1989 was an odd time for slasher films. The fan-favorite subgenre of horror was dwindling in both quality and audience participation. Gone were the days of iconic staples like the first Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street films, and instead, weaker sequels like Jason Takes Manhattan, The Dream Child, and The Revenge of Michael Myers took their places at the theaters.
Even interest in original slasher films had tapered off; the focus turned from rehashes like Wes Craven’s Shocker and Cutting Class to horror comedies like The ‘Burbs and Little Monsters, Stephen King adaptations (Pet Semetary), and outside-the-box, low-budget flicks like Puppet Master and Warlock.
However, 35 years ago this week, long-time Sam Raimi collaborator Scott Spiegel directed a lesser-known slasher film that is likely one of the goriest, most fun, and most underrated ’80s horror films you haven’t seen; we’re talking about Intruder.
The film was written by Spiegel and Lawrence Bender, who would become executive producers on every one of Quentin Tarantino’s films up through Inglourious Basterds, and other massive movies like Scorsese’s Silence and Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge.
Spiegel rarely sits in the director’s chair but has been involved in almost every single Sam Raimi film, from The Evil Dead to the MCU’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. These two collaborating on a horror film was a rare treat, as it’s the only writing credit of Bender’s career.
Intruder’s cast was a who’s who of the Raimi crew that will surprise any horror fan who hasn’t seen it. Not only did it include both Sam and Ted Raimi in supporting roles, but also Dan Hicks (Evil Dead II), Renée Estevez (Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen’s sister), and bit roles from Bruce Campbell and Greg Nicotero.
Nicotero was also part of an incredible gore effects team for the film, which also included Oscar winner Howard Berger (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) and Robert Kurtzman, a giant in the industry, known for working makeup in films like The Green Mile, The Faculty, Scream, Pulp Fiction, and several of Mike Flanagan’s horror projects.
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The premise was as simple as they come. After a grocery store closes for the night, the staff must restock for the next day and are told by their manager that the store is being sold, and they will all lose their jobs soon. Taking a rather effortless approach to restocking the store and continuing with their duties, the staff members are picked off one by one by a mysterious killer within the store.
While I won’t give away the surprise reveal, the film has plenty of red herrings and a great misdirect of who the killer actually is. Intruder is a perfect blend of a strait-laced slasher film and that Raimi-esque silliness that comes with everything they’re involved with.
Rarely do we get the best of both worlds in horror. The film seamlessly moves between showing some of the most gruesome kills ever seen in the entire genre to absurd, on-the-nose jokes, like when someone is cut in half, they get a “1/2 off” sign attached to their body. It’s a perfect film for pleasing both gore-hounds and slapstick horror fiends.
There’s not much exaggeration in my description of the brutality of the kills, either. Having all those future big names in the makeup department paid off in a big way, as the special effects are enough to make you wince and turn from the screen, especially during a kill that combines a band saw with the front of someone’s face and teeth. Yeesh! There’s head-smashing, neck-hooking, and eyeball-poking glory throughout the entirety of the movie.
Stylistically, while the film’s cinematographer, Fernando Argüelles (Prison Break, Hemlock Grove), hadn’t worked with the Raimi brothers before, it’s evident by a lot of the shots that Sam Raimi was involved in the camera work and polishing.
Now, if you’ve never heard of Intruder, that makes sense. It was originally titled The Night Crew right before its release, and the name was changed to a more generic title to bring more attention to it (weird choice, Empire Pictures). The film’s original trailer also spoiled the killer’s reveal (don’t watch the trailer below, if you care!) and misled the importance of the bigger names of the cast, which also hurt the marketing.
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Early versions of the film had multiple gory scenes cut out of it, and it wasn’t until the film was re-released in the 2010s that the full uncensored version was unveiled, bringing a spark of interest, which led to another re-release by Full Moon Features a few years ago.
Intruder is truly a perfect viewing for your group of horror-loving friends, complete with beer and snacks. If you haven’t seen it, you’re going to love it, and if you have seen it, I know you agree with me.
You don’t have to search it out, either, as Intruder can be found to stream for free on Tubi.
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