Squirm (1976)

Lack of good storyline.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Southern living is a way of life. People like to fish. That's good. But when a storm happens, some things aren't what it's like there. Lightning struck the ground. What harm does it cause? Plenty! The man selling worms became the victim of his own business. Unknown to him, the worms he's been gathering has become carnivorous. The baits becomes the predators. When the sun goes down, the locals become dinner for these worms. While the non-local tries his best to help out, knowing that the worms only attack at night. When the house scene where the worms attacked, I thought all the people were finished by the worms. It turned out that the sister found a hiding place where the worms couldn't penetrate. When the power company fixed the power, things are back to normal . With worms, I would expect giant sized earthworms. Perhaps, the night crawlers are the perfect example. May have been a mixture of worms. A cult classic, worth the watch. 2 out of 5 stars.

Oh, Squirm. I don't care what anyone says… this was a great movie. It was featured on one of the very last episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the director, Jeff Lieberman, was not happy about it… but perhaps not for the reason you'd expect: "Mystery Science Fiction was really invented by Zacherly, and Elvira called herself Zacherly with T*ts. The movies they would get, they would get them because the owners of the films would go, 'Oh well, a little bit is better than nothing' because nobody was booking these movies to play in their entirety. But Squirm was playing all over the world in its entirety on its own, so why would you make a cheap sale like that? Once you do that you can't sell it to stations at the same time. Of course the fandom thought I was being sensitive about them goofing on it, like it was Gone With the Wind or Citizen Kane. I was furious about the financial aspect. I didn't give a s**t what anybody says. It's a movie about worms."I think it makes me love the movie more to know that Lieberman doesn't take it, or himself, too seriously. It would be hard to do so with a movie about worms — not huge, monster worms or poisonous worms or even worms crawling out of dead bodies. Just regular ol' worms wriggling their way up out of the ground. It's not that scary of a movie, really — though it tries, with its closeups of the worms with these monster screams that I guess we're supposed to assume they're making — but what it lacks in horror it makes up for in charm. And okay, a handful of creepy scenes, like finding the old man whose insides have been entirely replaced by worms, or when they find Mrs. Sanders as just a vaguely human-shaped pile of worms, or poor Roger pulling his way up the stairs in a last attempt to take them down with him."I like a good thunderstorm. It makes you feel… helpless."It also does a great job at toeing the line with lots of great, dark humor. The scene where they are pleading for the sleazy sheriff's help while he's on a date at an Italian restaurant and they just keep panning back and forth between closeups of him and his ladyfriend slurping down spaghetti I MEAN COME ON, so good.This movie also showcases some early makeup effects by Rick Baker (before his American Werewolf in London days) — I particularly enjoyed what he did with Roger's face to make it look as though worms were burrowing under his skin.Ultimately, while not much of a scare, this movie is worth it for some icky worm scenes and some pretty commendable dialogue (heavy on the Southern accent).

An electrical storm downs power lines in a small Georgia town. The live wires hitting the ground cause billions of worms to rise up hungry for flesh. Mick (Scardino) has come to town to visit his girlfriend Geri (Pearcy) on the wrong day. It takes half the running time of the film to have the worms begin their attack. What sounds really stupid isn't, thanks to the talents of Writer / Director Jeff Lieberman who delivers some graphic and brutal scenes in this PG rated film. All of this comes in the second half of the film unfortunately. The first half is spent getting to know the characters and the small town which isn't very interesting quite frankly. Early make up by future Academy award winner Rick Baker is a film highlight as worms burrow under the flesh of one unsuspecting man in a lake. Another memorable scene has a grown man disappearing into a sea of worms slithering around. The ending is quite unnerving as an entire house is under siege by the crawlers. The slow beginning and thrilling conclusion makes the film very lopsided which is a shame because when it's good, it's real good.

After the incredible success of Jaws in 1975 "nature runs amok" flicks became real popular for the next decade or so; in fact, they're still being made. "Squirm" was released one year after "Jaws" in 1976.THE PLOT: A storm downs power lines in a small Georgia town, electrifying the wet mud and unleashing millions of 10-18 inch sand worms of the area. City slicker John Scardino (Mick) comes into town to visit redhead Patricia Pearcy (Geri), eldest daughter of widow Jean Sullivan. A slow-witted local hick (Roger) is attacked by the worms and goes mad as he aids the slimy creatures in their "attack" on the citizens. Supposedly based on an actual event that occurred September 29, 1975.The first time I saw "Squirm" I was about 13 or 14 years old and high as a kite (something I don't do anymore) and, man, it scared the you-know-what out of me! I was completely taken in by the story, the eerie mood and deep-South atmosphere. I was ENTRANCED. Seeing it again as an adult (and sober), it's understandably not as scary or captivating as when I first saw it, but that first viewing won my utmost and eternal respect."Squirm" was actually filmed in the deep South, in Port Wentworth, Georgia (just North of Savannah), and all the actors go overkill with the whole "Southern" bit, so the film definitely has a real authentic Southern feel.It's generally slow-paced but that's okay because it's only 92 minutes long. It has loads of atmosphere and a few really good frightening scenes, like when the worms attack Roger's face while fishing in a rowboat with Geri. The story is not campy at all; it's pretty much presented in all seriousness; and the acting by the main characters is believable and good (not so much with the peripheral characters). Roger will strike you as a highly likable genuine country boy before he goes looney.Because of all these factors I was able to get swept up in the story and take it seriously (at least as serious as such a story can be taken). It may not be an "A" class film like "Jaws" or "Orca" but it's certainly a worthwhile "B" film, that is, if you have an occasional taste for "nature runs amok" flicks. Don't listen to those that say this is a Grade "Z" film. It's not. This is a well-made "B" picture.How you will take a film like "Squirm" depends on your personality. Some will think it's unintentionally funny or cheesy, etc., while others will take it seriously (like me) and enjoy the eerie atmosphere, Southern locations and a few good frights.Make no mistake, for the type of film it is, "Squirm" is certainly worthy of 4-Stars (or at least 3-Stars). In fact, I'd give it 5-Stars but I'd feel too guilty about it.Check it out if it sounds like your cup of tea.GRADE: B