Some individuals are considering restarting a mine in northwest Colorado that had been closed for seven decades—a closure that turned out to be justified as people began dying in gruesome ways. "The Boogens” (1981) is a small-town monster movie reminiscent of films like “Without Warning” (1980), “The Being” (1981), the later “The Nest” (1987), and “Slugs” (1988), all drawing inspiration from “The Blob” (1958). The production cost a mere $600,000, which is impressive given the limitations. The snowy Rocky Mountain setting is a real asset, and Anne-Marie Martin delivers a striking performance as Jess; she’s likely familiar to viewers from her part in the “Twiki is Missing” episode of "Buck Rogers" the previous year. Rebecca Balding portrays what initially seems like a secondary character as Trish, but it turns out she has a more substantial role. She and the director developed a romantic relationship on set and married shortly after filming wrapped up in February 1981. They remained together until her death from ovarian cancer in July 2022. The initial premise is strong, however, the filmmakers mishandle things toward the end when a significant character disappears from the story, which diminishes the impact of the final twenty minutes. Fortunately, the creature effects are well-executed; while the monster looks somewhat endearing once it's revealed, its open mouth is genuinely frightening. I’ve heard that "the boogens" was a term used by miners to describe the anxiety some experience after working too long underground. However, screenwriter David O'Malley actually invented the word, basing it on “boogeyman.” He originally planned to title the film "The Boogeyman," but another movie with that name came out in 1980 while he was still writing the script; this is why the title ended up as it is. The film’s running time is approximately one hour and thirty minutes, and filming took place in Park City, Utah, which is roughly 125 miles from the northwest corner of Colorado and about 24 miles east of Salt Lake City. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB