We all make moral decisions when we engage with art, consciously or not. For some, an element of a film’s moral makeup crosses a line and makes it reprehensible. This can be in relation to the fiction of the piece or the real world events that took place surrounding the movie (a dangerous production, controversial players involved etc.). If you, Dear Reader, have such strong moral convictions and/or are sensitive to taboo topics in your movies, then The Crush is not going to be the ‘90s horror flick for you.
Because The Crush is pure sleaze on the screen and even ickier behind the scenes.
The story alone will likely draw a line in the sand for more than a few potential viewers. Journalist Nick Eliot (Cary Elwes, doing the work and playing the part just right) rents a guest house from a well-to-do family and runs into (almost literally) their 14-year-old daughter, Adrian (Alicia Silverstone, in her feature film debut). Adrian becomes smitten with Nick and his behavior doesn’t exactly discourage her at the beginning of their sordid relationship. Once Nick starts to see how enamored Adrian really is and tries to smooth things out with her, Adrian spirals into madness and everything culminates in a fight on top of a running carousel in Adrian’s attic.
Yes, The Crush has an attic carousel courtesy of Adrian’s father, Cliff (the always A+ Kurtwood Smith). It’s the kind of story device that feels straight out of some V.C. Andrews rip-off paperback trash, and that’s a similar vibe The Crush nails at almost every turn. We are going to acknowledge and critique the moral nitty-gritty of The Crush eventually, but it deserves noting that the movie is attempting to be salacious, risqué, and even scandalous with its story. As far as meeting established goals is concerned, The Crush does achieve that in a way that maintains entertainment value and keeps the plot engaging.
So much of that is thanks to Alicia Silverstone. There is a plethora of good reasons this performance of hers doesn’t get brought up, but she is nailing the Machiavellian teen girl maniac archetype we saw a bunch in the ‘90s (a personal favorite: Melissa Joan Hart in the TV movie Twisted Desire). It’s a ridiculous trope and should be recognized as such, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be utilized in a fun way. Still, there are lines in this movie Silverstone has to say with utter conviction that will have your jaw on the floor. At the very least, they’ll make you feel like taking a shower. Regardless, Silverstone’s portrayal of Adrian helps craft a solid, compelling female villain and we can always use more of those, even if the reasons behind her as a character are misguided at best and insidious at worst.
That’s because The Crush is allegedly based on a real incident in writer/director Alan Shapiro’s life where an underage girl became infatuated with him. This girl, whose name was Darian, was used as the basis for Silverstone’s character. In fact, Adrian was originally named Darian in the theatrical and initial home and TV releases of the movie. After a lawsuit involving Darian and her family, subsequent releases were dubbed to change her name to Adrian. You’ll definitely be able to tell because the original actors weren’t brought back for the dubbing. More importantly, the connection to a supposed real-life event adds a skeevy layer to the whole production.
But, the creepiness doesn’t stop there. At the time of filming, Alicia Silverstone was under eighteen years of age. She was able to star in the movie thanks to becoming an emancipated minor at fifteen. So, when you’re watching The Crush, you are actually watching a teenage girl in these scenarios. One specific exception: some nude shots with an adult stand-in but still… yuck. It makes a deliberately scuzzy endeavor doubly unsettling. That’s why it’s completely understandable if certain viewers don’t want to engage with that material in any way.
For those without such restrictions, The Crush offers up a nutso thriller that truly does channel the best of throwback dime-store garbage. Is it morally reprehensible? Of course, but that’s part of the exploitation package. Should a movie like it be made ever again? Probably not and obviously not under the conditions The Crush was made. It’s okay to enjoy The Crush while also acknowledging and condemning its moral grossness both on screen and off.
Plus, that attic carousel fight is the real deal and features one of the most stupendous punches I’ve seen in a movie. More movies need to end with attic carousel fights.
The Crush starring Alicia Silverstone is available to stream on SCREAMBOX.
The ‘90s often get a bad rap with horror fans. After the numerous successful slashers and creature effects films of the ’80s, the ‘90s offered a different variety of horror fare. Though there were plenty of hits, hidden gems, and misunderstood classics, the ‘90s usually don’t get the kind of love that other decades get when it comes to horror. It’s time to change that.