Rabid (1977)
Pray it doesn’t happen to you
Director – David Cronenberg
Writer – David Cronenberg
Starring – Marylin Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Terry Schonblum, Victor Desy, Julia Anna, Gary McKeehan, Terence G Ross, Miguel Fernandez, Robert O’Ree,

Review by The_Void

A delightful little gem
David Cronenberg has made some really good movies and some really bad ones, and Rabid is definitely one of the former! While the film fails as any kind of study, it delivers brilliantly on the gory and exciting horror front! It would appear that Cronenberg wanted this film to be intelligent, and the film comes across as being too brainy to not have a message, but whatever is the message is, I couldn’t see it. However, like I say it doesn’t matter and this movie should be taken for what it actually is; a real good time! Throughout his career, Cronenberg has specialised in the human body being changed and that is what Rabid focuses on. We follow a young couple that are involved in a motorcycle accident. He comes out with minor injuries, but she is massively damaged and ends up in a plastic surgery hospital. After waking up, she finds that, for some reason, she has a thirst for blood and a new body part, which extrudes from her armpit. This lack of explanation may get on some people’s nerves…but not mine!

The make up in Rabid is really great, and although the film isn’t exactly a zombie movie, it certainly could pass for one! Rabid features lots of sequences in which people are attacked by other people and they’re a delight to watch. The movie is also really gory and it’s not cartoon gore either. The gore in Rabid is realistic and heavy, making this film an unpleasant experience if you don’t like that sort of thing. Cronenberg builds lots of tension in the movie, which always ensures that it’s interesting viewing and this is helped by it’s pumping and powerful musical score. Some people have criticised Rabid for being repetitive, and I suppose that it is somewhat; but for every sequence that is repeated, there’s always another piece of genius just around the corner. The film is a long way from perfect, and some suspect acting and a somewhat dull script prove this; but it hardly matters. People that watch this sort of film don’t tune in for good examples of those elements anyway and so they can easily be ignored. On the whole, I give Rabid high recommendations for the horror fan!

Rabid (1977)
Review by Wayne Malin

Grim, repulsive and dull,
Rose (Marilyn Chambers!) and boyfriend Hart (Frank Moore) are in a motorcycle accident. He’s OK but Rose needs surgery. Somehow a doctor cures her but also turns her into a sort of vampire–a phallus-shaped thing comes out of her armpit and sucks blood from people. But it doesn’t kill them…it just turns them rabid.

Sick, deadly serious film from David Cronenberg. With the exception of “The Dead Zone”, I’m not a fan of his work. He seems to enjoy throwing blood and gore into people’s faces. When the film isn’t gory it’s just plain dull. Roses’ need for blood and the parasite are never explained. Also the scenes of people drooling and biting other people are pretty disturbing. There’s also a VERY sick, needless scene in which a department store Santa is accidentally shot to death (in front of a child no less!).

One of the few bright points of this film is Chambers–she gives a surprisingly good performance. Everybody else is horrible especially Moore as her boyfriend…but, to be fair, he DOES do a great job at the end of the movie.

Sick sick sick. Don’t bother.