Rabid [Fullscreen]

Introductory note: I'm pretty sure there's a legal requirement to refer to the star of this film as "porn star Marilyn Chambers"; there may have been a statute of limitations on mentioning "star of Behind the Green Door and Insatiable", some time after the last VHS copies disappeared from circulation. Ms Chambers acts as well as anyone in this low budget contagion-horror, and has at least three topless scenes. So that's that out of the way.Rose (Chambers) suffers burns in a motorcycle accident. She is rushed to the handily nearby private plastic surgery hospital, the Keloid Clinic (named after lead surgeon Dr Keloid, not because they specialise in reducing unsightly scars). She has skin grafts which are subject to some kind of irradiation, which gives the grafts a stem cell-like ability to adapt to the location to which they're grafted (or something), the key facts being that this is an experimental procedure which carries a risk of "tumours". The unexpected side effect Rose suffers is to grow a little vagina under her left armpit, from which a little penis with a spike emerges, with which she is compelled to drain human blood for nutrition; ordinary food causes her to vomit. The victims suffer amnesia, and within a few hours start to bleed and froth at the mouth and start biting the nearest person, i.e. they become zombies, until they expire altogether a few hours later again. Those who are bitten carry the contagion, and so on.The DVD had the grainy, washed-out quality of cheap film stock transferred onto VHS and then digitised, which adds its own kind of atmosphere. Performances were generally wooden, with Ms Chambers, her boyfriend and her best friend slightly better than the others. Despite the rockingly trashy premise, the film was slow to get going, and until about the half way mark, I wondered if an exploitation film starring a porn actress who attacked her victims with a little spiky penis was somehow only going to offer conceptual pleasures. Escape velocity was eventually achieved, and the latter half of Rabid had both some genuinely creepy and suspenseful scenes, as when one of the hospital employees returns home to find his infant missing and bloodstains in the nursery, and crowd-pleasing set pieces, including a zombie attack on a subway train, and another at a shopping mall after the imposition of martial law, where a Santa gets caught in the crossfire. Also, there's a mild rape-revenge theme (it's an exploitation film thematic bonanza), where one actual attempted rapist in a cow shed (just after Rose discovers that the blood of non-human mammals just won't do) and two creeps in a (porno) cinema and a mall get what's coming to them.Rose's boyfriend drives through Montreal trying to find her, and his car is attacked by a zombie. An army sniper stationed on a garbage truck shoots the frothing assailant off the front of the car, and two men in Hazmat suits remove the body and spray the car windscreen with some sterilising fluid, in what my wife identified as a tribute to Canada's universal health care system.Come for the trash, stay for the technical accomplishment and the lesson in film history.

I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Marilyn Chambers. I will always remember her excellent performance in David Cronenberg's science fiction horror classic "Rabid." If only she had starred in more horror films of the same caliber. Marilyn would've made an excellent scream queen. She reminds me of Jamie Lee Curtis. Both young women had that wholesome, pure girl-next-door look. The type of girl you'd love to ask to your senior prom or take on a motorcycle ride through the countryside. Rose (Marilyn Chambers) is badly burned in a motorcycle accident. She is rushed to the nearby Keloid Institute where she undergoes experimental skin grafts. Unfortunately, as in many of Cronenberg's films ("Shivers," "The Brood," "Scanners," and "The Fly"), the treatment has dangerous side effects; Rose experiences a mutation. In her armpit, she develops a needle-like protuberance. She awakens from a coma with an insatiable thirst for blood and commences seducing and attacking men around her, inflicting them with a Rabies-like virus. The incubation period is short and soon these men become crazed lunatics, foaming at the mouth and biting anyone near them. The virus spreads like wild fire and all of Montreal is in danger of becoming rabid. "Rabid" has a very suspenseful, terrifying plot. It belongs in the same genre as the end-of-the-world films where a mutating virus threatens to destroy all of mankind as in the classic "Omega Man" and the modern "27 Days Later." It does not have the look and feel of a low budget film. There is a lot of violence, the type you would find in a zombie film such as "Dawn of the Dead." There is mass hysteria on the subways and at the malls as people are attacked and bitten. Soldiers shoot those who have been infected. At the end, soldiers in white decontamination suits are seen gathering up the dead. Like many of the horror films in the seventies, "Rabid" does not have a happy, cheerful ending. It is rather bleak and disturbing. I must praise Somerville House for releasing an excellent DVD package of "Rabid." It is presented in a crisp, clear widescreen format with excellent audio. There is an interesting, informative interview with Cronenberg who explains how he came to cast Marilyn Chambers despite critics complaining that his first film, "Shivers," was pornographic. Her filmography is also provided on the DVD. Despite all of her other films, I will always remember Marilyn as the star of "Rabid."

After a motorcycle crash, Rose, played by Marilyn Chambers, riding pillion, is taken to a nearby clinic, which is doing research in plastic surgery. After an operation for a skin graft, she develops a thirst for blood. Blood being her only food. One by one, she feeds off her victims who in turn develops rabies, and goes on to infect others, resulting in a widespread epidemic.There have been some negative reviews about other versions of this film. This is a brand new transfer, and is presented on blu ray for the first time. The colour grading has been redone, and the review on bluray.com criticizes the colours in some scenes. I did not find any major problems with any of the colours in any scenes. There is some grain evident in the transfer particularly at the beginning, but I suspect that this is how it looked when originally released to cinemas, so no problem. Arrow have provided a reversible sleeve, which has the artwork for the original poster. (Which is better than the new commissioned artwork). This version also comes with a dvd copy.Picture Quality is good, with natural flesh tones, from a clean print. The original aspect ratio of this film is 1.85:1. This blu ray transfer is in 1.78:1, which is the equivalent to a 16x9 tv screen, and an almost identical ratio to 1.85:1 so there is almost no picture loss, if any. The sound is in the original mono.This is the best this film is ever going to look, so if you are a fan of David Cronenburg, or just want this film, buy this version.FOOTNOTE: This review is for Arrow's blu ray release, not prism's dvd release, as Amazon has put it under.

I've always thought that David Cronenberg is either hit or miss, thankfully he has had many hits than misses in my opinion. Rabid I feel was a missed opportunity. For the most part the movie works much like the plot of his other and better project SHIVERS where one person gets infected and then spreads their disease and the general public go nuts. Marilyn Chambers ex porn star does a fine job here and looks gorgeous. The story whilst silly, still works and the claustrophobic atmosphere oozes classic Cronenberg. For me though this is a movie that has a beginning, middle but no ending. At best the climax is just unsatisfactory and it seemed like Cronenberg wasn't too sure how to end this one. Rabid is good and there is an underrated performance by Chambers on screen boyfriend Frank Moore. Ivan Reitman who would go on to huge Hollywood sucess produces.

love Cronenberg and Chambers. this movie is wicked to say least. must have it in my collection. thank you black label 101

An early film by Cronenberg. Quite exciting and thrilling. Yet the spread of the so called 'rabid' in the film reminds me of the zombies in Romero's classics (e.g. The Night of the Living Dead, The Dawn of the Dead, etc). Was Cronenberg inspired by Romero?

Product arrived on time. Artwork, and quality of DVD transfer, outstanding. This is the best transfer out there for this move. Acting over the top, here and there, but still an excellent late night move. Hope more of the old horror trips, are at this level of quality.