Spontaneous Combustion (1989) | 31 Days of Gore

In 1955 a married couple are subjected to radiation experiments. After giving birth to a perfectly healthy child, the couple mysteriously burst into flames. Thirty-four years later, the boy is now a man named Sam. Sam (Bradley Douriff) is a school teacher who’s going through a nasty divorce when he notices people who even remotely piss him off have a tendency to spontaneously combust. The first batch of these deaths takes place off screen, leading you to believe the film may be all bark and no play, but the way the mystery unravels is sufficiently engaging.

It won’t be long until Sam is violently venting jets of fire from his body uncontrollably. The way he screams, combined with the roaring sound effects, is violent and impactful. The fear of burning is one of the most potent fears a human can have, but somehow it’s underrepresented in horror films. When Hooper combines that fear with body horror, you get something you haven’t seen before.

The movie ultimately becomes so unhinged I can’t help but wonder how Tobe Hooper, such a mild-mannered film director, churned out so many far out ideas. Spontaneous Combustion reminds me of his earlier Cannon feature, Lifeforce. As he did in that picture, Hooper slathers on the optical effects as the plot careens into spectacular madness. Too many horror movies take care to compartmentalize the action so that it can be filmed in cheap, bite-sized chunks. In this film, the action goes big.

With so much going on, this movie didn’t need a human villain. I probably would have complained if a lesser director attempted it, but Hooper gives us a bad guy who’s briefly involved yet low key terrifying. I don’t want to give away which of the characters it is—not because it’s a major spoiler, but because I hope more people discover the movie organically. I will say that he employs methods fitting of his profession and one of his scenes reminds me of that chilling murder in Michael Clayton.

Spontaneous Combustion is not quite as visual as Lifeforce, but I think I prefer it? It takes a preposterous concept and successfully grounds it in a frightening way. The performances are all strong, particularly from leading lady Cynthia Bain, and Brad Douriff has the uncanny ability to swing for the fences without chewing the scenery. He’d done one Child’s Play film by the time this one got made and it’s fun hearing him occasionally slip into Chucky’s voice at times of fiery distress. If a boutique distributor cranked out a fresh restoration and a brand new trailer, the film might obtain the cult status it deserves.