...Stephen King wrote his first original screenplay for this horror gore fest that features cameos by directors Clive Barker, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, John Landis, and King himself (playing a cemetery attendant). The story concerns a twilight people named "sleepwalkers" --creatures similar to vampires and werewolves whose faces turn animalistic whenever they are frightened or angry and who require the lifeforce of a virgin to survive. A single-parent sleepwalker family, consisting of Mary Brady (Alice Krige) and her son Charles (Brian Krause), have taken up residence in a small Indiana town. Charles has expressed a romantic interest in the attractive Tanya Robertson (Madchen Amick), a girl in his high school literature class. Mary wants Charles to lure Tanya home so that she can suck out her life force, but it appears that Charles has fallen in love with her --that is, until their first date, at a picnic at the cemetery. There Charles changes from a shy romantic suitor into a brutal and violent force, slapping Tanya around and attempting to **** her. But Tanya wards off his advances by plunging a corkscrew into his torso. Charles staggers back home to mother, where she nurses him back to health. Then Charles and his mother seek vengeance upon the Robertson family...
Directed by Mick Garris
Written by Stephen King
Cinematography by Rodney Charters
Edited by O. Nicholas Brown
Original Music by Nicholas Pike
Music by Nuno Bettencourt, Enya, Ann Farina.
Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian Krause as Charles Brady
Mädchen Amick as Tanya Robertson
Alice Krige as Mary Brady
Jim Haynie as Sheriff Ira
Cindy Pickett as Mrs. Robertson
Ron Perlman as Captain Soames
Lyman Ward as Mr. Robertson
Dan Martin as Andy Simpson
Glenn Shadix as Mr. Fallows
Cynthia Garris as Laurie
Monty Bane as Horace
John Landis as Lab Technician
Joe Dante as Lab Assistant
Stephen King as Cemetery Caretaker
Clive Barker as Forensic Tech
