The Dead Next Door (1989) & Night of the Creeps (1986)

<p>In this episode of Late Fee Files, Adam and Brian are joined by Pat, aka Pippydrippy, for a double feature of zombies, slugs, and pure DIY horror spirit: The Dead Next Door and Night of the Creeps.</p><p>First up is The Dead Next Door, J.R. Bookwalter’s ambitious shot-on-Super-8 zombie epic filmed around Akron, Ohio, with secret backing from Sam Raimi. Following a government Zombie Squad fighting the undead and a doomsday cult, it’s a gory, scrappy labor of love that became an underground favorite for horror fans who championed the low-budget scene.</p><p>Then we head to campus for Fred Dekker’s Night of the Creeps, the 1986 horror-comedy where alien brain slugs turn college kids into zombies. Packed with homages to horror legends and featuring Tom Atkins in an all-time great performance as a hard-boiled detective, it’s become one of the most beloved cult classics of the ’80s.</p><p>We talk zombie movie history, the magic of homemade horror, and why both films still deliver a blast of gooey, gory fun. Thrill me!</p>