Before its streets were cleaned up, and well before the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles called it their home, the sewers of New York City belonged to Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, or "C.H.U.D." as they are more commonly referred to.
A cheesy and campy yet fun little romp, "C.H.U.D" is perhaps more notorious for its cast and its mostly improvised dialog than it is for any ground-breaking special effects or actual suspense. The film truly hinges on the trio of Daniel Stern, John Heard and Christopher Curry, as the hippie, the photographer and the police chief who get wrapped up in a subterranean investigation that reveals a clan of guys in suits...err...mutants who take to the streets at night to feed on unsuspecting pedestrians.
The film's biggest hindrance is its painful pacing. The film just drags to its conclusion, which nearly threatens to bring the story crashing down. Thankfully, though, there are enough fun performances and memorable lines to keep the energy pumping, not to mention the slimy and flat-out ugly creatures who serve as a ridiculously awesome throwback to the b-movies of years past. You'll also have your fill of spotting a slew of familiar faces, with John Goodman showing up as a cop, proving that America really does run on Dunkin Donuts. "C.H.U.D." may not be an American masterpiece, nor does it paint a pretty picture of New York City, but as far as a fun and easy 80's cheese-fest, you could do much worse.
A cheesy and campy yet fun little romp, "C.H.U.D" is perhaps more notorious for its cast and its mostly improvised dialog than it is for any ground-breaking special effects or actual suspense. The film truly hinges on the trio of Daniel Stern, John Heard and Christopher Curry, as the hippie, the photographer and the police chief who get wrapped up in a subterranean investigation that reveals a clan of guys in suits...err...mutants who take to the streets at night to feed on unsuspecting pedestrians.
The film's biggest hindrance is its painful pacing. The film just drags to its conclusion, which nearly threatens to bring the story crashing down. Thankfully, though, there are enough fun performances and memorable lines to keep the energy pumping, not to mention the slimy and flat-out ugly creatures who serve as a ridiculously awesome throwback to the b-movies of years past. You'll also have your fill of spotting a slew of familiar faces, with John Goodman showing up as a cop, proving that America really does run on Dunkin Donuts. "C.H.U.D." may not be an American masterpiece, nor does it paint a pretty picture of New York City, but as far as a fun and easy 80's cheese-fest, you could do much worse.