THE NIGHT BRINGS CHARLIE (1990) Directed by Tom Logan
Quest Entertainment VHS
THE FILM
Sure, the night brings Charlie. But it also brings Diet Pepsi and booze-confiscating sweatpants. Here comes the night.
Orlando, represent! Shot at Universal Studios, Florida, but lacking a cameo from the Munsters house, The Night Brings Charlie strips it down, off, and out. You could call it a dirt-cheap, "back to basics" slasher. Or you could call it a showcase for classy babes who make diarrhea jokes and exclaim "You're hot for his balls!" Either way, the film was still shot on video (SOV) and transferred to film for a home video release, just like Deadly Love. Don't get too heated up, though. Charlie actually makes sense. Obviously, that is unacceptable.
Charlie drives around in a truck that reads "Charlie's Tree Service". He also wears swimming goggles, a knit hat, and a potato sack over his face. Girls walk by and say, "Hi Charlie!" in broad daylight. As we know, the night brings something. Big time. Chuck likes to invade rusty Oldsmobiles and decapitate the kids. It's his own private Night School, I guess. Anyway, an extended, nudity-filled shower/Diet Pepsi drinking scene leads to a toilet-obsessed secretary, which further leads to Charlie's Darth Vadar phonecalls with a timid Sheriff. Speaking of the law, they suddenly inspect a barn for ten minutes straight. Twice. As I drifted off to sleep, I thought I heard a guy yell "He was in 'Nam with me!" Nah, couldn't be.
It's true: The similarly-themed (and filmed) Revenge: Blood Cult II is an unbearable bore. Luckily, The Night Brings Charlie is tolerable, but still plays it safe. Despite the tiresome empty spaces, there's not much wrong with the film as a whole. Director Tom Logan (Shakma) gives us the bare essentials, along with the expected not-so-twist ending. Rubbery gore flies around. Charlie's massive presence rips off the windy creeps of The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Actors really stink. In the end, the lack of weird deviation equals instant shut-eye, but it's still a painless party. And Pepsi still makes me gag. Whatever.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
As mentioned, the film appears to have been SOV, then lacquered with film. Dingy, flat, and a little washed out. The stereo sound had a fine handle on presenting bombastic fake orchestra cues.
EXTRAS
The Film Advisory Board (F.A.B.) rates this film “EM” for Extremely Mature; Extreme Language, Extreme Violence, and Nudity. That's extremely fab.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Where are your sweatpants? If you want to spend an evening with The Night Brings Charlie, be my guest. There's no real affection to be found, but the hate factor remains absent. Still, it's a rare one, so don't bust the bank trying to find a copy.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 08.17.06 | 
The P. Generation
Nixit, dude
Chuck on the loose
Too much Pepsi
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