"... Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Raid The Fridge!"	Year of Release: 1987 Directed by: Bettina Hirsch Produced by: Roger Corman Running Time: Approx. 83 minutes Rating: PG Listing on the A.K.A. Page: Nope! A Second Opinion: The Video Graveyard Buy it on VHS at: Amazon.com. My Rating:

Simon- Harvey Korman! Archeologist who discovers the little alien creature in Peru. He leaves for a scientific convention and isn't seen again until the end of the movie.

Cecil- Harvey Korman! Simon's evil twin brother who tries to kidnap the creature, to ruin Simon's career. He uses toxic waste in all his products and is arrested, along with his wife... Melvis?

Paul- Simon's son who's supposed to keep an eye on the creature. But when lust takes over, he forgets all about poor "Arnold" (as the creature is affectionately called). He electrocutes the Munchie menace.

Cindy- Paul's cute girlfriend who helps him chase down and kill all of the "Munchies."

Dude- Simon's worthless adopted step-son. Three words for ya... death by decibels!

Big Ed and Little Ed- The local inept law enforcement and completely unnecessary characters!

The Munchies- It all started with "Arnold" a single, cute, furry creature. But after being hacked up by Dude, each piece turned into a new creature. The only way to destroy them is to electrocute them, thus turning them into harmless statues.

Leave it to Roger Corman to make a rip-off of a good movie folks! Although the setting and origins of the creatures are different (as well as the time of year, it's not Christmas in this flick), Munchies suspiciously has a lot in common with "Gremlins." For instance in each film, the monsters love junk food, the only difference here is that the Munchies can eat after midnight. The Gremlins multiply with the aid of water, the Munchies multiply with the aid of a steak knife. Both enjoy terrorizing people and destroying stuff and are chased after by a young man and his girlfriend. Starting to see what I mean? Anyways what was I talking about...? Ah yes...Munchies!
In Peru, Paul and his father Simon search for some kind of evidence that aliens landed in Machu Pichu thousands of years ago. They find their proof alright, a small, cute, furry little creature, whom is later named Arnold. They grab the little guy and bring him home where Paul and his girlfriend Cindy are assigned to keep an eye on him. Ignoring responsibility, the two run upstairs and fool around. In the meantime, Simon's neighbor and evil twin brother Cecil has heard all about little Arnold. Cecil knows that this discovery will get Simon lots of cash, which will make it impossible for Cecil to buy Simon's land. Cecil and his stepson, Dude (no it's not Lebowski) sneak into Simon's house and kidnap Arnold.
Dude is told to watch Arnold but listens to some crap rock instead. Arnold tries to watch T.V., only to be tossed across the room by Dude. Well Arnold doesn't like this and chucks a pool ball (I believe it was a 10 ball) at his agressor. A mad-cap chase ensues as the two wound each other. Dude chases Arnold into the kitchen and shoots the little bugger, only to find out it didn't work. So the pot-head hacks up Arnold with a butcher knife and goes back to listening to his crap rock while each piece of Arnold grows into a new creature. The creatures sneak up on Dude and crank his stereo all the way up... killing him (aforementioned "death by decibels"). Basically through the rest of the movie, Paul and Cindy chase after the little monsters before dad gets home. The Munchies do quite a bit of damage though.
They run an old lady off the road and blow up her car, then run some bikers off the road into a stream, and chase two beautiful girls who were swimming in a lake. That's just to start off with, then they destroy and ice cream parlor, a burger joint, and scare off everyone at Cecil's 36 hole miniature golf course. At this point, the number of four Munchies grows to seven after Cecil hacks one up. Paul, Cindy, Eddie, Big Ed, Melvis (hehehehe), and Cecil all chase after the little beasties. The Munchies are tailed to a video store in which they proceed to chuck movies at our heroes. One of the little creatures springs at Paul, only to be sent flying back into a T.V., thus electrocuting it, and turning it into a statue. So now their weakness has been discovered! Paul, Cindy, and Eddie then follow the Munchies into an underground cave that is full of Toxic Waste drums and some of Cecil's products (but of course the connection is never made between the two).
To make a long story really short, the creatures are all electrocuted by Paul, turned into statues, and smashed to bits, except for Arnold. Cecil's secret ingredient in his products (toxic waste, agent orange, etc.) is brought to light and he's arrested along with his wife, Melvis (Hahahaha!). Paul and Cindy return home with the Arnold statue which Simon (now back from the science convention he was at) sells for $25,000. Not too shabby! So the Munchies are all gone, Cecil's in jail, Simon can keep his house, but wait! A bolt of lightning hits the Arnold statue at the films end and as the screen goes black we hear a little voice say, "Amigo!"

Paul: "Aaaah!"
Simon: "What is it son?"
Paul: "An anorexic Spaniard."

Arnold: "Hi goof."

Arnold: "Amigo!"

Girl: "What were those things?"
Paul: "Tourists... from... Nevada."

Paul: "You ok Eddie?"
Eddie: "Put me in coach."
Paul: "Next play Eddie, next play."