It has been years in the Making but author Jonathan Melville has finely released his book covering the entire Tremors franchise. Get your copy here!
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Tremors 5
Most fans are aware that Universal Studios has announced production of a new DVD sequel, being shot in South Africa. For all of us at Stampede, this is a bittersweet development in our long connection with the franchise, since we, the creators, are not involved.
Stampede has always been interested in reassembling the original Tremors creative team to produce a fresh new theatrical sequel in the Tremors voice. We attempted rights negotations with Universal for an independent theatrical film in 2012. However, the sudio passed on the option, preferring to continue the franchise with DVDs at some future date.
Early in 2014, Universal Home Video indicated that they were budgeting another sequel based on a 2004 script written by Brent Maddock and S. S. Wilson. While they pointed out that they had “no further contractual obligation” to Stampede, they did offer us Executive Producer positions. But they also made it clear that in this new even-lower budget project, the Stampede’ partners’ participation would be severely restricted, with little control over cast, director, special effects, locations, or indeed any aspect of production.
It was always only our full involvement as creators that gave us the means and incentive to reinvigorate and expand the Tremors universe with Tremors 2, 3, 4 and the series — despite the significant increasing budget limitations. Without meaningful creative control allowing us to continue to gurantee the integrity of our Tremors vision, we sadly declined to be involved.
The entire Stampede Team extends a big THANK YOU to the loyal fans who have clamored for this movie for so long. For your viewing pleasure, we hope it’s good!
The Stampede Partners:
S. S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Nancy Roberts. Ron Underwood.
March 1 1990 – Perfection, Nevada
Unidentified underground creatures consume livestock and the human residents in the town and surrounding valley.
The blind, worm-like animals travel effortlessly through the Pleistocene alluvial soil, tracking prey by means of sonic vibration.
Townspeople terminate the creatures with crude homemade weapons. Existing specimens badly damaged and decomposed. No living animals found for study.
Creatures become widely known as Graboids.
May 11 1995 – Petromaya Oil Field Chiapas, Mexico
Graboids appear in the oil field. Company employees are consumed and oil production is interrupted.
Desperate oil company executives hire survivors from the 1985 Graboid attack to track down and kill the Mexican Graboids.
On site Geologist Kate White reports Graboids are extremely ancient earth life form.
Before all Graboids can be eliminated they undergo a highly unusual metamorphosis sub-divding into smaller bipedal surface creatures. Technically blind like the Graboids, these creatures nevertheless efficiently track their prey by sensing heat. Some humans survived by devising methods to disguise their body heat, including using cold blasts from a CO2 fire extinguisher.
These new creatures become known as Shriekers due to the piercing cry they make when sensing prey.
Shriekers are reported to be hermaphrodites, reproducing by regurgitating an offspring immediately after the consumption of a meal. This has not been confirmed.
Note: If Shrieker reproductive rates are shown to be directly proportional to available food supply, a Shrieker “population explosion” is a potential threat.
According to survivor Burt Gummer, all Chiapas Mexico Shriekers were eliminated by use of an “appropriate” amount of high explosives. All remains badly damaged and decomposed. No living animals found for study.
August 5 2001 – Location: El Chaco, Argentina
Graboids appear in remote area.
Radical Graboid hunter Burt Gummer, survivor of both previous Graboid attacks hired by Argentine government to deal with the situation.
According to Gummer, Graboids had already changed into Shriekers before his arrival. Gummer slaughters over a hundred Shriekers with an antiaircraft gun.
All remains badly damaged and decomposed. No living animals found for study.
October 11, 2001 – Perfection Nevada
Graboids reappear in the town of perfection just after former resident Melvin Plug started attempting to buyout local residents to turn the entire town into a housing project called Perfection Valley Ranchettes.Burt Gummer and the rest of the town rally to destroy the new hoard of creatures but the United States Department of the Interior steps in and orders a Graboid to be captured alive.
Before they can capture a Graboid alive the creatures turn into Shriekers and then again into flying creatures that propel themselves into the air using a chemical reaction generated in their abdomen (tail).
Another unusual development in this outbreak is that one Graboid was born an albino and seems incapable of metamorphosing into a Shrieker. This great white Graboid becomes knows to the townspeople as El Blanco.
El Blanco is left alive and the United States Department of the Interior deems Perfection Valley a protected area preventing Melvin Plug from developing his Perfection Valley Ranchettes.
Now the people of Perfection are living with a graboid and who knows what else will come there way…
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Video Archives
Tremors Miniature Graboid 25th Anniversary
Part 1
It’s been 25 years since TREMORS was released in theatres. In that time, it found its audience, spawned three sequels and a television series… all from a little monster movie that was not even considered a success back in 1990.
Part 2
Seemingly creatures unto themselves for the first act of TREMORS, the snake-like graboid “tongues” were mostly independent puppets for much of the filming. Looking like heavy duty vacuum hoses under their foam latex skin, the tongues were cable operated and used extensively throughout the film. Co-writer S.S. Wilson and director Ron Underwood even helped out on the reverse photography tests!
Part 3
The 25th anniversary of TREMORS continues. Part 3 features the work put into fabricating the full-size graboids–from early movement tests to final paint. You’ll dig it! Also be sure to check out http://creaturefeatures.com/ for information on the TREMORS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CAST & CREW
Part 4
Travel back to late spring of 1989 as Alec and Tom and the ADI set crew arrive in Lone Pine, California with the full-size graboids. In addition to getting the monsters ready, it didn’t take long for the shenanigans to begin. Check out http://creaturefeatures.com/ for information on TREMORS CAST & CREW REUNION
Part 5
Part 5 is a journey in stills featuring construction and filming of the smaller-scale graboids ADI built for TREMORS (not to mention a very special look back into the fashion of shorts)
Part 6
The last segment of the TREMORS 25th Anniversary series features the 1/4 scale miniature graboid in more detail–from mechanical skeleton construction to painting the foam latex skin and tests of the puppeteering controls, all leading to final photography.
Graboid Design and Creation ADI
Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. (http://www.studioadi.com) designed and created “graboids” for the 1989 cult classic TREMORS. This video chronicles the fabrication and puppetry on set.
Tremors Movie Trailer
S.S. Wilson gives a tour of his office
S.S. Wilson, writer of Tremors and Short Circuit gives a tour of his office.
Short Circuit – time lapse of S.S. Wilson assembling standee
Time lapse of screenwriter S.S. Wilson assembling a never before assembled Short Circuit standee.
Desk of Destiny – stop motion animation by S.S. Wilson
Here’s some early stop motion animation from when S.S. Wilson, writer of such films as Tremors & Short Circuit, was at USC’s Film school in the mid 1970s. This was shot on Super 8mm film. You’ll note that the desk lamp predates Pixar’s by many years.
Tucker’s Monster – Promos
S.S. Wilson’s Stories – Short Circuit – Johnny 5
S.S. Wilson the co-writer of Short Circuit 1 and 2 shows off his collection of memorabilia from Short Circuit and Short Circuit 2.
S.S. Wilson’s Stories – 1st Sound Movie
S.S. Wilson the writer of such films as Tremors and Short Circuit shows his first sound movie.
The Idea Behind Tremors
S.S. Wilson the co-writer of Tremors tells the story of how he came up with the idea for the film Tremors.
Michael Gross Receiving Best Act Award for Tremors 3
Michael Gross accepting the Best Actor award for his roll in Tremors 3: Back to perfection. This award was presented at the DVD Exclusive Awards in 2001.


At the Video Premiere Awards show October 23rd. 2001, Tremors 3 star Michael Gross was presented with the Best Actor award for DVD and VHS film release.
The “Father” of Short Circuit
Part 1
Part 2
Graboid Tentacle Test
Early Graboid tentacle test. S.S. Wilson takes a grab to the face. Ouch!
Early Graboid Tentacle Test
This is a test of the articulated puppet mechanism which would eventually be used on set as a Tremors Graboid tentacle. Yes, this test scene is shot in reverse.
Early Graboid Tentacle Test – Over Wall and Feel Around
This is a test of the articulated puppet mechanism which would eventually be used on set as a Tremors Graboid tentacle. This is perhaps the most ambitious of the early tests requiring multiple puppeteers to operate the tentacle for this complex series of motions.
Early Graboid Tentacle Test – Feel the Wall
This is a test of the articulated puppet mechanism which would eventually be used on set as a Tremors Graboid tentacle.
Early Graboid Tentacle Test – Basic Squirm
This is a test of the articulated puppet mechanism which would eventually be used on set as a Tremors Graboid tentacle.