C.H.U.D.(1984)
1984 · Douglas Cheek · 96 min
A rash of bizarre murders in New York City seems to point to a group of grotesquely deformed vagrants living in the sewers. A courageous policeman, a photojournalist and his girlfriend, and a nutty bum, who seems to know a lot about the creatures, band together to try and determine what the creatures are and how to stop them.
Horror · Science Fiction
5.6319 votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
3/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How C.H.U.D. scares
It kicks off like a gritty crime mystery, with a cop and a photographer piecing together strange disappearances, before settling into a rhythm of dim sewer scenes and sudden creature attacks. The pace is slow for a monster movie, spending a lot of time on talk and investigation between the bursts of violence. It leans more toward campy, low-budget fun than anything that will actually rattle you, with rubbery-looking mutants and practical gore effects that feel more silly than upsetting. Good for fans of old-school creature flicks who want a nostalgic, easy watch rather than something that lingers.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, C.H.U.D. rates psychological 2/5, visceral 3/5, gore 3/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 3 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 40 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 20 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow-building mystery with scattered jolts that gradually thickens into a tense, creature-filled back half before a busy finish.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is C.H.U.D.?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, C.H.U.D. rates 2/5 — moderately scary, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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