Fred Dekker directs Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank in this Shane Black scripted teen horror comedy, where a group of small town nerds take on the pantheon of classic movie monsters.

One of those childhood delights that you hope will live up to your adolescent adulation. This does – it proves really good fun, still snappy, showcasing brilliant live Stan Winston FX and with nice set pieces. A more definitive influence on Stranger Things than say The Goonies, this puts the kids in believable fantasy peril and plays on them working as a group of foul mouthed friends. There’s a sense of awe and wonder, there’s a surprising level of gore to it that just wouldn’t pass muster for a PG rating today. And the villains (Dracula, his brides, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Creature From the Black Lagoon) are not just well realised but updated sympathetically so they fit in with the legacy of their black and white forebears. A thrilling, juvenile romp.

7