The 80s horror film, “The Burbs” is far from ordinary with themes of nosey neighbors, secret mysteries and top rank actors that will leave you clutching your stomach in laughter.
The film follows a neighborhood court full of eccentric characters who pride themselves on their short green grass, bright white picket fence and their superb gardening, but questions soon arise when the Klopek family moves in and takes more pride in their secrets, than their home.
Ray Peterson and his wife Carol Peterson, played by the dazzling Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher, are none other than next door neighbors to the Klopeks. A burning mystery begins when Ray discovers the Klopek family in disarray, digging large graves in their backyard.
Roping in his loyal and nosey neighbors, Mark Rumsfield and Art Weingartner, the trio decide to discover what secrets the Klopeks truly keep buried and save their beloved Hinkley Hills.
This film is full of compelling and legendary actors such as Hanks, Fisher, Corey Feldman and even Henry Gibson, who give an unforgettable performance in their role of suburb and high-class neighbors.
The honorable and favored alumni of Sacramento State, Hanks not only plays a loyal husband and father, but the ringleader of the mischievous Hinkley Hills trio.
As the film progresses it becomes apparent how truly mysterious the Klopek family is with their large black body sized bags and late night rancid furnace use.
With its simple plot, easy to follow dialogue and light shades of horror, Joe Dante’s film is one for everyone to enjoy. It was released in 1989 and has since then become a devoted and honored cult classic.
Dante is an honorable and highly mentioned creator of 80s classics, such as “Gremlins,” “Innerspace” and “The Twilight Zone.” He created and shaped the 80s genre of light horror films and thrillers of the decade that are still honored today.
This film deserves its praise because it explores themes of horror and suspense in a family appropriate way, with no outrageous jump scares, blood gore and no true danger.
In the end the only true horrific scene is when Ray discovers the Klopeks’ car trunk full of human skulls. In more ways than one, this scene provides some humor to the film, because while this is happening other crazy things like ambulances, firemen and cops all swarm the Hinkley Hills street.
In a post-covid era, the concept of friendly neighbors and welcoming-one-another in, is a foreign notion to most, a film such as this highlights how much society has changed in regard to neighborly interactions.
In the year 2024, neighborhood friendliness and children playing in the streets is almost completely extinct, but it hadn’t always been like that. It seems that in history knowing and welcoming your neighbors was a well-known suburb tradition and as time has gone on that custom has lost some of its relevance.
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A film such as “The Burbs” plays a nostalgic role to the woeful memories of strong-neighbor relations and unique neighborhood bonds that appear to have once been followed.
Despite this film being released near the end of the 80s, it is an honorable mention in the 80s cult classic franchise because it still holds all the true nostalgia of beloved tropes like friendship, mystery and predictable thrills.
