C.H.U.D. (1984)

Director:

Douglas Cheek

Writers:

Shepard Abbott (story)
Parnell Hall (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

31 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Ugly. Slobbering. Ferocious. Carnivorous.

Plot:

A rash of bizarre murders in New York City seems to point to a group of grotesquely deformed vagrants living in the sewers...

Plot Keywords:

Sewer | City | Police | Toxic Waste | Hobo

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

John Heard	...	George Cooper
Daniel Stern	...	A.J. 'The Reverend' Shepherd
Christopher Curry	...	Captain Bosch
Kim Greist	...	Lauren Daniels
Laure Mattos	...	Flora Bosch
Brenda Currin	...	Francine the Landlady
Justin Hall	...	Justin
Michael O'Hare	...	Fuller
Cordis Heard	...	Officer Sanderson
Vic Polizos	...	Hays
Eddie Jones	...	Chief O'Brien
Sam McMurray	...	Officer Crespi
Frank Adu	...	Interrogation Cop
Ruth Maleczech	...	Mrs. Monroe
J.C. Quinn	...	Murphy
Patricia Richardson	...	Ad Woman
Ray Baker	...	Ad Man (as Raymond Baker)
Beverly Bentley	...	Doris
Graham Beckel	...	Val
Gene O'Neill	...	Jackson
Rocco Siclari	...	Hugo
Bill Raymond	...	Victor (as William Joseph Baker)
Peter Michael Goetz	...	Gramps
Shana Lee Farrell	...	Cindy
John Ramsey	...	Commissioner
George Martin	...	Wilson
John Bedford Lloyd	...	Shadow Man (as John Bedford-Lloyd)
Henry Yuk	...	Coroner
Robert Toupin	...	Benson
Frankie Faison	...	Sgt. Parker (as Frankie R. Faison)
Ivar Brogger	...	Gooney NRC Man
Parnell Hall	...	Judson
John Goodman	...	Cop in Diner
Jay Thomas	...	Cop in Diner
Hallie Foote	...	Waitress
Jon Polito	...	Newscaster
Mark Mikulski	...	Cop at Wrecked Diner
Lou Leccese	...	CHUD
Sanford Clark	...	CHUD
James Dudley	...	CHUD
Carey Eidel	...	CHUD
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Campbell	...	Frightened Spectator (uncredited)
Kelly Nichols	...	Frightened Specator (uncredited)
Jan Saint	...	Bum in the street (uncredited)

Directed by
Douglas Cheek

Writing credits
Shepard Abbott		(story)
Parnell Hall		(screenplay)
Christopher Curry		uncredited
Daniel Stern		uncredited

Produced by
Larry Abrams	....	executive producer
Andrew Bonime	....	producer
Thomas H. Field	....	associate producer
Alfonso Tafoya	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David A. Hughes		(as Cooper Hughes)

Cinematography by
Peter Stein

Film Editing by
Claire Simpson

Production Design by
William Bilowit

Art Direction by
Forge Toro
Jorge Luis Toro
Sonja Roth		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Jennifer Lax

Makeup Department
John Caglione Jr.	....	special makeup creator: CHUD
Joe Cuervo	....	special makeup crew: CHUD
Doug Drexler	....	special makeup crew: CHUD
George Engel	....	special makeup crew: CHUD
Ed French	....	additional special makeup effects artist
Susan Giammusso	....	hair stylist
Susan Giammusso	....	makeup artist
Kevin Haney	....	makeup animatronics
Michael Maddi	....	assistant makeup artist
David E. Smith	....	special makeup crew: CHUD (as David Smith)

Production Management
Robert Bordiga	....	production manager
Jack Briggs	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lewis Gould	....	first assistant director
Steve Wertimer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
William Depaolo	....	propmaker
Darryl Ferrucci	....	art department and props
Timothy Main	....	carpenter
Kay DiMarco	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Jack Higgins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harry Lapham	....	assistant sound effects
Harry Lapham	....	sound recordist
Hal Levinsohn	....	sound editor
Lynn Sable	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Steven Kirshoff	....	pyrotechnic effects
Matt Vogel	....	flamethrower effects

Stunts
Gene Hartline	....	stunt double
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt double
Harry Madsen	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen Barrow	....	gaffer
David M. Dunlap	....	first assistant camera
Tony C. Jannelli	....	camera operator (as Tony Jannelli)
Paul Wachter	....	best boy grip
Tony Whitman	....	key grip

Editorial Department
Jim Finn	....	negative cutter
Dennis M. O'Connor	....	associate editor (as Dennis O'Connor)
Tara Timpone	....	assistant editor

Music Department
David A. Hughes	....	musician (as Cooper Hughes)

Other crew
Peter Bernard	....	production assistant
Tim Boxell	....	monster design
Milton Forrest	....	production assistant
Susan Hall	....	production assistant
Ken Kopro	....	location scout
David Larkin	....	studio manager
Denise Latella	....	production assistant
Jonathan Levy	....	production assistant
Karin Litzman	....	production assistant
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Carla Neary	....	production assistant
David Stern	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• C.H.U.D. Productions
• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Beam Entertainment (Japan) (DVD producer)
• Creative Axa Co. Ltd. (Japan) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)

Runtime:

88 min | USA:96 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:T (VHS rating) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | France:-12 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

C.H.U.D. Productions

Trivia:

"C.H.U.D." is an acronym for "Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller", but it also means "Contamination Hazard Urban Disposal", as one can (barely) read on the crates full of toxic materials.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the movie when George Cooper and the Reverend escape from the manhole, they realize that they are trying to be killed by Wilson, the supposed NRC guy. The Reverend finds Captain Bosch lying on the ground who was just shot (by Wilson) and grabs Bosch's gun from his belt. After killing Wilson, a scene is shown with the Reverend kneeling beside Bosch who still has the gun tucked in his belt.

Quotes:

A.J. 'The Reverend' Shepherd: What are you trying to hide?... You saw it. You saw the monster!
Wilson: Is that what you're going to tell the papers? That you're afraid of monsters?
A.J. 'The Reverend' Shepherd: That's exactly what I'm gonna tell them if you don't fill me in.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clerks II (2006)

B-listers battle homeless monsters for food stamps...

"C.H.U.D." is one of those semi-name oddities that always stood out on video store shelves when I was a youth (lamenting the 'parental lock' on all horror movies I so badly wanted to rent), what with the darkened figures congregating around a manhole, eyes glowing white. Years later, I have finally gotten a chance to see the film, and my response is pretty mixed: it lies somewhere between the Land of Campy and the Dominion of Creepy, with some elements of the Retro Rest Area thrown in for good measure. "C.H.U.D." takes a formula familiar to anybody who's seen a '50s 'Big Bug' flick: Evil Guys In Suits are dumping toxic waste where it doesn't belong (in this case, the sewers below Manhattan), thus inspiring some unexpected and unpleasant side effects in the homeless people living under the city--they transform into C.H.U.D.s (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers), reptilian-looking monsters with a taste for human flesh. While the premise is extremely cheesy, director Douglas Cheek teeters the line between camp and horror rather well--not all-out serious nor a straight romp, it strikes a fair balance (the creepily minimalist, synth-driven score helps, too). The cast of semi-name actors (John Heard, Kim Greist, and a wonderfully wiggy Daniel Stern) treat the material at face value, but never wink at the camera, thus engendering a bizarre charm to the events that transpire. Unfortunately, even for a film that plays as fast and loose as "C.H.U.D." does, it leaves a few too many unresolved plot points for my liking. But if you want something a fair distance from the mainstream radar, greased with the grimy spirit of the 1980s, look no further than "C.H.U.D."