#RabidMovie

[adamwatchesmovies]

Rabid (2019)

Rabid lasts too long and the excessive running time means it goes on a couple of unnecessary tangents. You certainly can’t fault it for being ambitious, however. It expands on the ideas introduced in David Cronenburg's original film in a way that makes it unpredictable even if you think you know the story.

Hideously disfigured after a road accident, fashion designer Rose (Laura Vandervoort) undergoes an experimental procedure at the Burroughs Clinic. Her doctor (Ted Atherton) warns the medication may cause violent hallucinations and strange cravings. When Rose begins dreaming of feasting on human flesh, is she losing her mind or did her recovery come at an even greater cost than expected?

If you like gore, Rabid has it in spades. Post-accident, Rose’s mangled visage will have you clutching your stomach. You believe she’d take any kind of procedure, no matter how experimental to get back to looking normal. Want body horror? It’s got that too. Rose’s dreams include everything from phallic tentacles to extra rows of teeth. It's hard to tell where reality ends and her nightmares begin, particularly when the Soska Sisters bring on the picture's striking visuals. The color red is particularly well utilized in the Burroughs Clinic's operating room where the doctors start looking more like cultists than medical professionals. You wonder how much of this is real… or you would in theory anyway. Too many scenes where Rose is absent make it clear she's tied to the mysterious, newly-emerged rabies-like epidemic. Those all tell you without a doubt that what’s happening isn’t just a figment of her imagination, which is a missed opportunity.

Despite realizing early on that (like the original) Rabid is a cross between zombie- and body-horror, most of the dream/hallucination stuff works. The fashion world’s bizarre outfits, the dramatic cinematography, and Laura Vanderboort’s transformation from mousey to blonde bombshell all blend together well. There comes a point, however, where the directors do take things a little too far into the realm of weird. Some of what we see feels as though it’s here just because it was in the original Cronenburg film, not because it actually belongs. On the other end of the spectrum, the ending is too complicated and "out there". A straightforward final note would've worked better, even if it might've felt out of place.

With a plot that sometimes feels unfocused, a couple of broadly painted characters, and a little too much crazy sauce, Rabid has plenty of rough patches but overall the end results are appealing in that "yuck!" kinda way. You keep watching - if only to see just how far things will go. For fans of horror, it’s a nice way to mix things up. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 1, 2020)

[noeljpenaflor]

This Review of Rabid (2019) is explains the pink splotches around your genital area but not the burning sensation.

[omarbutt2014]

Rabid (1977) When a young girl is involved in a bike accident, she goes into surgery for skin grafts. However the side effects will leave her with some strange cravings. I like David Cronenberg films, they’re off the cuff, crazy, and a little bit out there and this is no different. The film has some great moments, some brilliant effects and a pretty well paced storyline... to a degree. The problem I have with Rabid is that there’s not really a start or an end. I still have various questions I feel never got answered and the ending is also very vague. Living in the time we do now however with Covid-19, let’s just take a moment to be glad it wasn’t this viral disease! The sound director/editor in this also must have made the easiest money he’s ever made in his/her life! The score is pretty much made up of 2 pieces that are cut and placed all the way throughout in various ways and lengths. Not to say it doesn’t work, but after the 5th time it gets all too familiar! The presentation from @arrowvideo is great, I felt it a little grainy at the start but it soon sorted itself out by about 5 minutes. The film is dual-format and comes on Blu Ray and DVD with a collectors booklet! Reading the booklet provides valuable information in cultural affairs around the time of the film and helps give a deeper understanding of surrounding areas. Overall, Rabid is a film that is inventive and consistent. It offers some great ideas, and is a chaotic epidemic story. It falls short in delving deeper into its story, but it’s a fun watch! Watched Rabid? What was your thoughts?! #Rabid #Rabid1977 #RabidMovie #RabidReview #RabidMovieReview #Rabid1977Review #Omareviews #DavidCronenberg #MarilynChambers #CultMovie #CultHorror #SciFiHorror #1977 #70sMovies #Cinephile #FollowForReviews #Horror #HorrorMovies #Epidemic #EpidemicMovie #VenerealDisease https://www.instagram.com/p/B_VPFYQFbgN/?igshid=1iq78y0wrs8oe

[theremightbecupcakespodcast]

Thank you, @redbox. After some difficult work on my disability case allllll day, some fun is warranted. Let the @soskasisters @womeninhorrormonth romp begin! The very first line is “Why do we keep remaking old trends?” Well played. ♥️ This is going to be so much fun and so much stress relief. #horror #horrormovies #rabidmovie #soskasisters #jensoska #sylviasoska #womeninhorrormonth #horrorfan #horrormovie #horrorfilms #horrorfamily #canadianhorror #homebound #chronicillness #chronicpain #beyourownheroine #EDS #hypermobility #fibro #fibromyalgia #POTS #spoonielife #spoonie #zebra #zebralife #spooniestrong #zebrastrong #youdontlooksick #dysautonomia #mcas https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Aab1cAsqS/?igshid=14rb6iqittxbl

[thezenless]

Not a bad haul of movies today... #nightofthelivingdead1968 #rabidmovie #zombieland #bloodbathmovies #theinvitationmovie #zenlesspopcorn #moviebloggerslife https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Nxt8BgvkQ/?igshid=vblnex9agc0k

[teasertrailer]

Rabid - movie first look and posters: https://teaser-trailer.com/movie/rabid/

starring Laura Vandervoort, C.M. Punk, Benjamin Hollingsworth

#Rabid #RabidMovie #LauraVandervoort

[adamwatchesmovies]

Rabid (1977)

Even when David Cronenberg was in his filmmaking infancy and stitching together seemingly disparate concepts, he was still making compelling cinema. In many ways, the rough edges of Rabid - along with Marilyn Chambers - make it worth seeing, particularly for horror connoisseur.

Hideously scarred in a motorcycle accident in the Quebec countryside, Rose (Chambers) is brought to the nearby Keloid Clinic for Plastic Surgery, where Dr. Dan Keloid (Howard Ryshpan) performs an experimental procedure on her charred skin. When she awakens, Rose develops a thirst for blood and her victims become zombie-like ghouls. Upon learning of the growing epidemic, Rose’s boyfriend, Hart (Frank Moore) decides to come to her rescue, unaware of her role in the calamity.

How skin grafts could lead to a new strain of the rabies virus that threatens all of Montreal - and perhaps even the world - I’m not certain. I won’t complain, not when the mashup is as bizarrely entertaining as this. We’ve seen many zombie movies few crossed with an erotic body-horror plot like Rabid. At the time, Chambers was better known for her adult film career, which makes her kills even more… uncomfortable? captivating? I’m not sure. I would’ve loved to have seen the twisted faces of those who went to the theater, expecting another Behind the Green Door. When she jumps onto her victims, the attack looks uncannily like demented sex scenes gone wrong. When you see the mutation she’s developed, it’s delightfully unsettling. The men (and women) she approaches scream as she penetrates them. Out of context, you might think they were both having an intense climax. It contrasts well with the close-ups of Rose’s mutation. Yuck!

Rabid does a lot with its limited budget. It puts the money where it needs to be, and in a scene where just a hint of horror is enough, Cronenberg knows exactly how much to show. Despite the somewhat unfocused plot, there are a lot of great scenes and good tension when we’re focussing on Rose and her boyfriend or on the authorities trying to contain the epidemic she’s spawned.

If you're interested in this 1977 picture, it's probably so you can complete your Cronenberg filmography or because the 2020 remake has piqued your curiosity. I can see Rabid striking a chord with certain audiences. Sometimes, you like seeing the early drafts of what will later turn out to be a big career. I’m not certain I’d revisit it frequently but it was fun to see and the more I dwell on it, the more I like Rabid. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 1, 2020)

[noeljpenaflor]

This Review of Rabid (2019) explains the pink splotches around your genital area but not the burning sensation.