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Aug 01, 2017 Web Exclusive By Stephen Danay

Conventional wisdom dictates that James Gunn is the director whose edges have been least sanded off by the Marvel Studios assembly line. Gunn brings an anarchic goofiness and a gross sense of humor to the Guardians of the Galaxy films, which are generally recognized as having the strongest authorial stamp of all the Marvel films. But one only needs to revisit his directorial debut, the bloody 2006 horror/comedy Slither, to realize that Gunn is holding back when it comes to his blockbusters.

Conceived as a broad pastiche of 80s horror films, Slither wears its influences on its sleeve; virtually every character and storefront bears the name of a classic horror director or protagonist. The plot, which concerns a rural West Virginia town besieged by alien worms that transform the populace into hive-mind zombies, is lifted wholesale from the 1986 cult classic Night of the Creeps. Its central romance between small town girl Elizabeth Banks and dopey husband-turned-monster is straight out of an old school Universal horror film – at least, according to Gunn via the commentary track. All of these influences blend into a fleet, gore-soaked hour and a half romp that manages to charm while it disgusts.

Although Gunn ticks plenty of the boxes that make Slither work as a horror throwback – the heavy focus on practical effects, his affectionate-by-way-of-disgusted portrayal of small town America, the tasteless but cheeky sexual politics – the biggest stars here are well, the stars. Watching this movie ten years later, it’s hard to believe that Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks aren’t gigantic stars. Both have had their share of success – Fillion is beloved for cult properties like Firefly and starred in Castle for almost a decade; Banks is the steward of the Pitch Perfect films – but Slither is an excellent showcase for both as leading man and lady. As beleaguered sheriff Bill Pardy, Fillion strikes the perfect balance of sincere but smug, charming but silly, heroic but barely competent. It’s not hard to imagine that he would have been an enormous star in the 30s and 40s when audiences preferred their action heroes have a knowing wink and a goofy smile. Banks has never quite found her niche as an actor, but as Starla Grant, the poor girl made good whose husband is now ground zero for a zombie pandemic, she plays everything that’s asked of her to the hilt. Hilarious, sexy, sincere, Banks remains wholly believable as a person even when she’s dressed in a skimpy nightgown slathered in gore, and she makes it look easy to boot.

Last but not least is Gunn’s ringer, Michael Rooker. A character actor who’s appeared in every one of Gunn’s films as well as dozens of others, Rooker gets what maybe the weirdest role of his long career in Slither. As the hilariously named Grant Grant, Starla’s dimwitted but affectionate Neanderthal of a husband, Rooker manages to keep the spark of a not to bright character alive, even as Grant slowly transforms into an increasingly grotesque pile of tentacles and slime.

Scream Factory’s new Blu-ray edition of Slither ports over numerous extras from the previous DVD release, as well as a new commentary track featuring Gunn, Fillion and Rooker, recorded last year. Their obvious friendship – which mostly manifests via insults at Rooker’s expense – and surprisingly detailed memories of the twelve-year-old shoot make for a fun listen. Also new to this edition is an interview with Gunn that plays as an abbreviated version of the commentary. Fans of Fillion, Banks, 80s horror and movies that are fun to throw on at parties would do well to check it out.

www.shoutfactory.com/product/slither-collector-s-edition