C.H.U.D (1984)
Directed by: Douglas Cheek
Rated: R
Runtime: 96 mins
If you grew up in the ’80’s then you have to remember the awesomeness you experienced when you first saw the box cover to the movie “C.H.U.D” in your local video store. For a ten year-old it was the most amazing thing ever. The image of a weird creature coming out from underneath a city sewer lid. For over the last 20 years that image had not escaped me, but ironically I had never seen the actual movie inside the coolest box cover ever….until now.
I wish I could say the movie is as cool as the box cover but that’s not the case. About the only interesting thing about “C.H.U.D” is a cast of future recognizable actors who were earning their dues in this horror B-movie. Actors like John Heard, Daniel Stern, Sam McMurray and John Goodman. Even if you don’t know all these guys by name, they’re the kind of guys you know when you see them. In fact, John Goodman who only has a bit role in the film did his Coach Harris character from “Revenge of the Nerds” the very same year as “C.H.U.D” (1984).
While there is a certain mystique about mutated creatures emerging from the sewers of a big city and this film was certainly the forerunner for that idea, overall there isn’t anything special about the film. The plot is pretty sloppy, the characters are generic and the most interesting thing about the film, the “C.H.U.Ds” are used sparingly, probably due to the limited SFX budget. “C.H.U.D” is definitely a film you have to see to say you have seen it, but don’t be prepared to be wowed like you were as a kid in Magic Video.