The 'Burbs (1989)

 The 'Burbs (1989

Have you imagined yourself living in a middle-class town with big houses, friendly neighbors, and a community that lives in peace…yet there could be something sinister with that Mr. Smith down the street? As a matter of fact, I have. Every single day when I would play outside, I would invent these stories (perhaps involving the supernatural or Charles Manson-esque plots). That is why The ‘Burbs spoke to me and still does. It may not be the best movie in the world, but it is a fun one that scared the whiz out of me as young boy. As a grown man who grew up in the type of town set in the movie, I can correlate the townsfolk to some of the people I grew up with, As a movie, it is incredibly entertaining. Joe Dante (Gremlins) is the right man to direct as he always does a wonderful job combining horror, comedy, and reality. Once again, Tom Hanks is your typical everyman American but has a few twists up the sleeve unlike anything Hanks has done before. And, you might ask, how are the special effects? Rather ambitious if not necessarily holding up in a world dominated by movies with crazy special effects.

Just like how the idea of this movie spoke to me, the same can be said for scriptwriter Dana Olsen. He got the idea of the movie from his own childhood experiences. He asked the question, “What if Mr. Smith down the street was actually Jack the Ripper?” With a horror background, he gave the film a comedic touch and added some more interesting ideas. I liked the idea of a person taking a vacation in his own hometown spying on neighbors. Joe Dante was intrigued by the story. As someone who excels in offbeat, weird stories, this is the film for him. Apparently, it is really common for communities to have this one neighbor who is never seen, allows the mail to stack up, never mows the lawn, etc. I might have had one of those in my town. Could it be that we all lived next to murderers? Hmmmmm. At least a movie was created, in a sense, spoofing that question.

Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) and his wife, Carol (Carrie Fisher) live in the typical, middle-class neighborhood with great houses, mowed lawns, etc. Ray is on vacation from work and decides to stay home to spy on the neighbors, which Carol believes is childish behavior. Two neighbors, Art (Rick Ducommun) and Mark (Bruce Dern) are game to help. These strange neighbors moved in which piqued their curiosity. They do not see them at all. They hear strange noises coming from their basement, and the caretaking of the house is nonexistent. All people really know is that their last name is Klopeck. When one older man disappears from the neighborhood, everyone suspects the Klopecks may have had a hand or two in their disappearance.

It was nice to see Tom Hanks in this type of role. He took his usual charming personality and gave it something extra. He is really funny and shows growth as an actor. This opportunity proves that Hanks is not only a comedian but can take on more dramatic roles which of course will be the name of his game as he enters the 1990’s and beyond. I also loved Bruce Dern. He was a riot. Henry Gibson, the Oscar winner of Nashville, plays the head of the Klopeck family. He gives his character enough sinister undertones to make him an effective character. And it is cool to see Corey Feldman as one of the neighbors!

Overall, The ‘Burbs is a fun movie that reminds me of my upbringing. It is not a great movie by all means of the imagination but certainly is one you can constantly rewatch at the absurdity of it. Joe Dante did a solid job bringing the movie to life with his genre background. His consistent composer collaborator Jerry Goldsmith provided a score that elevates the sinister undertones. The special effects certainly aged but they work for this type of film. If you have one of these weird neighbors, maybe do not watch the movie. Or watch it!

My Grade: A-