With the advent of cheap CGI, a lost art has been created: the monster movie, sans monster. Creating a monster in the olden days was expensive. Having a good-looking puppet, or dare I say even something animatronic, would cost several hundreds if not multiple thousands of dollars, and could even require hiring a specialist to operate the creature. A lot of these older movies just didn't have the budget or the connections for that sort of thing.The Boogens is one of those monster movies -- it's 90 minutes long, but for the first 75-80 of those minutes, you'll never guess what the monster looks like. It's all POV shots of... well, it could be anything, really. Does it have arms? Legs? Teeth? Claws? Wings? Is it large, small? You just don't know, and the only clues you're given are from first-person point of view shots as the monster skulks around in the shadows.The movie tries to fill that void with stronger characters, and admittedly, the cast here isn't bad. There's some fun banter and decent characterization in the long, slow lead up to the monster finally taking action. But it just isn't enough. I eventually found myself getting bored, waiting for literally anything to happen. And that fun banter? Sometimes it's laid on just a little too thick.The Boogens finally slams on the gas pedal in the last ten minutes, but for all the setup the payoff feels thin and rushed. It's a race against a creature we've only just barely been introduced to. It doesn't help that when the creature is finally given the spotlight, I found it to look more silly than scary -- and maybe even a little cute.The Boogens is... tolerable, but not great. As a horror movie, it's just not very suspenseful. But you could do worse. That's the best endorsement I can give it.

THE BOOGENS A Review by JPWhy is it they don't make horror films anymore that engage the audience to a point that they find themselves shouting at the screen? With the exception of collective gasps & jerks in "Annabelle", the last I saw that fit a "yell-at-the-screen" description was in 1998 and directed by Steve Miner – who directed some ever-present/loved scary flicks from my childhood. But the '98 film and Mr. Miner's credits are different reviews.As for "The Boogens", there was a quote from Stephen King on the cover which read "worth seeing" (the overall impression was worded a bit more eloquently). The only person I recognized from this 1981 feature was the copied & pasted "Prom Night" (1980) version of "Carrie's" nemesis played by Anne-Marie Martin (who did nicely in this as a good guy). She was admittedly a beyotch in "Prom Night" and perhaps one of the only redeeming qualities of that stinker. There was even a stinker remake… *Shudder* But I digress… Sitting back to watch "The Boogens"-which is a single letter exchange away from a laughable title (so it does prompt at least a snicker) – and going in with zero expectations, I was quickly drawn into the simple, popcorn-scary-movie plot: a long-abandoned/collapsed mine is cleared & re-opened – setting loose…"something" deadly. Two couples (2 mine workers & their love interests) lodge at a house in the super-creepy basement of which the mine is attached. And we're off! Moody music & a clear bit of effort in the cinematography department – not to mention a beautiful & ominous location – set the stage for competent, attractive (the leads at least) actors delivering believable, often humorous lines. The annoyingly-arrogant & destructive poodle was surprisingly a better actor than many humans (some on the "A" list). The story never deludes itself to be something it's not. It's proudly a monster-in-the-basement scary flick. I will admit the tension built was much grander than the payoff. Had they kept the monster off-camera for the entire 90 or so minutes, it might have remained as suspenseful—but then it would've been a tease. Having said that, this film was made in the era of practical effects, so even a sock puppet would exude more reality than most CG creations. The scares are still effective. It is not overly-gory or boob-intensive. I gave a crap for the characters, so my attention was held. Though the occasional "must-put-my-hand-in-the-obvious-red-pool" horror cliché is still present (and the "monster" that screams "LOW BUDGET!"), I would still recommend this unfortunately-titled gem to fellow horror aficionados!Grade: Better than most from that era—especially another mine-set (LOL) snooze-fest from that very year (& same distributor): "My Bloody Valentine" …Yes, I know this also has a remake. Also yes: "The Boogens" is better than that version too.

Years ago there was a small town where the main employer was a large silver mine. When a bizarre accident occurs, the mine is shut down, leaving the town near-empty.Years later, a group of friends go to spend the night at one of the houses. It has a bootleg mine in the basement below, and unknown to anyone but the freaky old man who hangs around the mine, there are strange mutant creatures living within that eat people; the old man calls them Boogens. The mine is re-opening and some of the workers find themselves trapped inside with the strange creatures. Who will survive? Oh, the suspense! Anyway, Boogens isn't very scary, but for its time it isn't a bad movie, it's a little funny and creepy and at least stays entertaining the whole way through. My little brother says that boogens are just mutated nose boogers that grew large and needed a much bigger cave than noses, so they moved into the mine. I think the boogens were just supposed to be a made-up fantasy creature species or mutants.The soundtrack was creepy and eerie, the acting was decent, the scenery was great and you've gotta admit, the plot sure is original! If you crossed My Bloody Valentine (1981) with Gremlins (1985), you'd get this. The beginning credits with the old newspapers were pretty cool and different as well. It's overall a pretty good horror movie.

The Boogens is a mining-related horror about re-opening a formerly operative mine, and unwittingly releasing a deadly malevolent force in the process.It's comparable to something like The Strangeness- a film clearly influenced by The Boogens- albeit with less chauvinistic humour. The only real difference between the two films is that, in The Strangeness, the group is stuck underground with the monster they've unleashed; whereas, in The Boogens, the monster is able to leave the mine, so that it can hunt and kill those who have trespassed into it's realm. Oh, and this one takes place in a silver mine, as opposed to a gold mine (like in The Strangeness).This film is not very good on any level really. The tentacled turtle-like monster is kinda budget (though certainly cooler than anything CGI has to offer); the kills are pretty weak; and the plot is relatively basic.Things start to get a bit ridiculous after two of the men find a pile of human remains- the remnants of the former miners...and the monster's dinner. Despite properly analyzing the situation, they decide to continue on, driven by greed instead of common sense.It's not until one of the locals enters the mine- armed with a warning and few sticks of dynamite- that the men acknowledge something is up. This man plans to blow the mine shut, trapping them all inside with the monster, so that it cannot completely escape.Films like this are largely predictable and always seem to end with an explosion.I mean, it's not cinemasochistically unwatchable, but it's also nothing more than mediocre. I wouldn't fret if you've missed it. The monster in The Strangeness is cooler, though, I suppose some credit is due here for it's influence.4 out of 10