HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 4: THE BOOGENS (1981)

By 1981 the horror boom of the 1980's was already in full swing. Friday The 13th Part II, An American Werewolf in London, Halloween II, Funhouse, Deadly Blessing, and so much more. If you look at the list of horror films from that year alone, it's staggering. The horror movies of that era have a particular style and personality about them that is unmistakable. The template left by the movies Halloween and Friday the 13th was being copied and mass produced as if they were coming off an assembly line. What's truly crazy is how many of these films have become favorites and classics of the genre. This is only 1981. Seriously, check out the list. It's mind blowing.

List of horror films from 1981

Among the 1981 roster of horror films is a little movie called THE BOOGENS (surprisingly not on wikipedia's list!). The Boogens isn't a particularly well known film and for many it has been lost to the annals of time. It's easy to get lost or forgotten among all the other horror films of 1981, especially when so many have become iconic classics. And then there are even more that haven't become classics, ranging in quality from merely decent to "there's a reason they've been forgotten." The Boogens is better than the average but falls just short of classic. Which means there's plenty to enjoy and appreciate.

THE PLOT

A Colorado company reopens a long closed off mine in a small northern Colorado town. From day one the crew of four men reopening the mine have been experiencing strange events. First it was cryptic signs warning them not to open the mine. Then it became vandalism. Next, when finally inside the mine, their old maps failed to indicate a third tunnel, a tunnel leading to an eerie pool and human bone pit. Two of the miners, young college students, rent a cabin near town and invite their girlfriends to stay with them for a few days. First the landlord fails to meet them and goes missing. Next one of the miners themselves disappears. While researching the local newspaper archives, one of them learns of a tragedy in the mine from 70 years ago where dozens of people died in the mine, all evidence pointing to some creature living in the caves.

I think this is an old cover to the Book!

WHAT I LIKED

The Setting and Characters. What first stood out to me while watching this movie were the shots of the countryside and old dilapidated mines. The Colorado wilderness (or parts of Utah doubling for Colorado in this case) is shown as being very cold and desolate, setting an eerie tone right away. Perhaps the most famous Colorado horror film is THE SHINING, and while that film's opening shots of the countryside are incredibly beautiful the footage doesn't invoke a sense of dread or ominous terror like these opening shots here in the Boogens. I've personally been to Leadville, CO (the highest elevation incorporated city in America) which is sort of a museum for mining. There are number of abandon mines all over that area, which I swear were filmed for the opening of this movie.

Congruently the film has very effective atmosphere and tension building up to the climax.

And then there are the characters. Admittedly, most human characters in horror films are a dime-a-dozen cliches, especially from this era, and these characters are no exception. But where most of these characters you look forward to seeing being knocked off, the characters in the Boogens are actually kinda likeable. The actors look like they're having fun and enjoying themselves. There a few eye-rolling spots of dialog (it wouldn't be an 80's horror movie without it) but these characters are more charismatic and less annoying than many of their contemporaries. Honestly, it's probably the strongest aspect of the film.

NITPICKS

The Monster. Now, I'm not talking about the design. I actually think the design is quite unique and interesting. The larval form of the kaiju IRIS from the movie Gamera 3 seems to have derived elements from this monster's design, which is awesome. Where this movie fails, and what keeps it from becoming a full-fledged horror classic, is the ultimate monster execution. The filmmakers drag out the monster reveal as long as they can. And when it is revealed you discover it's a creature that has to be brought to life through puppetry of some kind or another. This isn't bad at all unless the puppetry fails to deliver and it kinda does. If this were a bigger budget film I have no doubt the monster would've succeeded. All the suspense leading up to the monster reveal was great and even the overall monster design is very original and full of potential. Sadly the creature effects employed to bring the monster life were limited.

THE VERDICT

The Boogens takes your typical "cabin the in woods" horror scenario from 1981 and gives it a fresh setting with snow and the Colorado mountains. The characters are surprisingly likable and the monster is different and unique. The atmosphere and tension is built up well but the climax dips a bit due to limited special effects. Even still, this movie stands out among the many horror films of its time with its characters, setting, and monster. The Boogens is worth tracking down.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10

Above Average. Worth the Price.

 

Nude-O-Meter: 4 out of 10