C.H.U.D. (1984)
Directed by Douglas Cheek
Midnight Movie Friday (June 15) and Saturday (June 16)
1) C.H.U.D.s are probably the ultimate New York City monster. The rest are either giant (Cloverfield monster, Terrible CG Roland Emmerich Godzilla, King Kong), an elder evil (Gozer the Gozerian, the spawn of Satan, Q the Winged Serpent) or just plain old New York crazy (Travis Bickle, The New York Ripper, that guy in Maniac). C.H.U.D.s are the grime and sin of the city brought to life.
2) For a low budget monster movie, C.H.U.D. has an unusually large cast of future familiar faces: John Heard (Home Alone), Daniel Stern (Also, Home Alone), Sam McMurray (a million movies, you’ll know him as soon as you see him), and John Goodman in a tiny role.
3) I love that, in almost every horror movie in the 80’s, the government is ultimately the bad guy.
4) “Homer, of course you’ll have a bad impression of New York if you only focus on the Pimps and C.H.U.D.s” – Maybe the best C.H.U.D. related Simpsons joke ever (of which there are several)
5) If it weren’t such an utterly horrifying prospect, watching C.H.U.D. almost makes me interested in exploring New York’s underground labyrinth of hobo caves.
6) When you boil it down, there’s just not that much Chudding going on in C.H.U.D. In fact, it’s kind of a slow burn.
7) I can tell you what C.H.U.D. stands for without reference (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers), but not DNA.
8) The blood-spewing shower drain scene in this movie makes absolutely zero sense.
9) C.H.U.D. is a great word to keep in the insult bank. It’s used pretty effectively in Clerks 2: “You’re the most hideous fucking C.H.U.D. I’ve ever met.” Just has a nice ring to it.
10) I closed my back door that I always keep open after watching this movie. I know it’s stupid, but this is New York, and those are C.H.U.D.s
