35 years ago, ‘Tremors’ combined sci-fi, horror, comedy and worms

Kevin Bacon battled giant worms in the low-fi monster movie.

One of the first wide releases of the 1990s — it came out in January of 1990, 35 years ago this week — Tremors resembled the structure of Jaws, albeit on land rather than on the beach.

Like the shark, Tremors didn’t reveal its giant worms immediately, letting the mystery and suspense build slowly. But once they did show up, the film successfully juggled its numerous imperatives: It was exciting, surprising, a bit scary, and very, very funny.

Directed by Ron Underwood, who would have a huge hit a year later with City Slickers, Tremors starred Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as a pair of handymen who live a humdrum existence in a small Nevada town. They’re getting ready to skip town when strange deaths start happening, from a guy being found dead on top of a large tower, and a farmer and his whole flock of sheep getting devoured.