User reviews

I wanted to like this, I really did. But I feel a bit like a chump for having shelled out for the Blu-ray only to be thwarted not even halfway through it when it introduces perhaps cinema's least convincing Charles Manson to date. But beyond poor casting, it's bulls-t. Once you start introducing stuff like that into a so-called true story it casts everything in doubt, so I abandoned it. A little creative leeway is fine for something like this (like the Orson Welles encounter in Ed Wood), but some fabrications are a bridge too far. Manson was not at Spahn Ranch in 1963/64, so what am I to believe? It's a shame. This would have been an interesting story had they kept to the real story, whatever that might be.

Look, maybe it's not important that the story of "The Creeping Terror" is told with historical accuracy, but some of this movie is not only exaggerated for laughs, it's a lot of nonsense. Charles Manson was in Prison and had not come to California yet when "The Creeping Terror" was filmed. I was hoping this would be a well researched film which actually told the true story of the making of the film.

Even though I had seen trailers for this film and had firm expectations walking into the screening, I still found myself surprised and dumbfounded by the story told and the way it was revealed. The directions the film takes by careening back and forth between interviews with the people involved in the original production of "The Creeping Terror" and the behind-the-scenes reenactments had me laughing out loud at the sheer Hollywood absurdity while I was cringing in abject revulsion.

Josh Phillips's portrayal of the psychotic creep, Art Nelson, was haunting and dark, while Jodi Lynn Thomas and Bill LeVasseur shine on screen.

This film is a fun, eerie, outlandish, weird retro ride through the darkest valleys of the Hollywood hills. I recommend it.

Being an admirer of the film "Ed Wood", I came across another movie that was supposed to be as bad, if not worse, than "Plan Nine from Outer Space".

Thus I was led to "The Creeping Terror". Saw some snippets of "The Creep Behind the Camera", so I purchased the blu-ray to try and learn more about the back-story behind the film.

While the "docu-drama" was mildly interesting, in the end I was left dissatisfied by the experience.

The main reason for this, is the tendency of modern documentaries to go in for rather cheesy "re-enactments" of events. Which usually involves mediocre actors doing bad soap opera, that has little to do with how the people were and what actually happened. It also gives directors an opportunity muddle actual events, for the sake of drama and helping viewers to "relate".

I found the best part of the film to be recollections from persons who were actually involved in the events in question. However this was relegated to definite second-place, as this "docu-movie" seemed to focus more on rather over-the-top dramatizations, that I suspect were highly embellished over actual events.

Please--documentary makers---just give us the well researched facts. And especially recollections from folks who actually were witnesses to events. Yes, I know there is a dread of "talking heads" being boring. But you are NOT making a drama intended to win an Oscar for acting. Just the facts and some explanation of what happened and why.

This shrill, low-budget recreation of the making of The Creeping Terror isn't as bad as the movie it's about, but it's not that much better. At least they didn't lose the soundtrack, but there's no question that The Creeping Terror isn't more fun to watch. The acting here is generally bad, the dialogue filled with inexplicable pauses, the lead creepy but charmless. It is interspersed with talking heads recounting stories of the actual making, and they're interesting. This should have been a straight documentary.

The Creep Behind the Camera (2014)

*** (out of 4)

THE CREEPING TERROR is considered by many to be one of the very worst films ever made. THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA tells the story of its making. We meet Art Nelson (Josh Phillips) who is your typical con man who decides that he wants to break into show business. He finds someone willing to put up the money and he sets out to make the greatest monster movie ever made but falls well short.

THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA apparently started off as a regular documentary on the making of THE CREEPING TERROR but somewhere along the way they decided to do much more than that. This film is pretty uneven and a bit all over the place but there's no question that it's very well-made and features some great performances. Part of it is a documentary on THE CREEPING TERROR as we get interviews with many of the cast and crew. The other part of this is a re-enactment or actual film about its director who is best known as Vic Savage.

To be honest, I wish this thing had been two separate movies because when you mix an actual documentary with an actual film it just doesn't quite work as well as it could have. I really loved the B&W interviews with the original cast and crew but sadly there's not too much of this. I would have really enjoyed seeing these interviews put together in the form of a featurette to where we could have gotten to hear more of their stories about what it was like on the set of THE CREEPING TERROR. I'm sure there were many more crazy stories that could have been told but instead we get the re-enactment stuff.

As far as that goes, it seems the main goal of this movie was to show you what an evil person Vic Savage was. Throughout the re-enactment footage we get clips of him physically, mentally and sexually abusing his wife. We learn that he liked nine-year-old girls and we learn that he was a druggie, a loser and just not a very good person. Whenever that isn't happening we get behind-the-scenes footage of them making THE CREEPING TERROR. Again, this re-enactment footage makes for a great film but then you've got the previously mentioned B&W clips from the real people commenting. I just don't think the two went well together but separately they work.

I will add that I thought Phillips was extremely good in the lead role and that Jodi Lynn Thomas was also excellent in her part of the wife. Bill LeVasseur and Brian McCulley are also very good as are the rest of the supporting cast. THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA is certainly flawed and somewhat uneven but at the same time I give the filmmakers credit for trying to do something different.

This terrible movie, supposedly a 'documentary' about the making of "The Creeping Terror", a movie that's so bad, so hypnotically bad, that once one begins viewing it, it cannot be turned off. The Creeping Terror could be used to get confessions out of convicts or politicians-it's that bad. Now GUESS WHAT? This terrible Fauxumentary is EVEN WORSE. Bad acting, interspersed with interview with the people who helped make that piece of crap, don't make this any better, or any more worth watching. A true piece d'crapistence. Not worth watching.

I saw the Creeping Terror years ago... who knew all this crazy stuff went on behind the scenes?! Josh Phillips as Vic Savage makes on of the all time great despicable characters of all time. It's quite a roller-coaster ride! I got to see it in Montreal as part of Fantasia Fest and the audience loved it. I'm pretty sure it went on to LA too. Great music score and photography. The story, which kind of goes all over the place, follows this scumbag AJ Nelson from some goofy bingo hall all the way to Hollywood. When there he abuses his sweet wife (wonderfully played by Jodi Lynn Thomas) in all manner imaginable. Then he makes the Creeping Terror. The whole thing is a great look at how the Hollywood system attracts the worst sort, and how they can convince people they know what they are doing even though the writing is clearly on the wall. I really, really recommend this film!

I caught this movie at a local screening in Colorado Springs when out with the wife. It was a spur of the moment decision that we were very happy to have made. The Creep Behind the Camera details the story of a low-life film director that essentially conned a small town into making one of the worst horror films ever made, "The Creeping Terror". What caught us by surprise was the way the narrative was told. It wasn't a typical documentary as it was filmed almost entirely as a re- telling/remake/reenacting/documentary hybrid that was extremely effective in absorbing us into the story. The character arc for Mr. Nelson was extremely captivating and very intense. The actors' performances were also spectacular. All around, The Creep Behind The Camera was a fantastic dark comedy, high in production quality, thoroughly captivating, and left us with a huge impression on Colorado Springs' local filmmaking scene.

Stylistically dynamic. Unique narrative combining true doc (1/3) and re-enactment (2/3). A very compelling storyline. Solid acting, sometimes breakaway good. Fantastic set design and costuming. Self- aware and darkly comedic. Better effects than the original Creeping Terror, which is ironic. A brave overall effort that entertains throughout. All the while, the theme shines through so wonderfully. And visually, the DP and Director create a seamless creation. Intriguing and forward moving, it is rare to see a movie that does all this. For those who love classic sci-fi, this will be a wonderful experience. For those who don't, this is still a fun movie. You will walk out with a smile, a smirk and head-shaking disbelief all at the same time.

This film is a must see. I was pleasantly surprised how it took on an almost new genre of film making. The Creep Behind The Camera was not a documentary or a re- enactment of real life events, but a combination of both. There were interviews with real people who actually experienced the terror of Vic Savage/Art Nelson and also well placed areas where they showed the story unfolding before your eyes. The craziest part is that this film tells a true story! It's not exaggerated and that makes this film so much better! There were definitely parts where I could not believe this story actually happened... however, the further you dive into this movie, the stranger and stranger this true story of the creep behind the camera gets. This movie is an absolute MUST SEE!

Had a chance to see this movie in Colorado. Great story! It was fun to see how crappy horror movies like The Creeping Terror actually made it to film, and the back story about the slimy director conning everybody to be in it. Especially liked the cutaways to the interviews of the actual people involved in making the original film.

Solid acting and great photography and sound... even if it's not a multi-million dollar budget movie. If you are a fan of "bad" horror movies, you'll definitely have to watch this movie! Makes me want to watch The Creeping Terror again with new eyes this time!

Loved the last scene with the Bee Gee's "I started a joke"! (I won't spoil it for you)

Well, I finally saw The Creep Behind the Camera. A documentary of the making of The Creeping Terror. If this is a true story, I wanted to waste Art J, Nelson AKA Vic Savage. I actually loved what happened to him. He lied,cheated, abused all of those around him. I loved it when his first wife, Lois, became empowered and left him. And he may have been involved in kiddie porn? With the actor who played the grandfather in Creeping Terror? (I hope that wasn't him) Also if you are wondering why the blond with the silver pants jiggling her buns in the dance hall scene had a lot of footage, hmmmmmm. If she is still alive, a lawsuit perhaps? The actor (Josh Phillips) who played Art Nelson/Vic Savage was convincing as a vile human being. He is on par with Wings Hauser's Ramrod character from Vice Squad. I would love to put Ramrod and Art Nelson in a steel cage match. Two enter, and one leaves. Sad part is I don't care who would win as long as there is a lot of blood spilled. Yeah, I'm sadistic. NOT!

Brilliant performances and stunning creativity. Tons of fun too!