Writer-director David Cronenberg’s deeply shocking, decadent and disturbing fourth movie, the 1977 film Rabid [Rage], is one of the key horror films of the Seventies. The film stars American pornographic actress Marilyn Chambers, making a successful transition to mainstream projects.
The Canadian independent body horror film centres on accident victim Rose Miller (Marilyn Chambers), who is injured and burned in a road accident and then undergoes experimental radical plastic surgery, which results in her becoming the host for a deadly parasite that lives in a slit in her armpit.
Rose awakens from her coma a month later and realises she needs to feed with blood and her victims become blood-thirsty zombie-like creatures.
When she comes into sexual contact with anyone, she infects them with a disease that causes them to become rabid and attack everyone they meet. Eventually the whole of Montreal succumbs to the virus in a city-wide epidemic, and martial law is imposed.
Rabid is an apocalyptic vision of death that is spread by an innocent carrier who remains uncomprehending despite the destruction that follows her every kiss.
Even with its schlock-style premise, touches of black humour and the presence of former sex-cinema star Chambers, this is an extremely dark film, with distress and loneliness to the fore, and, like most of Cronenberg’s work, should be viewed with caution.
It runs 91 minutes, cut from 94 minutes.
It won Best Screenplay and Best Special Effects (Al Griswold) at the Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival (1977).
The film was one of Canada’s highest-grossing films, taking $1 million at the box office in Canada on a budget of $530,000.
Also in the cast are Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman and Howard Ryshpan, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Terry Schonblum, Victor Désy, Julie Anna, Gary McKeehan, Miguel Fernandes, Robert O’Ree and Terence G Ross.
Cronenberg had difficulty writing the script because of the broad nature of the film’s city setting. One morning he told producer John Dunning: ‘I just woke up and realised this is nuts. Do you know what this movie’s about? This woman grows a cock thing in her armpit and sucks people’s blood through it. It’s ridiculous! I can’t do this. It’s not going to work.’
Rabid [Rage] is directed by David Cronenberg, runs 91 minutes, is made by Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Cinema Entertainment Enterprises, Cinépix Film Properties (CFP), Dunning/Link/Reitman Productions and Famous Players, is released by Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1977) (Canada), New World Pictures (1977) (US) and Alpha Films (1977) (UK), is written by David Cronenberg, is shot by René Verzier (Eastmancolor), is produced by John Dunning, Don Carmody (co-producer), Ivan Reitman (executive producer) and André Link (executive producer), is scored by Ivan Reitman (music supervisor), and is designed by Claude Marchand.
Cronenberg wanted Sissy Spacek to star after seeing her in Badlands, but the studio vetoed her because of her Texan accent and freckles. Spacek’s hit film Carrie was released during this film’s production and a movie poster for it appears when Chambers walks past a cinema. Producer Ivan Reitman suggested porn star Marilyn Chambers after hearing that she was looking for a mainstream role. Cronenberg later said he was impressed by Chambers and her work ethic.
It follows Cronenberg’s films Stereo, Crimes of the Future, and Shivers.
A remake of Rabid, directed by Jen and Sylvia Soska, was released in 2019.
© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,514
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