Also known as Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn or The Return of the Aliens’ Deadly Spawn, to cash in on Alien, it was co-written by director/screenwriter Douglas McKeown and producer Ted Bohus (John Dods and Tim Sullivan are also credited).
We first learn of the Deadly Spawn when it kills two campers, then it begins moving toward the home of Sam (James L. Brewster, who also shows up briefly in Maniac) and Barb. Also home are their children, college guy Pete and monster kid Charles. Oh yeah — Uncle Herb and Aunt Millie are also visiting. All seems safe and secure until the parents are devoured minutes into the film.
No one knows that yet — Pete is too busy setting up a study date with Ellen, Frankie and Kathy. Meanwhile, Uncle Herb thinks Charles is nuts, so he decides to interview him. Aunt Millie? Well, she’s going to a luncheon.
When an electrician arrives to check on the basement, why shouldn’t Charles put on a monster costume and scare him? Charles soon discovers a variety of Deadly Spawn feasting on the electrician and his mother. Realizing they react to sound — and beating A Quiet Place to the punch by nearly 40 years — he silently escapes.
The study date kids find a dead Spawn that looks like a tadpole. Instead of, you know, throwing it away, they decide to dissect it. And at the retirement luncheon at Bunny’s house, the Deadly Spawn attack, only for a gaggle of geriatric grandmas to grandly grind them into gore! This is my favorite scene in the movie, just moments of pure mania as these old ladies go buck wild and blend, slice and stab these beasts into nothingness! And the dialogue in this scene!
Bunny: Do you know what I’ve always wanted?
Aunt Millie: What?
Bunny: A really handsome gorilla.
Aunt Millie: A WHAT?
Bunny: A gorilla! But, they don’t seem to make fine ceramics of the great apes, for some reason. They are our nearest relations, you know, the great apes. But they never left the proverbial Garden of Eden like we did. Did you know he’s a vegetarian?
Aunt Millie: Who is?
Bunny: The gorilla! No eating the flesh for him, no sir. He’s peace-loving, and adorable!
Aunt Millie: Good Lord. Mother, you’re crazy.
The science buffs try to get Uncle Herb’s opinion, but he’s already being eaten. They run through the house, one step ahead of the Spawn, until one bites Ellen’s head clean off her body and tosses her body away! Things look entirely bleak until young Charles saves the day by improvising a trap using a movie prop head stuffed with explosive flash powder, blowing up a chunk of the monsters. The town’s defense finally mobilizes, sweeping the neighborhood to eradicate the infestation.
Late that night, a lone cop keeps watch outside the ransacked house. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, convinced the nightmare is over—right before a colossal, skyscraper-sized adult Deadly Spawn bursts out of the earth in a jaw-dropping final scare to cap off the film.
Charles was played by Charles George Hildebrandt, a name that may sound familiar. That’s because his father is fantasy illustrator Tim Hildebrandt. The film was shot in their house, and Tim was an executive producer.
The Synapse release has a new 4K restoration of the original uncut 16mm camera negative by Synapse Films; three audio commentaries featuring the producer, director, cast and crew; A Visit with John Dods and the Deadly Spawn featurette; The Deadly Spawn comic prequel sampler; original audition tapes; an alternate opening credits sequence; a behind-the-scenes footage; a TV spot, theatrical trailer and a stills gallery. You can get this from MVD.
