BUG

I have a fondness for the 70s for many reasons. When I look back I have the same kind of nostalgia that the 'Boomers' have for the 1960s. We only had 13 channels and in the day before infomercials polluted the late night hours you could see some of the best movies on the 'Late Late Show'. Creature features like the great ones Universal made in the 1930s were a staple.

The 70s produced some of the great 'nature gone bad' B movies too. Often they would find their way to late night TV or the 3rd feature at the drive-in. Like the movies of filmmakers like Rodger Corman, they were simple in concept and cheap to produce.

Some of my favorites include, 'Kingdom of the Spiders', 'Frogs', 'Sssslither', 'The Swarm', Piranha and especially 'Bug'. With a title like that you really don't have to ask what the movie is about. I this case, however the title doesn't tell you what kind of bugs will menace the cast of the film but you knew it would be something creepy. It was one of the last films that Castle Studios made.

The twist on this film is that the bugs of the title come from deep within the Earth after an earthquake gives them access to the surface. Not only are they tough little beetle-like buggers but they also can produce fire and burn everything that they touch. They soon are everywhere and seem to particularly like to attach themselves to the face and hair of women who give us the required screams before they burst into flame.

The music they use is that kind of tinkling electrosynth noise that is often used in movies like this. It always makes me feel uneasy since it has not actually music but noise if that makes any sense to anyone? hard to describe but you know it when you hear it.


Brought into the battle by at first curiosity, and then revenge, is a biology professor who has lost his wife in a house fire. He knows it was no accident and he knows that our fire bug friends are responsible.

I would have loved to see this done with the CGI that exists today. You could have a massive swarm of these things menace everything in sight with explosive results. However, for this story, you only get a few gathered around or individuals who just happen to hitch a ride to cars or trucks and end up in people's homes.

The film is interesting and I can bet from my short summary you can pretty much figure out the rest of the story but trust me you haven't. If you want to know what happens then you have to watch the movie. I promise you more than one opportunity to say "WTF" at some of the goofiest movie stuff ever.