Obituaries are uncomfortable to write at the best of times. It’s only tougher when you realise how little you actually knew about the person in question. But while the late Leonardo Cimino may not exactly be a household name, mention Scary German Guy and there should be more than a few ears pricking up from Monster Squad fanatics like myself. The role may have been small, but it gave the film a huge injection of soul, helping elevate The Monster Squad from mere B-movie status to something truly dear to the hearts of many.
Scary German Guy was a little snippet of harsh reality in the midst of so much nonsensical, fantastic fun. A local oddbod outsider, he is feared by the Monster Squad kids – at least in part hanging on to post-war prejudices which still lingered in the 80s (alas, even to this day) – but the only one they know who can help them when they need Van Helsing’s diary translated. Once they are introduced, it transpires that while he may be an old German guy, he is anything but scary, happily assisting the boys in their endeavours; indeed, we might say it really is he that saves the day, as little Phoebe could not have recited the mystic incantation to open a hole to limbo if he didn’t feed her every word first. The masterstroke, of course, is the brief moment that reveals him to be a Holocaust survivor: as an impressed Horace tells him, “you sure know a lot about monsters,” he sighs and responds, ”now that you mention it, I suppose I do,” and as he closes the door we see the concentration camp tattoo on his forearm. Seeing this as a kid and asking my parents what it meant was, to the best of my recollection, how I first learnt about the Holocaust. No, the film doesn’t go into the matter in detail, but it opens the door on the subject; this is definitely of benefit to younger viewers, and serves as a poignant reminder to all of us that, beyond vampires and werewolves and all the other make-believe monsters, there are very real horrors in this world. As a World War 2 veteran who fought at Normandy, this is without doubt something Cimino himself was well aware of.
Having made it to the impressive of age of 94 when he passed away last week, with a career on stage and screen dating back to the 40s – with film and TV credits including roles in V, Dune, Waterworld and last but not least Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead – I’m well aware Leonardo Cimino did a lot more in his life, and meant a great deal more to a great many people than just being some old bloke who was in an 80s monster movie. But that little part in that little film made a major impact on myself, and I daresay every other Monster Squad fan out there. For this, I will always be grateful. My heart goes out to the friends and family he leaves behind.
