Who would have guessed that this clever, fast-paced creature feature from 1990 would become a beloved miniclassic worthy of its own Collector's Edition DVD? Tremors didn't actually break any new ground (even though its tun... more »neling worm monsters certainly did), but it revved up the classic monster-movie formulas of the 1950s with such energetic enthusiasm and humor that it made everything old seem new again. It's also got a cast full of enjoyable actors who clearly had a lot of fun making the film, and director Ron Underwood strikes just the right balance of comedy and terror as a band of small-town rednecks battles a lot of really nasty-looking giant worms. The special effects are great, the one-liners fly fast and furious between heroes Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward (and yes, that's country star Reba McEntire packin' awesome firepower), and it's all done with the kind of flair one rarely associates with goofy monster flicks like this. Followed by a direct-to-video sequel (Tremors: Aftershocks), this horror thriller was given the deluxe treatment for its DVD release. Bonus features include an original "making-of" documentary, previously unseen video showing the creation of the worm-creatures, outtakes from the film, the original ending not shown in theaters, theatrical trailers, and a gallery of production photographs. If you're a fan, consider this a must-have disc! --Jeff Shannon« less
"Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward) are two men trying to make a living in a sleepy, dusty little town, and eventually move themselves on to bigger and better things. However, a few suspicious deaths, and a rockslide blocking the only road out of town put a kink in their plans. Together, a female geologist (Finn Carter) recording seismic activity in the area, and the two unlikely heroes set out to determine the cause of the strange seismic readings and the local deaths. They get much more than they bargained for when they determine that a previously unheard of creature (a "graboid") is the cause of both. This eyeless creature travels through the ground tracking small vibrations in order to get to its prey. The townspeople must band together to try and get out of the valley before the small town's population dwindles down to zero.The "monster" in this movie is something somewhat believable, as well as something that hasn't been done before. There are thousands of estimated species on this planet that we do not yet know about, and have yet to be discovered. Who's to say whether one of them is or is not a large underground-dwelling, vibration-sensing snake? It's slightly more believable, and thus slightly more scary than, Dracula, Frankenstein, or aliens. Regardless, it's an idea that hadn't been done before at the time, and hasn't been done since (not counting the less-than-stellar sequels to this film), and that's always a good thing no matter what genre of film.This was one of the movies that got me into horror films. It definitely proves that "horror" need not be gory, high budget, or flashy to be great. In addition, a little comic relief can be a good thing! Furthermore, "B" horror films need not always equate with "bad" horror films. This movie is an incredible blend of a refreshing new idea, a great cast of characters, and an excellent, well thought out script. Tremors is action, adventure, thrills, suspense, and comedy all rolled into one. The dialogue is immensely entertaining, and the cast all put in great performances. Though this film is almost 15 years old and I've watched it several times, it never seems to get old. I have discovered that this DVD is not very easy to find anywhere, especially not at a decent price, so grab it up while you can! This is a very fun movie that I highly recommend!"
I Laughed....I Screamed....I Laughed Some More...
L. Shirley | fountain valley, ca United States | 01/25/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This review refers to the MCA/Universal VHS edition of "Tremors".....
Forget about building an underground shelter in case of a world catastrophe, that's exactly where all the evil lurks in this fun thriller.
Kevin Bacon(Val) and Fred Ward(Earl) star in this horror film that pays homage to the 50's monster flicks. They are two handymen in the small town of "Perfection", Nevada, who are just trying to get out of town and seek a better life.Everytime they try to leave though,they run into some grisly discovery. With the help of Rhonda(Finn Carter), a beautiful seismology student who has been recording underground rumblings, they stay and try to lead the few(but wacky) residents of Perfection to saftey. The rumblings, as it turns out, are no earthquakes, they are giant worm-like creatures, who go after anything that moves. Station wagons are just an appetizer for these grotesque subterranean monsters.
Michael Gross and Reba McEntire co-star as a couple who make their living selling guns. Their arsenal is astounding, and they are a treat to watch as they try to stave off these creatures. Annie Oakley ain't got nothin on Reba!
It's thrilling and funny, and you may want to hide your eyes, but you won't. Bacon and Ward play their roles with humor and a comradeship that works well.It was directed by Ron Underwood(City Slickers/Mighty Joe Young 1998),who keeps us laughing and screaming at the same time.Also look for a Ariana Richards, who plays little "Mindy". She is real good with creatures, as she went on to become "Lex" in Jurassic Park!
This VHS has an exceptioanlly good picture and the sound is equally as good in Dolby Surround/Hi Fi Stereo.
Check around for best availability and price. Also sold here:Tremors
If you're a fan of the old classic monster films and you think "They just don't make em like they used to.." try this one on for size.....Have fun....Laurie
also recommended:
Wolf - see my review of 9/21/05 for film details"
Good movie - bad transfer
Anthony Martin | Sterling, VA United States | 12/10/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The film Tremors is as good as ever - campy, funny, silly, and lots of fun. However, this HD-DVD transfer is not worthy of the medium. The transfer improvement consists only of heavily over-sharpened footage (artifacts and edge halos) and way too much contrast. If you are even slightly discerning about the quality of your video (and if you're watching HD-DVD, I assume you are), then this rendition is somewhat disappointing.
Still, it's Tremors, and that counts for a lot :)"
TREMORS
Jessalyn | 12/09/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie is nothing, and I mean nothing, but pure, full fun. It started out one of my favorite monster movie series of all time. The series ranks with my love of the Godzilla, Jaws and Gamera series. The movie is about the small town of Perfection, Nevada, being inhabited by Graboids, giant underground worms that have no eyes or nose, have three tongues shaped like snakes that grab their prey, and hunt by sound. The town's residents, including handymen Val McKee (Kevin Bacon) and Earl Basset (Fred Ward), seismologist Rhonda LeBeck (Finn Carter), weapons expert Burt Gummer (Michael Gross), Burt's wife Heather (Reba McEntire), and others as well. The special effects for this movie are awesome, exspecially the Graboids' blood and guts. Also, there is something sort of scary about this movie: The character development is interesting! There is also comedy, which is extremely funny! If you love monster movies, you'll REALLY LOVE this movie! I know I do love it!"
Pure cult nostalgia
Jessalyn | Arizona | 06/03/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie is a classic!!! My favorite memory was renting this film when I was 12 and watching it 8 times in a row with my friend. I will never get tired of this movie. Every time its on TV I have to watch it. If you have never seen this film Kevin Bacon is at his best when he is saving people from giant man-eating worms."