TREMORS

US, 1990, 96 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward.
Directed by Ron Underwood.

Tremors is a very entertaining science fiction thriller. It echoes the B-budget movies of the past, retaining much of their ingenuous style, naivety and innocence. However, it benefits from the special effects of the '80s and '90s. The screenplay was written by S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock (Batteries Not Included, Short Circuit II) and directed by Ron Underwood (Short Circuit II and the more upmarket City Slickers).

The film is reminiscent of Them and other mutant creatures threatening civilisation in the desert. However, there is a lot of tongue in cheek, especially the banter between Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as the two handymen who have to confront the graboid monsters. The characters are eccentric and entertaining, the dialogue crisp and the special effects effective. An entertaining blend of thrills and humour.

1.The science fiction tradition, the B-budget movies, the conventions and genre? The blend of the serious and the humorous? Crises and adventure?

2.The western settings, the echoes of westerns? The echoes of monster movies? The appeal to the cinema-going audience, film buffs?

3.The irony of the town of Perfection, Nevada? The desert town, its population, houses, the work? The special effects for the town, the stunt work, the monsters themselves? The musical score?

4.Val and Earl as modern cowboys, at work in Perfection, buddies, the interaction between the two, the humour? The situation at their work? The seismic readings? Finding the dehydrated man? The slaughtered cattle and the farmer? The difficulty in starting their vehicle - and the tentacle? The setting for the action?

5.The monsters, the visual impact, sense of menace? Credibility? The actual attacks? Jim and Megan, Nestor, Mr Chang, Burt and Heather? The reasons given for the mutation - radiation, the environment, politicians and the military?

6.The town under siege, the sense of menace, Mr Chang's shop, the roof, the townspeople and their plans?

7.Val and Earl as heroes, the comic touch, their ability to help, their work with Rhonda, helping the people, being pursued, getting from rock to rock? Saved?

8.Rhonda and her studies, the information about the monsters, her being trapped, helping the boys, in the town, pole-vaulting across the rocks, safety? Her information about the origins of the monsters?

9.The attack on Perfection, the monsters themselves, the shop, destruction, Mr Chang and the roof? Mindy and Rhonda being saved? Burt and Heather as survivalists, the elephant gun, their shooting, their explosives?

10.The upheaval, the roof, Nestor falling from the roof?

11.Val, the hero, gathering everyone together, the bulldozer and the trailer? The tactics to kill the monsters? The fishing line, the short fuse? The spectacular crashing of the monster?

12.Audiences identifying with the situations - larger than life, but...? Menace and ordinary heroics? Innocence - always the human beings saved by humane people?

13.The background of science fiction? The '90s comments on the nuclear threat, the environment, scientists, the military, extraterrestrial explanations?