Guest Post: "Skeeter" Review by Brandon Sites!

Brandon Sites is the creator of the amazing horror review blog bigdaddyhorrorreviews.com.


Skeeter

1994 - 95 mins. - MPAA Rating: R

D: Clark Brandon

C: Tracy Griffith, Jim Youngs, Charles Napier, Jay Robinson, William Sanderson, Stacy Edwards, Michael J. Pollard, Buck Flower

In a small dying desert town, toxic waste has turned mosquitoes into cat sized monsters. Now the residents must fight to stay alive against these blood thirsty creatures.

Back in the day, this used to be a staple on the USA channel back when they used to actually air horror movies. I always meant to watch it, but never got around to it. Well, when I saw a brand new copy of it on DVD for a $1.99, I immediately bought it. So how did the film measure up after all these years of waiting to see it?

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and couldn't believe the mangling it took from audiences, though it did get a few strong critic responses. For me when I go into these type of films, I ask myself " How do you take a 50's B monster movie and make it seem modern?" and "How do you update the aesthetic and remain true to the source?". Well, I think this film has done just that. The film cleverly balances 50's B movie standards with the production values of the 90's. The film has a glossy look and is directed with flair yet goes for cheap, fake looking special effects. In one sequence, former lovers are reunited. The old boyfriend informs his ex that he used to visit her room so that he could smell her stuff. Can anyone say pyscho? Then in the same sequence, their is a sincere tender moment in which one of the main characters reads from her mom's diary. The film throwing in purposely bad elements like hideous dialogue and cheesy special effects stay true to the spirit of the film's it is trying to envoke and putting in insightful moments and well done direction make the film modern. The performances head in that same direction, with Tracy Griffith and Jim Youngs turning in above par work while supporting players like Jay Robinson and Michael J. Pollard get to turn in campy performances. It's also nice to see a film of this type that doesn't revert to making fun of the film's that inspired it.Their is even a little Indian mumbo jumbo thrown in for good measure too! The 90's was a dry spell for the most part for the horror genre and this is one title that stands out as one of the better films of that period.

Are you interested in writing a guest review? Hit me up at RhonnyReaper@yahoo.com