Willard (2003)

Director:

Glen Morgan

Writers (WGA):

Glen Morgan (screenplay)
Gilbert Ralston (1971 screenplay)

Release Date:

14 March 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A new breed of friendship

Plot:

A young man with an unusual connection with rats, uses them at his own sociopathic will.

Plot Keywords:

Cruel Boss | Eaten Alive By Rats | Remake | Rat | Based On Adaptation

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Crispin Glover	...	Willard
R. Lee Ermey	...	Mr. Martin
Laura Harring	...	Cathryn (as Laura Elena Harring)
Jackie Burroughs	...	Mrs. Stiles
Kim McKamy	...	Ms. Leach (as Kimberly Patton)
William S. Taylor	...	Mr. Garter
Edward Horn	...	Colquitt
Gus Lynch	...	George Foxx
Laara Sadiq	...	Janice Mantis
David Parker	...	Detective Boxer
Ty Olsson	...	Officer Salmon

Also Known As:

Willard (Spain) [es]
Willard (France) [fr]
Willard (Germany) [de]
Willard (Finland) (DVD title) [fi]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for terror/violence, some sexual content and language.

Runtime:

USA:100 min | UK:96 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (NO. 39665) | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Lion's Gate Studios, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

When Cathryn brings over her ginger cat to cheer Willard up, the cat is named Scully. Glen Morgan and James Wong served as long-time writers/producers on "The X Files" (1993).

Goofs:

Continuity: When the rats are tearing the newspaper, the amount of damage to it is inconsistent. At one point they've torn all the way through the blue banner at the top of the page; later it is whole again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Willard's Mother: Willard! There are rats in the basement!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in May All Your Christmases Be Black (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Ben

Macabre fairy tale. Very atmospheric!!

Glen Morgan's Willard isn't your ordinary mainstream remake! Unlike the bombastic and computerized money-making films like …oh, I don't know Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 13 Ghosts and Dawn of the Dead who're merely loud updates of classic horrific tales. Willard is a modest and respectful production that lays the stress on atmosphere and scenery instead of gory effects and good-looking young flesh. Willard is the tale of an extremely introvert middle-aged man (lives with his needy mother, no girlfriend, stuck in a hopeless job) who discover his ability to control and command little rodents…rats in particular. By communicating with these rats, he finally discovers what friendship feels like and it also gives him the opportunity to satisfy his deepest feelings of anger and vengeance towards his boss – Frank Martin. But the mob of rats slowly turns against Willard as he doesn't treat them alike. Thanks to the depressing scenery (Willard's old house, the morbid factory) and the under-exposure at times, Willard often looks like a 40's chiller! There's a good and constant variation of tension and sadistic humor, with the cat-chase as the absolute highlight to state this. Crispin Glover – the man with the most incomprehensible cult following in the film industry – is brilliantly cast as Willard. His goofy – yet spooky – charisma fits his character really well. R. Lee Ermey receives the change to be his old boisterous self again as the dreary factory-owner who's out to destroy Willard life. To conclude the cast, Laura Harding is very charming as the understanding and helpful Cathryn. This film may not show as many bloodshed and eccentric slaughtering as the nowadays public demands, but it surely made an impression on me. Willard is a very atmospheric and often frightening horror storytelling with some adorable fairy-tale aspects and playfully imaginative aspects. Highly recommended. I saw this film at a during a festival-night…after a series of gory slashers. The over-enthusiast public didn't appreciate it that much but I trust in the fact that Willard will build up a solid cult reputation.