"The Moster Squad" revisited

Something I was talking about at work yesterday and again today was one of my favourite movies as a kid (and still one of favourite movies of all time) "The Monster Squad". Although I'm sure I've watched The Goonies far more times (probably in excess of 200) The Monster Squad (1987) was one of those films I was completely obsessed with back in the 80's.
I think it was down to the fact that this was a movie I related to about a group of loser kids, obsessed with classic monsters, who actually have to defend their town (and the world for that matter) against the very monsters they talk about in their clubhouse/ treehouse. A silly sounding concept but the execution of the film is done really well. Also Duncan Regehr happens to be the best classic Dracula ever seen on screen (in my opinion) and his scenes are literally electric. The final battle in the square is awesome and the kids all turn from zero's to hero's each one battling against one of the creatures to great effect.

My favourite Drac moment? After appearing ominously in the town square at the end of the movie, charged with electricity and focused completely on nothing but gaining possession of the amulet, Dracula effortlessly swipes away a horde of attacking policeman, zaps the Scary German Guy and picks up Phoebe by her chin with one hand (while her mother and father are screaming her name in fear), he brings her face up to his and roars "Give me the amulet you BITCH"! and hisses at her while she screams... Very cool ;)

The Monsters

I know there's a a certain air of tongue-in-cheek about the whole film, especially things like Van Helsing giving a thumbs up when he finally nabs Dracula, or Phoebe throwing her favourite teddy to Frankenstein at the end, but all in all it's one for the bigger, older kids to enjoy and you should take it as it comes.

Plot Synopsis (From Wiki)

The Monster Squad is a society of young teenagers who idolize classic monsters and monster movies. In addition to a clubhouse in a tree, they actually have their own business cards. Club leader Sean (Andre Gower), whose younger sister desperately wants to join the club, is given the diary of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing (Jack Gwillam). Sean, his best friend Patrick (Robby Kiger), and the rest of the Monster Squad get their local "Scary German Guy" (Leonardo Cimino) to translate the diary from German to English. (When he is asked how he knows so much, he tells them cryptically that he has "some experience with monsters." When the children leave his home and he closes the front door, a concentration-camp number tattoo is revealed on his forearm.)

Phoebe and Frankenstein's Monster

The diary describes, in great detail, an amulet that is composed of concentrated good. One day out of every century, as the forces of good and evil reach a balance, the otherwise-indestructible amulet becomes vulnerable to destruction. The next day of balance falls within a couple days, at the stroke of midnight.

The kids realize they must gain possession of the amulet before the day of balance arrives; once they have the amulet, the kids can use that-- with an incantation from Van Helsing's diary-- to open a hole in the universe and cast the monsters into Limbo. Dracula's monsters, meanwhile, must obtain the amulet before the Monster Squad does... so that the Count can take control of the world.

Horace (aka Fat Kid), Eugene and Sean

The amulet turns out to be buried in a stone room, under a house that Dracula and the other monsters occupy. The aforementioned room is littered with holy symbols, including crucifixes, which prevents the monsters from simply taking it.

Luckily, the Monster Squad has the assistance of Patrick's lovely-but-nameless elder sister (Lisa Fuller)... because the incantation must be read by a virgin, and she's the only person they know who speaks German. Sadly she is failing German, and not technically a virgin, "Well, Steve... but he doesn't count." Additional help comes from a single good monster: Frankenstein's Creature, who defects after befriending Sean's kid sister Phoebe (Ashley Bank), who ultimately is the virgin needed to read the incantation; with the assistance of "Scary German Guy".


Cast

The Monster Squad

* Andre Gower ... Sean Crenshaw (as André Gower)
* Robby Kiger ... Patrick
* Brent Chalem ... Horace
* Ryan Lambert ... Rudy
* Michael Faustino ... Eugene
* Ashley Bank ... Phoebe Crenshaw

The Monsters

* Duncan Regehr ... Count Dracula
* Tom Noonan ... Frankenstein's Monster
* Carl Thibault ... Wolfman
* Jonathan Gries ... Desperate Man (Wolfman's human form)
* Tom Woodruff Jr. ... Gill-man
* Michael MacKay ... Mummy

Supporting Cast

* Stephen Macht ... Detective Del Crenshaw
* Mary Ellen Trainor ... Emily Crenshaw
* Leonardo Cimino ... Scary German Guy
* Stan Shaw ... Detective Rich Sapir
* Lisa Fuller ... Patrick's Sister
* Jason Hervey ... E.J.
* Jack Gwillim ... Van Helsing
* David Proval ... Pilot
* Daryl Anderson ... Co-Pilot

Sean (Andre Gower), Phoebe (Ashley Bank) and Rudy (Ryan Lambert) as they are now (well last year at SDCC anyway).

Trailer for the two-disc special edition US DVD released last year