We associate Tom Hanks with many things: talking cowboy dolls, precognitive death row guards, an illegal Dutch immigrant that brought Elvis to the top of the world, Forrest Gump… the list goes on. But no one would ever think to associate the legendary leading man with horror films as, for all the acting chops Hanks possesses, it just doesn’t feel right.
But Hanks hasn’t left those waters entirely uncharted. In 1989 Hanks fronted the cast of The ‘Burbs, a black comedy horror that, despite debuting at the top spot of the box office race during its opening weekend, has quietly faded into obscurity.
However, the internet has a way of injecting life back into just about anything and the masses of r/horror have gathered to grant The ‘Burbs some healthy reappraisal.
By the looks of the responses, those of us not in the know missed out as the film quotes in the thread boast a powerful whimsy:
One user offered up a reason for the film’s lackluster presence in the public conscience, despite loving the film themselves:
And another responder even drew comparisons to Stranger Things, suggesting that the film isn’t unlike the hypothetical scenario of Ted Wheeler having to fight against the Upside Down:
Just when you think you’ve found all the good Tom Hanks movies, outliers like The ‘Burbs come along and catch you by surprise. Given the response we’ve seen from this thread alone, we think this is one to add to the library.
