MUNCHIES (1987)
Munchies, a 1987 horror-comedy directed by Tina Hirsch, is an unabashed “Gremlins” knockoff produced by Roger Corman. The film follows Simon Watterman (Harvey Korman), a space archaeologist who discovers a small, furry creature dubbed a “Munchie” in a Peruvian cave. Believing it’s alien evidence, he brings it home to California, where his son Paul (Charlie Stratton) and Paul’s girlfriend Cindy (Nadine Van der Velde) name it Arnold. Simon’s twin brother, Cecil (also Korman), a sleazy snack-food mogul, kidnaps Arnold, hoping to exploit it. When Cecil’s goons chop Arnold into pieces, the creature doesn’t die—instead, each fragment regenerates into a new, mischievous Munchie, unleashing a horde of pint-sized terrors.
The Munchies—crude, horny, and junk-food-obsessed—wreak havoc on the small town, driving a beat-up AMC Gremlin and terrorizing mini-golf courses. Paul and Cindy scramble to stop them, aided by Simon’s kooky theories and a cameo from Paul Bartel as Dr. Crowder. The creatures multiply further when they hijack factory machinery, slicing themselves into more duplicates. In a frantic climax, Paul electrifies the assembly line, petrifying the Munchies into stone. Most are smashed, but one—possibly Arnold—is spared as proof for Simon. Cecil’s shady empire collapses after Paul exposes his illegal snack ingredients, landing him in jail. A final twist hints at Arnold’s revival as lightning strikes its statue.
Shot in 12 days with puppet inserts, Munchies revels in its low-budget absurdity—think rubbery monsters, ’80s synths, and Korman’s dual-role hamminess. Critics trashed its blatant rip-off vibe and cheap effects, but its self-aware silliness and cult cast (including Robert Picardo) have earned it a quirky legacy. It’s a B-movie love letter to creature chaos, best savored for its unpretentious, trashy charm.
