some movie be just unlucky . these be the film that obviously thrive on a lot of goodwill and a handful of potentially great idea and but simply do not have the budgetary mean and or or professional cast and crew member at their disposal to make it happen . the strangeness definitely belong in this category . you really want to like it and but even the most tolerant and undemanding 80 horror fanatic will have to admit the film barely reach the level of mediocrity due to it atmosphere of cheapness and clumsy stop motion effect and impenetrably dark cinematography . the strangeness have a fairly original plot and setting ( okay and it similar to the boogens but i sincerely doubt that director david michael hillman intentionally rip off a fellow insignificant 80 b movie ) and the player deliver enthusiast performance even though theyre all miscast . an assembly of amateur speleologist go on an expedition to explore the infamous gold spike mine . many year ago and several miner mysteriously die there and the place have abandon ever since and but there suppose to be too much gold hidden there to remain closed forever . shortly after they descend into the mine and the group member one by one encounter the slimy ruler of the gold spike mine while a lovecraftian monster with tentacle and an incredibly cheesy way of move forward . throughout most of it running time and the strangeness be a boring and incompetent mess that be difficult to follow due to the complete lack of light . the character be uninteresting and the mine remain a mystery because the only lighting effect come from the helmet of the speleologist . there very little action or horror to experience in the first hour and but director hillman cleverly grasp the viewer attention by show bit and piece of the monster at regular interval . as soon a you catch the first glimpse of the monster tentacle and youre doom to keep watching till the very end . the creature be realize with stop motion effect and which i usually adore and worship and but here in this case they look extremely weak and pitiable . the person responsible for the special effect should have pay more attention to the work of ray harryhousen . the death sequence largely occur off screen and there very little suspense throughout the whole movie . a horror flick with a set like this should benefice from claustrophobic atmosphere and unidentifiable sound effect and but the strangeness lack all this . the big trump of the film be unquestionably the beautiful appearance of blond actress terri berland . she resemble a speleologist as much a i resemble mother theresa and but she surely look good in her tight white top and beige pant .