StepMonster

Director - Jeremy Stanford (Watchers III)
Starring - Alan Thicke (Sperm Donor), Molly Cheek (Spider-Man 2), and Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys)
Release Date - 1993
Genre - Horror/Children's
Tagline - "She's Mean, She's green.  She's your new mom!"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror is really an amazing genre when you sit back and think about all the possibilities that the viewer has to watch.  We have so many films that offer up buckets of blood and gore with little story and substance.  We also have tons and tons of horror flicks that rely on comedy to entertain.  However, one small niche of horror that often goes unnoticed is the children's horror.  These are the horror films that are meant for children and those young at heart.  Some classic children's horror films are Monster Squad, Ernest Scared Stupid, The Gate, and so many others.  I am always on the lookout for other films that take me back to a time where I was curious about horror but I was just a little too yellow to actually watch the ones aimed towards adults.  Last year I was browsing Amazon.com when I came across the film StepMonster starring Alan Thicke.  The film looked cheesy as hell and that convinced me to check it out.  I went ahead and ordered it and soon forgot about it until recently found it while organizing my collection.    

     The film begins with a family that are enjoying a bit of a working vacation out in the woods when Todd's mother goes missing.  We jump forward and Todd's father is about to remarry and his new bride is the woman he was working for in the woods when his mother went missing.  They are now living with Todd's grandparents and once his father's soon-to-be-wife moves in weird things start happening around the neighborhood.  Not long after her arrival dogs go missing followed by late night joggers and other neighbors.  It doesn't take long for the comic obsessed boy to figure out that his stepmother is actually a tropopkin,  He enlists his babysitter, her boyfriend, and his grandfather to kill the beast before she shacks up with his dad for good and the two conceive and ancient beast on their wedding night.
     There is just something so innocent and charming about a horror film made for children.  I have always had a fondness for these kind of films because these were the kind of flicks I grew up on and they hold a sense of nostalgia for me.  However, they can often be appreciated by horror fans for so many other reasons.  The acting in this one is spot on for a children's flick.  The characters are all innocent and easily believable with Alan Thicke once again throwing down that perfect father persona that he is know for during his Growing Pains years.  The remainder of the cast is spot on as well but one thing bothered me.  I am a huge fan of Corey Feldman and this film gave him very little screen time.  This was a big let down.  The story for this one is one we have seen before especially in a children's tale.  The story of a mother being abducted by a monster so the beast could win the love of dad is a story going all the way back to ancient time.  Nothing new about it but it has never been adapted into a children's horror film and it works so well.  I also like how it gives us an unusual creature instead of going the coventional route.  Finally, the film skips on the on screen kills for obvious reasons but we are still given some great practical effects and the occasional cheesy, early 90s visual effect.  The beast looks amazing and we even get the trademark Corman puppet that looks decent as well.  Overall, StepMonster is a overlooked classic that should be placed in any horror fan's collection.  If you love cheesy monster movies then this one is for you!