37 reviews
Just fun to watch, no meaning or anything. Just plain "giant mutated monster" inside a hospital and some people panic and scream while others try to stop it. I thought the acting wasn't bad, and there were a couple of gory moments. The "blue monkey" which is a giant insect was an ok model. Very predictable.
Blue monkey is actually mentioned in the film but not in any way that makes any possible sense. At one point,some kids are wandering thru the deeper levels, exploring.
They begin to discuss what they'll find down there and one of them (a girl) says she bets they'll find a blue monkey.
Yes, thats it. Totally inconsequential to the story, the only sad connection to the title, and no idea why she would suppose she'd find a blue monkey in a hospital's basement.
I'm embarrassed for having remembered it but somebody had to remember I suppose!
They begin to discuss what they'll find down there and one of them (a girl) says she bets they'll find a blue monkey.
Yes, thats it. Totally inconsequential to the story, the only sad connection to the title, and no idea why she would suppose she'd find a blue monkey in a hospital's basement.
I'm embarrassed for having remembered it but somebody had to remember I suppose!
- mindset_88
- Jan 26, 2005
- Permalink
I've seen this movie so many times that I am on my second VHS copy. As I am writing this I am burning it onto DVD, because I'm not sure it's even available in that format. Well...It should be! If you like campy horror/sci-fi movies then you'll love this puzzling gem. And for the love of Pete, it's got Steve Railsback(X-Files, Lifeforce, Helter Skelter, Devils Rejects)!!! This is a movie about a quarantined hospital under attack from a ravaging bacterial disease outbreak, and worse. No, not a blue monkey. Worse.
OK, so I had to finish the movie and stop writing for a few minutes. This movie is great for a lot of reasons that come up around midnight. Don't expect to be scared, though there is some great bloody gore. If you like The Terror Within, or Dead Pit or stuff like that, you'll love it. If you think any movie with an alien since the release of Alien is a rip-off of Alien, then go rent Alien.
OK, so I had to finish the movie and stop writing for a few minutes. This movie is great for a lot of reasons that come up around midnight. Don't expect to be scared, though there is some great bloody gore. If you like The Terror Within, or Dead Pit or stuff like that, you'll love it. If you think any movie with an alien since the release of Alien is a rip-off of Alien, then go rent Alien.
BLUE MONKEY (1987, Fruet) is not a 50's throwback because the plot is far too nonsensical and it draws heavily from the scripts and storylines of films from the time. It is more before its time in tone as it feels very much like a horror film from the 1990's; the music has no personality, creates no atmosphere, drones on constantly, and sounds generic before it could have been; the lighting is awful; the plot is just disgustingly bad; it stinks of unnecessary cheese at times...
But the effects are actually good. It's a shame that the setting, characters, writing and soundtrack don't do those effects justice.
But the effects are actually good. It's a shame that the setting, characters, writing and soundtrack don't do those effects justice.
- TCurtis9192
- Jun 16, 2022
- Permalink
There are no monkeys in this cheesy horror film, blue or otherwise; what we do get is a giant killer bug terrorising the occupants of a hospital under quarantine.
The film opens with handyman Fred pricking his hand on a rare Micronesian plant and collapsing soon after. Fred is rushed to the hospital where doctors are surprised to see a giant maggot emerge from the man's mouth. When the maggot is cut open, an insect emerges, which is trapped under a glass container for later examination.
Meanwhile, Detective Jim Bishop (Steve Railsback) is waiting for news about his partner Oscar, who has been shot. While Oscar is on the operating table, Dr. Rachel Carson (Gwyneth Walsh) gives Jim a tour of the hospital, including its high-tech laser research laboratory, which you can bet your bottom dollar comes into play during the film's finale.
Also guaranteed to be a major plot point: the network of old, deserted tunnels used as a playground by four of the hospital's youngest patients (health and safety be damned!).
Speaking of the film's four troublesome tykes, it is their actions that cause the insect to grow to immense proportions, the dumb kids discovering the bug trapped under glass and feeding it with NAC-5, an experimental growth promoter. Doh!
Given the schlocky nature of the film's plot, I had hoped that Blue Monkey would be a huge helping of gory B-movie fun, with plenty of creature effects; unfortunately, there is more goop than gore, and the killer insect doesn't get much screen time until the final act, when it finally gets to run amok (chewing off a guy's head in the movie's bloodiest moment -- if only there had been more of this kind of mayhem!).
Director William Fruet's direction is uninspired, borrowing heavily from James Cameron's Aliens, but without that film-maker's style and imagination (or his budget!). There's lots of crawling around dark passages and blue-lit tunnels, and shots of the characters running for their lives while being chased by the scuttling bug, but perhaps the most blatant crib comes when the bug's larvae emerge to feed on still-living human victims trapped in gelatinous cocoons.
As this sort of silliness goes, Blue Monkey is passable B-movie fun, but with more gore and more bug action it could have been great.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.
The film opens with handyman Fred pricking his hand on a rare Micronesian plant and collapsing soon after. Fred is rushed to the hospital where doctors are surprised to see a giant maggot emerge from the man's mouth. When the maggot is cut open, an insect emerges, which is trapped under a glass container for later examination.
Meanwhile, Detective Jim Bishop (Steve Railsback) is waiting for news about his partner Oscar, who has been shot. While Oscar is on the operating table, Dr. Rachel Carson (Gwyneth Walsh) gives Jim a tour of the hospital, including its high-tech laser research laboratory, which you can bet your bottom dollar comes into play during the film's finale.
Also guaranteed to be a major plot point: the network of old, deserted tunnels used as a playground by four of the hospital's youngest patients (health and safety be damned!).
Speaking of the film's four troublesome tykes, it is their actions that cause the insect to grow to immense proportions, the dumb kids discovering the bug trapped under glass and feeding it with NAC-5, an experimental growth promoter. Doh!
Given the schlocky nature of the film's plot, I had hoped that Blue Monkey would be a huge helping of gory B-movie fun, with plenty of creature effects; unfortunately, there is more goop than gore, and the killer insect doesn't get much screen time until the final act, when it finally gets to run amok (chewing off a guy's head in the movie's bloodiest moment -- if only there had been more of this kind of mayhem!).
Director William Fruet's direction is uninspired, borrowing heavily from James Cameron's Aliens, but without that film-maker's style and imagination (or his budget!). There's lots of crawling around dark passages and blue-lit tunnels, and shots of the characters running for their lives while being chased by the scuttling bug, but perhaps the most blatant crib comes when the bug's larvae emerge to feed on still-living human victims trapped in gelatinous cocoons.
As this sort of silliness goes, Blue Monkey is passable B-movie fun, but with more gore and more bug action it could have been great.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.
- BA_Harrison
- May 6, 2020
- Permalink
- Leofwine_draca
- Jun 3, 2021
- Permalink
I remember having seen "Blue Monkey" on Polish VHS under the title "Insect" many years ago.The plot of this Canadian creature feature is fairly simple:a giant insect is running amok in a popular hospital.A worm like bacteria is spreading the disease on the patients.Once a group of kids mistakenly sprinkle a jar of growth stimulant onto the creature it eventually turns into a giant insect.The hospital is quickly quarantined by the government and the army.Cheesy monster flick with cult actor Steve Railsback of "Turkey Shoot" as the main hero.Unfortunately the amount of gore and violence is very low.If you like William Fruet's movies for example "Death Weekend" or "Trappped" give "Blue Monkey" a look.7 monkeys out of 10.
- HumanoidOfFlesh
- Jan 17, 2010
- Permalink
- BandSAboutMovies
- Oct 13, 2019
- Permalink
- Scarecrow-88
- Nov 25, 2010
- Permalink
This low budget sci-fi tries to incorporate so many elements from "Alien", "The Thing", "Arachnophobia", "Mimic" and "Them", it should be called "Blue Ripoff"!
I know, I know... this film pre-dates "Arachnophobia" and "Mimic", but the "mutated insect-out-of-control, rampaging-through-a-decrepit hospital" idea provides little chills, little suspense, and a lot of sympathy for health insurance litigation. The casting was erratic at best (c'mon...Joe Flaherty and Robin Duke of SCTV fame?) and though the pace was fairly quick in the right places, you still had the sense that too much was crammed into too little a film all too late. The name, "Blue Monkey"?? What's with that? Probably a red herring only the writer and director are aware of.
I know, I know... this film pre-dates "Arachnophobia" and "Mimic", but the "mutated insect-out-of-control, rampaging-through-a-decrepit hospital" idea provides little chills, little suspense, and a lot of sympathy for health insurance litigation. The casting was erratic at best (c'mon...Joe Flaherty and Robin Duke of SCTV fame?) and though the pace was fairly quick in the right places, you still had the sense that too much was crammed into too little a film all too late. The name, "Blue Monkey"?? What's with that? Probably a red herring only the writer and director are aware of.
Never even knew this movie existed until I found an old VHS copy of it, hidden deep in my dusty horror closet. The title on the box said "Insect" and the illustrations on the back made clear that it is just another insignificant and poorly produced 80's horror movie. They can surely be fun, of course, as long as don't expect an intelligent scenario and as long as you're not irritated by seeing a giant amount of cheesy make-up effects. Just about every important aspect that makes a horror movie worthy viewing is substandard here in "Blue Monkey"! The plot is ridiculous and highly unoriginal, the acting performances are painful to observe and there's a total lack of suspense. Following the always-popular trend of "big-bug" movies, "Blue Monkey" handles about a new and unknown insect species that wipes out the doctors and patients of a remote hospital. The makers couldn't be more evasive about the actual origin of this gigantically over-sized critter! All we know is that it's not from outer space and it initially crawled out of a tropical plant. Other than this, there's absolutely no explanation for where this new type of insect all of a sudden comes from! Like I said, don't get your hopes up for an intelligent screenplay. The first half of the film is entertaining enough, with some nice gore and the introduction of a couple deranged characters (an 80-year-old blind and alcoholic lady!) but the second half (when the entire hospital is put to quarantine) is dreadfully boring. It is also near the end that "Blue Monkey" begins to exaggeratedly rip-off older (and better) films. Approaching the climax, they apparently ran out of budget as well, since the lighting becomes very poor and the guy in the monster suit isn't very well camouflaged anymore. "Blue Monkey" is worth a peek in case you're really bored or if you really want to see every 80's horror movie ever made. Fans of B-cinema may recognize John Vernon ("Killer Klowns from Outer Space", "Curtains") in the small and meaningless role of Roger, who's in charge of the clinic.
As I was watching "Blue Monkey," I realized that, although the budget was small, I was still having a good time! Low budget movies that can do that are the best ones.
It is about a small hospital that gets itself some big trouble. A patient who has contracted a serious case of gangrene is brought in and, unknown to the staff, the gangrene is thanks to a strange insect that used the patient to deposit eggs in. When they do find out about it, they catch it and call in an insect specialist, but, before he can arrive, the larva is accidentally mutated to an enormous size and changes into a giant insect that looks like a preying mantis. It runs loose in the hospital, killing people for it to use as hosts for its eggs, and only three brave people---a cop, a doctor, the insect specialist---are willing to stop it.
This movie is just fun to watch (especially Don Lake as the specialist, who steals ever scene he is in). A must for fans of movies like "The Thing." Zanatos's score: 8 out of 10. Check it out!
It is about a small hospital that gets itself some big trouble. A patient who has contracted a serious case of gangrene is brought in and, unknown to the staff, the gangrene is thanks to a strange insect that used the patient to deposit eggs in. When they do find out about it, they catch it and call in an insect specialist, but, before he can arrive, the larva is accidentally mutated to an enormous size and changes into a giant insect that looks like a preying mantis. It runs loose in the hospital, killing people for it to use as hosts for its eggs, and only three brave people---a cop, a doctor, the insect specialist---are willing to stop it.
This movie is just fun to watch (especially Don Lake as the specialist, who steals ever scene he is in). A must for fans of movies like "The Thing." Zanatos's score: 8 out of 10. Check it out!
Don't mind the horrible movie poster; it doesn't do the movie justice at all!
Critics hated 'Blue Monkey'. I loved it. I loved it for the lack of humor that was sometimes so overbearing in 80s horror movies. (I get it; Americans, especially, like to laugh when they watch a movie. I like to laugh when I watch a comedy, and maybe horror comedies, but not horrors). I suppose critics hated it because it was too serious...
Well, ok, let's face it, the plot is overly familiar. It is about a parasite that grows larger and feeds on humans. Yeah, sure, we've seen this a zillion times before. 'Blue Monkey' however has a reasonably good script, good dialogue, good acting, characters I care about, and good visuals. The film is also fast-paced, and literally thrill-a-minute.
After being pricked by a plant, an elderly gentleman is taken to a hospital to be treated for an insect bite. A parasite comes out of his mouth, and off course all mayhem ensues from there on. The film builds momentum once the hospital is quarantined and no one is allowed to leave - while the insect grows bigger inside and also starts laying eggs, soon to hatch. The result is absolute chaos.
There were some funny moments, too, with some funny dialogue, and the two drunk ladies were absolutely hilarious! They were just fabulous! I also thoroughly enjoyed Steve Railsback once again as the protagonist. 'Bad Monkey' is an entertaining film with a thrilling climax. I absolutely loved it!
Would I watch it again? Yes, definitely.
Critics hated 'Blue Monkey'. I loved it. I loved it for the lack of humor that was sometimes so overbearing in 80s horror movies. (I get it; Americans, especially, like to laugh when they watch a movie. I like to laugh when I watch a comedy, and maybe horror comedies, but not horrors). I suppose critics hated it because it was too serious...
Well, ok, let's face it, the plot is overly familiar. It is about a parasite that grows larger and feeds on humans. Yeah, sure, we've seen this a zillion times before. 'Blue Monkey' however has a reasonably good script, good dialogue, good acting, characters I care about, and good visuals. The film is also fast-paced, and literally thrill-a-minute.
After being pricked by a plant, an elderly gentleman is taken to a hospital to be treated for an insect bite. A parasite comes out of his mouth, and off course all mayhem ensues from there on. The film builds momentum once the hospital is quarantined and no one is allowed to leave - while the insect grows bigger inside and also starts laying eggs, soon to hatch. The result is absolute chaos.
There were some funny moments, too, with some funny dialogue, and the two drunk ladies were absolutely hilarious! They were just fabulous! I also thoroughly enjoyed Steve Railsback once again as the protagonist. 'Bad Monkey' is an entertaining film with a thrilling climax. I absolutely loved it!
Would I watch it again? Yes, definitely.
- paulclaassen
- Oct 17, 2021
- Permalink
Only gave it 4 star because it made me laugh. The plot is unoriginal, a coloured 1950's drive in movie, the acting is bad and the dialogue is a joke. Best part is watching John Vernon trying, but failing, to keep a straight face. Have no idea why its called Blue Monkey!
- Sergiodave
- Aug 2, 2020
- Permalink
After you've heard the name "Blue Monkey", you start to wonder, what does it mean? Well, you already know the answer to that. It's a campy horror(I mean s**t)flick with no meaning or no talent involved whatsoever. It's title is as meaningless and as pointless as the movie itself. It was originally called "Green Monkey". The title was changed to "Blue Monkey". Big improvement. Bad special effects and poor filming all add up to make this one of the worst movies hollywood has ever seen(or one of the worst one's I've seen for that matter)!
Blue Monkey (1987) or 'Invasion of the BodySuckers' as it's known here in the UK was a pretty boring horror movie about an old man who gets bitten in a greenhouse by some mysterious toxic plant!!!! The man gets rushed to hospital, where this worm like creature comes out of his mouth, of course this transforms into this insect monster and proceeds to go on the rampage!! Despite Steve Railsback and John Vernon being in the movie, i found it to be boring, with a flat predictable storyline, un-interesting characters, cheap special effects and lack of action!!!! Horror fans don't really need to track this rare movie down, you wont be missing much trust me!!! I give this movie 2/10.
- cool_cool_1
- Jan 14, 2007
- Permalink
Well, for a movie from 1987 that didn't really have much of any originality to it, then "Blue Monkey" wasn't actually too bad. Sure, writers George Goldsmith and Chris Koseluk were boring heavily from other more successful movies from the mid-1980s, and it was clearly evident. But "Blue Monkey" turned out to be adequately entertaining.
The storyline in "Blue Monkey" wasn't really much noteworthy, as it was very, very straightforward and generic, even for a horror movie of this sort, for better or worse. I have to admit that I was moderately entertained by the story and what transpired on the screen.
The special effects in "Blue Monkey" were actually surprisingly good for a movie of this type, and that was definitely something that spoke well in favor of the movie.
As for the acting, well it was adequate enough actually. Just nothing outstanding or particularly memorable, I am afraid. The only familiar faces for me, at least, was John Vernon and Don Lake.
All in all, then "Blue Monkey" proved to be adequately entertaining for what it turned out to be. Just don't get your expectations up too high, as there are (and were) far better movies in the same genre. I am rating "Blue Monkey" a five out of ten stars.
The storyline in "Blue Monkey" wasn't really much noteworthy, as it was very, very straightforward and generic, even for a horror movie of this sort, for better or worse. I have to admit that I was moderately entertained by the story and what transpired on the screen.
The special effects in "Blue Monkey" were actually surprisingly good for a movie of this type, and that was definitely something that spoke well in favor of the movie.
As for the acting, well it was adequate enough actually. Just nothing outstanding or particularly memorable, I am afraid. The only familiar faces for me, at least, was John Vernon and Don Lake.
All in all, then "Blue Monkey" proved to be adequately entertaining for what it turned out to be. Just don't get your expectations up too high, as there are (and were) far better movies in the same genre. I am rating "Blue Monkey" a five out of ten stars.
- paul_haakonsen
- Jul 29, 2020
- Permalink
- doom-of-our-time
- Jun 21, 2005
- Permalink
I really miss movies that had practical effects creatures like this one, a lot of work went into creating those insects!
While not a great film, it has an 80's B-movie charm and I found it to be very entertaining. The acting was decent and it takes place pretty much entirely in a hospital which is a plus! It's definitely a fun movie if you're not too critical of it, enjoy 80's creature features and are a fan of practical effects.
While not a great film, it has an 80's B-movie charm and I found it to be very entertaining. The acting was decent and it takes place pretty much entirely in a hospital which is a plus! It's definitely a fun movie if you're not too critical of it, enjoy 80's creature features and are a fan of practical effects.
- Lizlynn_1111
- Feb 12, 2021
- Permalink
All this dismaying waste of film stock needs is Count Floyd popping up every sixty seconds. Somehow they got Steve Railsback, Susan Anspach, John Vernon, and Joe Flaherty together on a set and couldn't get within five miles, about eight kilometers, of an actual movie. BOY does this thing suck. There isn't one original line, thought, shot, or effect from brainless opening sequence to brainless close. The magical, ethereal Susan Anspach of Five Easy Pieces - boring. Steve Railsback - boring. John Vernon - boring. The big bug - boring. If this is a scary movie, Buttercream Gang is a thuglife documentary.
Seriously - every bad movie contains its own explanation of its badness. Usually it's in the opening credits - "Written, Directed, and Produced by" one guy. Or at the very center of the action is some bimbo so talentless that you know there's one and only one reason this turkey got made. Here, you don't find out till the very last of the credits, where the cooperation of about a dozen subfunctions of the Canadian Government is gratefully acknowledged.
Right now I'm watching MST's take on Beast of Yucca Flats to get the taste out of my mouth. Ghod, what an improvement.
Seriously - every bad movie contains its own explanation of its badness. Usually it's in the opening credits - "Written, Directed, and Produced by" one guy. Or at the very center of the action is some bimbo so talentless that you know there's one and only one reason this turkey got made. Here, you don't find out till the very last of the credits, where the cooperation of about a dozen subfunctions of the Canadian Government is gratefully acknowledged.
Right now I'm watching MST's take on Beast of Yucca Flats to get the taste out of my mouth. Ghod, what an improvement.
- ladymidath
- Jan 16, 2023
- Permalink
After getting pricked by an exotic plant, an old man ends up in a hospital emergency room and pukes up a larva before dying. The staff keep the bug isolated but a group of terminally ill young kids accidentally pour some growth serum on it and, you guess it, things be going down. Also on the scene is Det. Jim Bishop (Steve Railsback), who brought his shot partner into the ER just before the place is quarantined by the local government. Bishop teams with Dr. Rachel Carson (Gwynyth Walsh) and entomologist Elliot Jacobs (Don Lake) to take this mammoth bug down, despite the protestation of the hospital director (John Vernon).
Like the director William Fruet's earlier SPASMS, this was shot in Canada and is played dead straight. I actually think a little humor from the leads would have helped (there are some supporting players who try to be funny). The big bug is kept mostly in the dark but does provide a few moments of gooey gore via some decapitations. Vernon only appears to have been with the production for a few days as his scenes are minimal. Future Canadian acting power house Sarah Polley plays one of the kids responsible for this mess (the killer bug, that is).
Like the director William Fruet's earlier SPASMS, this was shot in Canada and is played dead straight. I actually think a little humor from the leads would have helped (there are some supporting players who try to be funny). The big bug is kept mostly in the dark but does provide a few moments of gooey gore via some decapitations. Vernon only appears to have been with the production for a few days as his scenes are minimal. Future Canadian acting power house Sarah Polley plays one of the kids responsible for this mess (the killer bug, that is).
- Woodyanders
- Dec 14, 2005
- Permalink
#232
Blue Monkey - 1987
(This Film Rates a B- )
"Blue Monkey" is a campy, sci-fi horror film that, despite its shortcomings, delivers tension, suspense, and occasional fun moments. The film begins innocently enough, introducing Marwella, an eccentric greenhouse owner, and Fred Adams, her overly charming handyman. However, things quickly take a dark turn when Fred is "pricked" and infected by a mysterious plant from the greenhouse and rushed to the hospital. The ER descends into chaos as a worm-like creature emerges from Fred's mouth, sparking a contagion that spreads rapidly. As the military quarantines the hospital, panic ensues, and the insect's growth accelerates. The creature resembles a giant praying mantis. The film's pace quickens, racing toward a frantic climax however there is no twist ending to elevate the story. The soundtrack is effective in creating tension and suspense. The acting is subpar, often overly dramatic. The blood, gore and special effects are unimpressive, with obvious budget constraints. The hospital and lab environments are unconvincing. The script is weak and unplausible, However, there are some tense moments that keep the storyline engaging. Overall, "Blue Monkey" is entertaining, even if significantly flawed. While not outstanding, it's worth watching for fans of campy giant insect sci-fi horror.
- abduktionsphanomen
- Nov 16, 2024
- Permalink
An older man touches a flower in his wife's greenhouse that seems to be wilting. He gets pricked by it, or bitten by something on it. He quickly becomes ill, and at the hospital spits out a large writhing white larva of some kind. A later attempt to resuscitate him with paddles results in a splatter of blood.
A cop is at the hospital because his partner got badly hurt in a shoot-out. Somehow the cop gets paired up with one of the female doctors, as well as an entomologist who is brought in. There are several young kids wandering around the hospital, who I suppose we're supposed to find adorable, but who are extremely annoying little brats. They happen to wander into the room where the specimen is being kept, and happen to dump a growth hormone on it. Horror movie logic would say they deserve to die for this, but they're never even in any danger.
The critter grows and starts breeding. People run away from it, and sometimes towards it for some reason. The hospital gets surrounded by military who are prepared to destroy everything if need be.
There are no really compelling characters in the movie, and most of the time it seems like people are searching around for the monster. It was fairly boring. Clearly it owes something to the Alien movies, with the monster being born inside a human and having several stages of its growth. There's also a character named Bishop, and the lead actress has Sigourney Weaver's hair.
A cop is at the hospital because his partner got badly hurt in a shoot-out. Somehow the cop gets paired up with one of the female doctors, as well as an entomologist who is brought in. There are several young kids wandering around the hospital, who I suppose we're supposed to find adorable, but who are extremely annoying little brats. They happen to wander into the room where the specimen is being kept, and happen to dump a growth hormone on it. Horror movie logic would say they deserve to die for this, but they're never even in any danger.
The critter grows and starts breeding. People run away from it, and sometimes towards it for some reason. The hospital gets surrounded by military who are prepared to destroy everything if need be.
There are no really compelling characters in the movie, and most of the time it seems like people are searching around for the monster. It was fairly boring. Clearly it owes something to the Alien movies, with the monster being born inside a human and having several stages of its growth. There's also a character named Bishop, and the lead actress has Sigourney Weaver's hair.