Cast
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Denise Richards as Tammy -
Paul Walker as Michael -
George Pilgrim as Billy -
John Franklin as Bobby -
Terry Kiser as Dr. Wachenstein - Theo Forsett as Byron
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Ellen Dubin as Helga -
George Buck Flower as Norville -
Ken Carpenter as Neville -
Sean Whalen as Weasel - J. Jay Saunders as Sheriff Black
- John Edmondson as Karl
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Michele Maika as Michelle - Ken Chandler as Dad
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Shevonne Durkin as Wendy -
Efren Ramirez as Pizza Boy -
John F. Goff as Uncle Bob -
Poppy Montgomery as Party Girl #1 - John Conway as Bartender
Crew
- Michael Simpson as Sound Recordist
- Rhonda Young as Casting
- Harriet Greenspan as Casting
- Gary Brockette as Writer
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Stewart Raffill as Director - Stewart Raffill as Writer
- Diane Kirman as Producer
- Diane Kirman as Executive Producer
- Terry Kelley as Editor
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John Carl Buechler as Makeup Effects - John Carl Buechler as Special Effects Makeup Artist
- Anthony Riparetti as Original Music Composer
- Matt Jacobson as Chief Lighting Technician
- Roger Olkowski as Director of Photography
- Elan Papa as Set Decoration
- Colleen Saro as Set Decoration
- George B. Colucci Jr. as Stunt Double
- Arnold Braun as Sound Mixer
- Clarke Coleman as Utility Stunts
- Scott Wolf as Special Effects
- Bruce Nazarian as Special Effects
- Fernando Celis as Stunt Coordinator
- Fernando Celis as Co-Producer
- Dennis Dion as Special Effects Coordinator
- Neil Spritz as Boom Operator
- Robbie Robinson as Still Photographer
- Ethan Jensen as Stunt Double
- Jack Conrad as Original Music Composer
- Melinda Eschelman as Costume Design
- Anais Browski as Makeup Artist
- Anais Browski as Hairstylist
- Bill Wynn as Special Effects
- Max W. Anderson as Visual Effects
- Etka Sarlui as Executive Producer
- Dana Felton as Stunt Double
- Laurie Celis as Stunt Double
Movie info from
Socialize
Director Stewart Raffill says this movie was inspired by a producer with a reasonable amount of cash and two weeks of access to a dinosaur animatronic. The resulting script, both written and shot in a dead rush, is better than it has any right to be. Butchered on its initial release by a producer who was thinking more “Disney” and less “Full Moon,” Vinegar Syndrome just released this restored director’s cut in both HD and 4K(!!) releases. This twenty-six-year old movie looks fantastic and gloriously low-budget.
Tammy’s seeing Michael, but she’s trying to keep him under wraps and out of the eyes of her abusive ex. When bully Billy buttonholes her beaux, though, he takes things a little too far and Michael ends up in the hospital. From there he’s kidnapped by a mad scientist and his assistant (who are less Frankenstein and Igor and much more Boris and Natasha). They pop out his brain and shove it into a robot dinosaur.
At this point the movie has two options. Michael could realize that he’s a monster, terrifying to his loved ones and a danger to everyone, then spend the rest of the movie moping about his horrible condition until Tammy comes to the rescue. Fortunately for us that’s not what happens. Michael realizes he’s become a monster and immediately exacts revenge on Billy and his goons. Although they are no great loss, Tammy and her Gay Best Friend Byron still have to intercede with law enforcement to save Michael from the wrath of the unsympathetic masses.
Written and shot in a hurry, the director and the producer were apparently never on the same page about what this movie was supposed to be. Fortunately, the recent Vinegar Syndrome release restores the violence cut in the process of trying to turn this into a family movie.
Occasionally accused of trying to capitalize on the Blockbuster Jurassic Park crowd, Tammy and the T-Rex has a distinct Heathers vibe instead. Of course, in this Heathers everyone is popular and gorgeous and there are no outcasts taking on an abusive system. There’s some great character acting here, the plot moves at a good clip, and while the evil-doers are clearly picturing themselves in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, Richards and Walker do their level best to sell a ludicrous concept. If you know me personally I will force you to watch this.