SQUIRM Jeff Leiberman’s cult classic – free on Roku, Tubi and YouTube

‘This was the night of the crawling terror!’
Squirm is a 1976 “nature-strikes-back” horror film about a storm that causes power lines to break and touch the ground, drawing millions of flesh-eating worms out of the earth, and into town where they quickly start munching on the locals.

The movie was the directorial debut of Jeff Lieberman (Satan’s Little Helper; Just Before Dawn; Doctor Franken; Blue Sunshine) and remains his most popular film. It was produced by George Manasse (Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!; Blue Sunshine) and executive produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff (AIP), Joseph Beruh and Edgar Lansbury.

The Squirm Company production stars Don Scardino (He Knows You’re Alone), Patricia Pearcy, R.A. Dow and Jean Sullivan.

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

“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 book

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“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 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 book

“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 book

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Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Choice dialogue:
Geri Sanders: “A tuna fish salad will have to do for now.”

Release:
Squirm was released theatrically in the US by American International Pictures (AIP).

Cast and characters:
Don Scardino … Mick; Patricia Pearcy … Geri Sanders; R.A. Dow … Roger Grimes; Jean Sullivan … Naomi Sanders; Peter MacLean … Sheriff Jim Reston; Fran Higgins … Alma Sanders; William Newman … Quigley; Barbara Quinn … Sheriff’s Girl; Carl Dagenhart … Willie Grimes; Angel Sande … Millie; Carol Jean Owens … Lizzie; Kim Iocouvozzi … Hank; Walter Dimmick … Danny; Leslie Thorsen … Bonnie; Julia Klopp … Mrs Klopp; Ralph Flanders … First Man at Lunch Counter; Albert Smith … Second Man at Lunch Counter; Jim Shirah … Third Man at Lunch Counter; Harold Mumm … Bus Driver;W.A. Lindblatt … Power Line Repairman

Country of origin:
United States

Filming locations:
Port Wentworth, Georgia

Budget:
$470,000 (estimated)

Tech specs:
1 hour 32 minutes
Mono
Aspect ratio: 1.85: 1

TV spot:

Trailer and clips:

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