‘This was the night of the crawling terror!’
Squirm is a 1976 American “nature-strikes-back” horror film starring Don Scardino (He Knows You’re Alone), Patricia Pearcy, R.A. Dow and Jean Sullivan. It was the debut of cult writer and director Jeff Lieberman (Blue Sunshine, Just Before Dawn) and remains his most popular film.
Plot:
When a powerful storm knocks Fly Creek, Georgia’s power lines down onto wet soil, the resulting surge of electricity drives large, bloodthirsty worms to the surface and then out of their soil-tilling minds.
Soon, the townspeople discover that their sleepy fishing village is overrun with worms that burrow right into their skin. Inundated by hundreds of thousands of carnivorous creatures, the terrorized locals race to find the cause of the rampage-before becoming tilled under themselves…
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High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD uncut presentation, available in the UK for the first time!
Original Uncompressed Mono Audio
Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary with director Jeff Lieberman
Filmed Live Q&A session with Lieberman and star Don Scardino from New York’s Anthology Film Archives (2011)
Interview with film critic and historian Kim Newman
Original Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Lee Gambin, author of Massacred by Mother Nature
Interview with Jeff Lieberman by Calum Waddell, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
Reviews:
“Poor ending aside, Squirm is an effective film for most of its running time; well executed, well-paced, and truly entertaining. It’s definitely worth a watch, and even if Squirm won’t keep you up at night looking for worms underneath your bed, it will, at the very least, put you off your spaghetti dinner.” Row Three
“The problem comes in unifying the gleefully wrought death and disaster with the light-hearted “coming of age” tale. Lots of people die in this movie, including Geri’s mother, and the tone vacillates between syrupy teen romance and straight-out horror. Worse, the film indulges in really funny, but dark, humor to fill the gap.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1970s
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“The silly worm premise might be a bit too much for some to get past. The close up shots of worm screeches can stir up quite a laugh. The characters aren’t really fleshed out. Most are just there to be worm food later. Yet I find there is more than enough to adore in this slimy creature feature. Check it out, and while you’re at it, give director Jeff Lieberman’s Just Before Dawn a shot if you haven’t already.” Wag the Movie
“But the best thing about Squirm — other than the fact that it’s about A FREAKIN’ OCEAN OF MAN-EATING WORMS — is how ultra 70s it is. Not only are there wacky bell-bottoms galore, but there’s a doomy love ballad in the film, a strange custom that I can’t relate to but I love just the same.” Groovy Doom
“This low-budget shocker adheres to a familiar plot pattern; nevertheless Jeff Liebermann’s restrained use of the worms, his flourishes of black humour and, above all, his determination to trim the narrative and not to strive for overblown or fantastic effects combine to make Squirm a commendable and at times genuinely startling addition to a recently thriving genre.” John Pym, British Film’s Institute Monthly Film Bulletin, September 1976
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Audio Commentary By Writer/Director Jeff Lieberman
New interviews with Jeff Lieberman, Actor Don Scardino and Special Effects Artist Bill Milling
A tour of the locations with Jeff Lieberman
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
Still gallery
“A zestful return to the conventions of fifties ‘B’ movies, given added impact by an unknown cast, good use of locations and some truly horrifying make-up.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook
“This movie is a lot more fun than most ecological disaster films because it is so well made and because the effects are gruesomely convincing. The close-up shots of the worms are particularly eerie. Lieberman is a very good director – he also made the classic Blue Sunshine – and his skill shows here in the convincing performances and the excellent pacing.” Welch Everman, Cult Horror Films
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Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Release:
Squirm was released theatrically in the US by American International Pictures (AIP).
YouTube reviews:
