Movie Review: Rabid (1977 and 2019)

Rabid (1977) *** ½ / *****

Directed by: David Cronenberg.

Written by: David Cronenberg.

Starring: 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).

 

Rabid (2019) *** / *****

Directed by: Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska.

Written by: John Serge and Jen Soska & Sylvia Soska.

Starring: Laura Vandervoort (Rose), Benjamin Hollingsworth (Brad Hart), Ted Atherton (Dr. William Burroughs), Hanneke Talbot (Chelsea), Stephen Huszar (Dominic), Mackenzie Gray (Gunter), Stephen McHattie (Dr. Keloid), Kevin Hanchard (Dr. Riley), Heidi von Palleske (Dr. Elliot), Joel Labelle (Trent Taylor), C.M. Punk (Billy), Edie Inksetter (Dr. Beverly), Tristan Risk (Nurse Dana / Cynthia Creature), Sylvia Soska (Bev), Jen Soska (Ellie).

 

David Cronenberg’s second film, Rabid, is not one of his best. Like many of his pre-Videodrome (1983) films, it is Cronenberg still working through how to connect all his different obsessions – weird sex, body horror, psychology, identity, all into a genre film and the results are mixed. I don’t think it’s quite as good as his debut – Shivers (1975) and certainly isn’t as good as its follow-up, The Brood (1979) – but I do prefer all three to his first foray into bigger budget films – Scanners (1981). Cronenberg isn’t overly interested in his main character in Rabid – Rose, played by adult film star Marilyn Chambers. Along with her boyfriend, Hart (Frank Moore), she is involved in a motorcycle accident in the opening moments of the film, and ends up at a nearby plastic surgery clinic – and ends up having an experimental treatment done. It does work out quite as they expected – as the strange treatments have caused her to develop a new organ – a small stinger that emerges from her armpit, and can be used to suck human blood – the only thing that will keep her alive. She is patient zero in an epidemic that descends upon Montreal – martial law is declared, and Hart tries to save her – and she tries to prove she isn’t the monster she is.

 

There is room for improvement in Cronenberg’s film – which is the kind of pleasingly bizarre 1970s horror film that would likely mostly be forgotten by now had it not been an early film in the career of a master like Cronenberg – and one that so clearly shows the obsessions he would indulge for the rest of his career. The Soska sisters, Jen and Sylvia, should therefore had plenty of room to play with Cronenberg’s premise. Their remake though strangely seems to both kind of expand and contract Cronenberg’s original. They are clearly fans of Cronenberg – there are references here to many of Cronenberg’s movies, from Dead Ringers to Naked Lunch to The Fly, and probably others. Yet, the also are clearly not slaves to Cronenberg’s earlier film either – there is certainly some connective tissue here, but they have basically gone completely their own way.

 

Some of those changes work, other not so much. The biggest problem with the film is probably its first act – which basically takes 30 minutes to accomplish what Cronenberg does in 30 seconds. They clearly want their main character, Rose (Laura Vandervroot) to be a more complete character than Cronenberg’s, and they want to establish her world – she works for a fashion designer, her foster sister is a model, but poor Rose is a wallflower – which leads to one of the most ridiculous “hot girl isn’t hot because she’s wearing glasses” I have ever seen in the movie. I’m not sure I love the fashion industry stuff here – it seems too easy a target, and the film doesn’t even go as far as say The Neon Demon does – but they clearly want a more focused film than Cronenberg’s.

 

For me, that took a while to get used to – because Cronenberg’s depiction of Montreal slowly descending into chaos – the society wide outlook of that film – is really the reason to watch it. Chambers isn’t a particularly good actress – she excels in a few scenes (seducing that guy in the adult theater, writing around on the floor in pain) – but she doesn’t have much range. The Soska sister clearly just aren’t interested in that here.

 

But the remake gets better as it goes along, as it begins to focus on the changes to Rose, and the strange doctor – named Dr. William Burroughs (Ted Atherton). The climax becomes bloody, disturbing, disgusting. While the ending of this film is completely different than the ending of Cronenberg’s – they stay true to the downbeat, depressing nature of the ending.

 

Overall, it’s interesting to revisit one of Cronenberg’s earliest films. It remains interesting, but mainly for what it would setup for his future career. It’s also interesting to see the Soska’s sisters film – an early film in what hopefully will be a great career. They have the chops to make a great film – this one just isn’t it.