Rabid (1977)

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writer:

David Cronenberg (writer)

Release Date:

8 April 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Pray it doesn't happen to you.

Plot:

A young woman develops a taste for human blood after undergoing experimental plastic surgery, and her victims turn into rabid, blood-thirsty zombies who proceed to infect others, which turns into a city-wide epidemic.

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Accident | Vampire | Disaster | Rabies

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Marilyn Chambers	...	Rose
Frank Moore	...	Hart Read
Joe Silver	...	Murray Cypher
Howard Ryshpan	...	Dr. Dan Keloid
Patricia Gage	...	Dr. Roxanne Keloid
Susan Roman	...	Mindy Kent
Roger Periard	...	Lloyd Walsh
Lynne Deragon	...	Nurse Louise
Terry Schonblum	...	Judy Glasberg
Victor Désy	...	Claude LaPointe
Julie Anna	...	Nurse Rita
Gary McKeehan	...	Smooth Eddy
Terence G. Ross	...	Farmer
Miguel Fernandes	...	Man In Cinema
Robert O'Ree	...	Police Sergeant

Also Known As:

Rage (USA)
Überfall der teuflischen Bestien (West Germany) [de]
Coma Profundo (Portugal) [pt]
Kuduz (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Lyssasmenes sta nyhia tou tromou (Greece) [el]
Rabia (Spain) [es]
Rabid - Bete, dass es nicht Dir passiert (Germany) (DVD title) [de]
Rabid - Der brüllende Tod (West Germany) [de]
Rabid, sete di sangue (Italy) [it]
Rage (France) [fr]
Sta nyhia tou tromou (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Verenimijät (Finland) [fi]
Wscieklosc (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Italy:VM14 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Ireland:18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Trivia:

Frank's motorcycle which he restores after Rose's crash is a 750cc Norton Commando.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Hart's car is attacked by a crazy, and a clean-up crew shoots and disposes of it, the cameraman who is shooting the "through the windshield" shots is clearly visible in the back seat of the car.

Quotes:

Murray Cypher: Potato man loves ketchup man.

Movie Connections:

Featured in David Cronenberg: Long Live the New Flesh (1986)

Soundtrack:

Vulcain

Sometimes effective, sometimes dull

This is Cronenberg's disappointing follow-up to the great "Shivers." Once again, the "monster" is a disease that turns the victims into crazies. The underlying subtext that sexual appetite makes you crazy is reinforced by the casting of porn star Marilyn Chambers in the lead role (she's not bad). There are some good scares and some great grotesque images (especially the frozen twisted corpse that was used in the film's poster). But the story is by turns confusing and, until the military is brought in at the end, repetitive. It feels overlong for what it is. Cronenberg had some nice directorial touches--I like the way he uses brightly lit, underpopulated buildings as a backdrop for the horror.