The below article is about the movie Tremors; for other uses of the term see Tremor

Tremors is a fictional movie set in Perfection, Nevada. In the movie, the tiny town suddenly comes under attack by six giant, subterranean worm-like creatures that would later be called a Graboids. The citizens of the town, led by handymen Valentine McKee (played by Kevin Bacon) and Earl Bassett (Fred Ward), are forced to defend themselves from the predatory monsters, which are able to learn very quickly, but can only track prey by sound. Among the citizens is Burt Gummer (Michael Gross), who is obsessed with military technology and tactics, which came extremely handy in helping the people of the town survive.

The movie has two sequels, a prequel and a spinoff series on the SciFi Channel.

In the second movie, Tremors 2: Aftershocks, Earl Bassett and Burt Gummer are hired by a Mexican oil company to defeat the local Graboids that have recently moved in. The Graboids have had time to eat and grow, however and enter the next phase of their development, a walking animal with a heat sensor instead of a sound sense. They reproduce asexually by eating sufficient food, and as such are extremely dangerous. This new life-stage is later named Shrieker.

In the third movie, Tremors 3: Back to Perfection, the Graboids have returned to Perfection after 11 years. The citizens must again defend themselves. Unfortunately, the Graboids become Shriekers by the time anything can be done since the geophone sensors have been unpowered due to lack of maintenance and interference from the United States Department of the Interior. In another unfortunate turn, there is one albino Graboid that cannot transform into Shrieker, and Burt and the fellow citizens who are helping him hunt the Shriekers are kept trapped on a rock overnight by "El Blanco", the white Graboid. After escaping, they find that yet another phase of the Graboid life cycle is loose... one that can mix volatile chemicals to rocket off the ground and can glide around for a while. This life cycle became known as an "Ass Blaster" after their method of propulsion.

After this, a series based in Perfection which premiered on SciFi March 28, 2003. "El Blanco" is alive still, protected by the endangered species act, and the citizens are dodging a land developer and eminent domain with the unwilling help of a DOI agent assigned to the valley. Odd events seem to be attracted to the valley, and many run-ins with Graboid spawn as well as mutated gene-spliced creatures created by a chemical used in a secret government lab that was in the valley in the past, but the chemical ("Mix-Master") has now leaked. The chemical doesn't affect humans, but it spreads throughout the environment and creates dangerous mutant bacteria, insects and other animals. As a result, the valley is a magnet for tourists, who are thrilled with the danger. Nevertheless, an inordinate number of guests end up dead. Luckily Burt and the citizens of Perfection are able to keep the monstrosities at bay. Though it came very close to meeting its ratings goals, the chances of the show having a second season seem very slim.

The fourth movie, Tremors 4: The Legend Begins is a prequel showing the first attack of the Graboids in the valley in the year 1889. Michael Gross plays Burt Gummer’s great-grandfather, Hiram Gummer.

The Tremors Series

• Tremors (1990)
• Tremors II: Aftershocks (1996)
• Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001)
• Tremors: The Series (2003)
• Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004)

External links

• Tremors 4
• SCIFI.COM – Tremors
• International Tremors Fans
• Tremors Underground Forum
• Tremors II: Aftershocks at the Internet Movie Database
• Tremors 3: Back to Perfection at the Internet Movie Database
• Tremors: The Series at the Internet Movie Database
• Tremors 4: The Legend Begins at the Internet Movie Database