Customer Reviews

The Monster Squad [VHS]

5 star:		(288)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I've been waiting for this DVD to come into print for years, and now the wait is finally over. Thanks to Lionsgate for finally stepping up, straightening out the rights issues, and putting together a nice 2-Disc special edition of this classic 80s kids flick.

The Monster Squad, much like the Goonies and the Lost Boys, is a kid's flick at heart, but it doesn't come off as if it were written and directed down to children. The flick stars Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert (of Kids Incorporated fame), Brent Chalem, Michael Faustino and Robby Kiger as a group of kids that have a secret Monster club where they pontificate on all things monster related. Quick, two ways to kill a werewolf? Stumped? That's right, everyone knows you need to shoot `em with a silver bullet. Anyway, the group runs into trouble when unbeknown to them the all too real rouges gallery of the classic Universal monster movies are converging on their town looking to destroy an amulet that can prevent them from taking over the world. Sean, the leader of the club, lucks into a copy of Van Helsing's diary, which provides the instructions to a ritual that will banish the monsters into limbo. With the help of "Scary German Guy" (played by the always excellent Leonardo Cimino) a concentration camp survivor and resident German diary translator, the group bands together to save their families, their town, and quite possibly the entire world.

The film was directed by Fred Dekker and co-written by Fred Dekker and Shane Black (of Lethal Weapon and Predator fame) with amazing special effects and make-up by the legendary Stan Winston. This DVD was made possible by the director, actors, and fans who banded together in the past year through letter writing campaigns and revival screenings which proves just how much of a cult classic this flick is. If you are a generation X'er who's into action, horror or nostalgia the Monster Squad is sure to be a perfect addition to your DVD collection.

The 20th anniversary special edition set is reported to contain 2 audio commentary tracks, deleted scenes, an making of featurette, trailers, as well as a vintage interview with Tom Noonan (who played the Frankenstein's monster.)

This is a great scary movie for kids and adults alike...
This little-known GEM of a film & one of my favorites with mostly a cast of unknowns. Stephen Macht (Graveyard Shift& many other stephen King films) & Jason Hervey (older brother, Wayne on Wonder Years) are familiar faces. A great kids frightfest that has the Creature From The Black Lagoon, Mummy, Wolfman, Frankenstein & a really hot & sexy Dracula with his female coven!

A passel of oddball kids fight the dark forces of evil in their small neighborhood with the help of Frankenstein & Scary German Guy (an old Germanic man that is a neighbor). Great plot, cool special effects, some excellent one liners & some wonderful child acting all make for a terrifc family frightfest! Check out the teacher in the beginning of the movie. The kids call her "Meow Mix" because her head is shaped like a cat's head! Great oddball writing in this movie makes it scary & funny!

Wonderful story! I just can't wait for this to come out on DVD!

I saw this movie when i was 12 and i must say i loved it...I always wanted to get this film on tape but I never could find it. until i was at a garage sale and load and behold in the video section i saw it monster squad in the 1.00 dollar videos..i got it for a buck...it is in great condition..
well anyways i think that this movie is really smart and witty and funny with a little jump in it... i think that the studio should re-release this film on video and dvd....i give it 5 stars and two thumbs up.

With all the Universal films being released and re-released on DVD, in addition to Stephen Sommers' VAN HELSING, I'm shocked to see that THE MONSTER SQUAD isn't being given the credit it is due. Some of the special effects may seem a bit dated by today's near-flawless CGI standards, but this is a really enjoyable movie that transcends time as much, if not more so, as all the black-and-white favorites that inspired it.

The story centers around a small band of pre-teens who are devoted fans of the Classic Monsters. The group soon learns that the evil Count Dracula is lurking nearby, and has gathered a small band of his own: Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and the Gill-Man (aka, the Creature From the Black Lagoon). Their goal: to obtain a mystical amulet that will shift the balance of power in their favor and plunge the world into total, chaotic darkness.

What follows is a series of chases, terror-filled encounters, and unforgettable one-liners ("Wolf Man's got NARDS!") that make this film a must-have for all monster fans. The Squad is a likeable lot, each member possessing characteristics that kids of any generation can identify with, and the monsters themselves aren't played for comedy or reduced to caricatures:

Duncan Regehr's Dracula is both charming and sadistic, a perfect blend of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee, while Tom Noonan's Frankenstein Monster draws its inspiration from Boris Karloff and Glenn Strange, seemlessly integrating the best aspects of both actors' very different portrayals.

Jonathan Gries' performance as the Wolf Man's human half makes the viewer WANT to believe that he is Lon Chaney, Jr. back from the grave, and the Mummy shines in an amusing scare scene with one of the younger Squad members. Sadly, it is the Gill-Man who manages to get the least amount of time, but when he does show up, he is something to behold.

Though not released through Universal, THE MONSTER SQUAD is a wonderful cult-classic that preserves the spirits of these characters to a much greater degree than the latter-day VAN HELSING does. Only one question remains: where's the DVD?

Lionsgate is releasing this film sometime this year. There is no release date yet, but there have been some special features shot (commentary with some of the "kids", a Q&A segment taped at a horror convention, more) and they are going on the disc. 20th anniversary special edition!!!

I think this movie should be brough back on video or DVD, i love this movie. I remember it when i was a kid, i thought it and the goonies was the the best. So please bring it back

Monster Squad has so many good things about it its hard to find things wrong with it. It brings many life lessons with it. Here are the ten lessons i learned:
1.German people are scary, especially the "scary german guy".
2.Wolfman has "nards".
3.The kid who smokes and wears a leather jacket is the coolest guy in the town.
4.Don't mess with the fat kid.
5.The Creature from the Black Lagoon is no match for a twelve gauge.
6.Make a clubhouse next to a house where a hot chick lives so you can spy on her when she undresses.
7.The mummy in your closet isn't real and even if he is your dad will never see him any ways.
8.The army is always late.
9.Free movies await the person who lives close enough to a drive in.
10.monster squad is a classic.
Well I think I've said enough, so buy it already and have fun laughin at crude 80's sayings and ridiculus fat jokes.

If you grew up in the 1980's, you're probably already familiar with "The Monster Squad." It's been a long time coming for this film to get the DVD treatment and I for one am glad to see it finally happen. For those not familiar with the story, here's a brief explanation: Dracula's been after an amulet that will allow the monsters of the world take over the human realm forever. Van Helsing tried to stop him many years ago but only managed to postpone his success. Now, in the present day 80's, the amulet and the book necessary to trigger it have been found. Dracula gathers up all of his monster buddies (think Universal Monsters) to help him in his quest. Luckily for us humans, young Sean Crenshaw (Andre Gower) and his monster-crazy pals are on the case. Will the Monster Squad save the day?

For a flick made in the 80's, the special effects are pretty good. The monsters are especially good looking, but that's expected of the wonder that is Stan Winston. The only semi-cheesey effect is that of the vortex at the beginning and end of the film. It looks rather dated, but special effects aren't what this film is all about. It's about youngsters facing challenging odds and trying to succeed.

The human cast includes Gower, Ashley Bank (Phoebe), the reliable Stephen Macht (Del), Robby Kiger (Patrick), Brent Chalem (Horace), Michael Faustino (Eugene), Ryan Lambert (Rudy) and Leonardo Cimino as the Scary German Guy. The monsters include Duncan Regehr hamming it up as Dracula, Tom Noonan as the loveable Frankenstein, and "Napoleon Dynamite's" Uncle Rico (Jon Gries) as the Desperate Man (the Wolfman's human form).

Although it's considered a kids' film, "The Monster Squad" shouldn't be viewed by children under the age of nine or ten in my opinion. You're free to use your own judgment, but just know that there is quite a bit of violence including impalings, dismemberment via dynamite, people sucked into a vortex, and vehicles exploding. There is also a healthy dose of strong language, especially during a scene that will probably upset young children involving Sean's sister, Phoebe, and Dracula (it's only one word, but it's delivered with rage-filled perfection).

This 20th Anniversary DVD is excellent. It brings back a lot of memories for anyone who remembers and loves this film. It includes a wonderful set of documentaries on the making of the film and the events that lead up to the DVD release. There are plenty of other features as well, but just know that Lionsgate did an outstanding job of packaging this DVD and gives the fans plenty of reasons to remember the good old days.

In all honesty, the main reasons for watching this film are to get nostalgic for those of us who grew up on films like this, "The Goonies" and "Gremlins," and also to introduce the film to a whole new generation. My daughter and my brand new son are still too young to see this in my opinion, but I'll definitely introduce them to it later. This flick is a wonderful trip down memory lane and I'm sure that it will be the same for a new generation soon enough.

The world's most famous movie monsters meet their match in the 1987 comedy-horror film "Monster Squad". Count Dracula unites the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Creature of the Black Lagoon and the Frankenstein Monster in search of a powerful magical talisman that will allow the forces of evil the power to rule the world. Now, the only ones that could save all humanity from Dracula's ghoulish plan for global domination are a tree house club of young teenage monster enthusiasts. "Monster Squad" is an amusing mix of horror and comedy in tradition of such 1980s film favorites like "Ghostbusters", "Gremlins" and "The Lost Boys". The 87-minute movie delivers plenty of thrills and laughs. Award-winning make-up artist Stan Winston's monster designs are similar to the ones from the classic monster movies but are well updated for a more striking appearance. Since its theatrical release, "Monster Squad" has earned a solid cult following and fans have anxiously awaited its release on DVD.

Fans of the 1987 comedy-horror film favorite will rejoice for the release of "Monster Squad" 20th Anniversary Edition. The 1987 comedy-horror film is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The 2-disc DVD has a good video transfer with little noticeable grain. Its 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is rather enjoyable. Among special features, the 2-disc DVD includes two audio commentaries with director/writer Dekker and cast members, the extended "Monster Squad Forever" featurette, eight deleted scenes, theatrical trailer, TV spots, storyboards and a short interview with actor Tom Noonan (Frankenstein Monster). Overall, "Monster Squad" 20th Anniversary Edition gets a "B".

The Monster Squad on DVD...
How awesome would that be. I've been trying to find this movie for a very long time. Sellers on eBay have been providing bootleg versions, but I would love to have an authentic studio copy!!!!