaled these Graboids, but needs must – I assume much of the $10 million budget facilitated Amalgamated Dynamics’ impressive work. That and all the buildings and vehicles these things destroy.

It’s wild how trends change in cinema, movies like Ron Underwood’s are dated, but in other, more significant, ways, they are nostalgic for all the right reasons. Brent Maddock & S.S. Wilson’s script doesn’t waste a second, getting everything they could want within an electric-paced 96 minutes. Few genre films bother to attempt spinning multiple plates anymore, meaning likeminded electric-paced films have become old-fashioned. Indulge me a moment. Imagine that the first tremors came out a few short years ago – they’d spend 40 minutes getting to know the characters before throwing them into the deep end. Of course, there are negatives present from that era, too. For example, the shoehorned will they/won’t they relationship dynamic between Val & Rhonda is the only missed step (besides the exceptionally “mid” musical score). It reduces Rhonda’s character to a romantic interest and exposition on legs. Cinema may not be progressing fast enough – still, it’s moved on from this sort of reductive characterisation. Worse, it comes across as tacky when they finally share that kiss.

It goes like the clappers, has an iconic monster that has been referenced as far afield as SpongeBob Squarepants and the work of James Gunn (Slither, specifically) – what else does Tremors have going for it? To be as brief as possible, chemistry. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward get on like young and older brothers, seeing them on screen together is the purest joy Underwood captured in this – his best work. I’d trade in all the sequels and spin-offs in a heartbeat if the world gave us more Ward and Bacon films. Sometimes actors are lucky enough to have chemistry with their fellow cast members, these two feel like they are made for one another.

I’ve been subtle enough and avoided laying my cards on the desk. Which is to say, Tremors is genuinely one of my favourite movies, a hugely important piece of my childhood and one of the few movies that became pivotal in forming my taste. Whether or not I cut through my bias is up to you, the reader, to decide.

As for extras, the main selling point is the 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Ron Underwood and his director of photography – and while excellent, it does expose the joints a little. Beyond there are multiple commentaries, a brand new documentary, two new interviews, a new featurette with composers Ernest Troost and Robert Folk, and an archival documentary from 1995. Highlights come from Creature Featurette, an archive compilation of on-set camcorder footage showing the making of the Graboids. A gorgeous reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank. And, my personal favourite, Pardon My French!, a newly assembled compilation of overdubs from the edited-for-television version. As a fan, I can comfortably say you are spoiled.

Rob on Tremors (1990)