It Lives Again

Last updated
It Lives Again
It Lives Again poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Larry Cohen
Written byLarry Cohen
Produced byLarry Cohen
Starring Frederic Forrest
Kathleen Lloyd
John P. Ryan
John Marley
Andrew Duggan
Eddie Constantine
CinematographyFenton Hamilton
Edited byCurtis Burch
Louis G. Friedman
Carol Oblath
Music byThemes:
Bernard Herrmann
Orchestration and Conduction:
Laurie Johnson
Production
company
Larco Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • May 10, 1978 (1978-05-10)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.5 million (US-Canada rentals) [1]

It Lives Again (also known as It's Alive II) is a 1978 American science fiction horror film written, produced and directed by Larry Cohen. It is the sequel to the 1974 film It's Alive . The film stars Frederic Forrest, Kathleen Lloyd, John P. Ryan, John Marley, Andrew Duggan and Eddie Constantine. The film was released by Warner Bros. on May 10, 1978. [2] This was followed by a 1987 sequel It's Alive III: Island of the Alive .

Contents

Plot

Frank Davis, still reeling from the death of his child and the part he played in it, sees his chance to atone by assisting other would-be parents of mutant children. He tries to warn soon-to-be parents Jody and Eugene Scott of the conspiracy to murder their baby and the other unborn mutant children who are being born around the country. They are convinced when they are met by Mallory and a strong force of police officers at the hospital as Jody is about to go into labor. She is rescued by Frank from the maternity ward before she goes into labor. The baby is delivered in a truck specially constructed for this purpose. They elude the people going after them.

The baby is placed with two others in a secluded confine for observation by the doctors Frank has been working with. Frank informs a skeptical Eugene about the special bond the babies have with their parents. Despite seemingly to adjust slightly to society, they take advantage of an opportunity to escape and begin wreaking havoc. While one of the other babies attacks Eugene in the pool, the Scott baby corners Jody with intentions unclear until Frank arrives to defuse the situation. Frank discovers a homing device placed in Jody's purse by her mother before taking the baby to safety. On his way in the woods, Frank is stopped by a night watchman, whose flashlight spooks the previously calm baby, and it attacks and kills Frank in an attempt to escape.

Mallory is revealed to be the father of the monster baby born in Seattle, and convinces a recovering Eugene and Jody. Through a homing device placed in Jody's purse by her mother, Mallory and his people track Jody to the place in Los Angeles where her baby is taken. The baby also finds them and Jody calms a frightened Eugene as the baby only came to be a part of the family, just as Frank had said. Mallory enters with the intent to kill the baby, but it attacks him first, forcing Eugene to shoot it to save Mallory's life.

Eugene goes up to expectant couples in the street to warn them and offer his help, just as Frank Davis did to him.

Cast

Reception

Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote: "Shot for shot, performance for performance, non-scare for non-scare, 'It Lives Again' surpasses the tackiness of the original, perhaps because the new work has three monster-babies instead of one." [2] A contemporary review published in Variety reads: "Though this is all so much silliness, Cohen effectively uses a good cast topped by Frederic Forrest and Kathleen Lloyd to build up suspense for the growling, slashing attacks by the terrible tykes." [3]

Tom Milne of The Monthly Film Bulletin praised the performances in the film, called the action sequences "sometimes superb," but writing that "the film's ideas, notably the suggestion that the mutants may be nature's answer to the problem of survival in a polluted world, are never really developed." [4] A review published by TV Guide gave the film 3 stars out of 5, reading: "Once again Cohen uses his outrageous premise to explore with insight the fabric of American family life, power structures, and social mores--addressing such topics as corporate abuse of the public trust, abortion, and government omnipotence." [5]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 53% based on 15 reviews, with an average score of 4.9 out of 10. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Hospital</i> 1971 absurdist satirical black comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller

The Hospital is a 1971 American absurdist satirical black comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring George C. Scott as Dr. Herbert Bock. It was written by Paddy Chayefsky, who was awarded the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Chayefsky also narrates the film and was one of the producers; he had complete control over the casting and content of the film.

<i>Murder by Decree</i> 1979 film by Bob Clark

Murder by Decree is a 1979 mystery thriller film directed by Bob Clark. It features the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who are embroiled in the investigation surrounding the real-life 1888 Whitechapel murders committed by "Jack the Ripper". Christopher Plummer plays Holmes and James Mason plays Watson. Though it features a similar premise, it is somewhat different in tone and result to A Study in Terror. It is loosely based on The Ripper File by Elwyn Jones and John Lloyd.

<i>Boogie Boy</i> 1998 film written and directed by Craig Hamann

Boogie Boy is a 1998 film written and directed by Craig Hamann and produced by Braddon Mendelson. It stars Traci Lords, as well as Mark Dacascos, Emily Lloyd, Jaimz Woolvett, Frederic Forrest, Joan Jett, Robert Bauer, and Linnea Quigley. The film features music by Michael Knott.

<i>Frankensteins Daughter</i> 1958 film by Richard E. Cunha

Frankenstein's Daughter is an independently made 1958 American black-and-white science fiction/horror film drama, produced by Marc Frederic and George Fowley, directed by Richard E. Cunha, that stars John Ashley, Sandra Knight, Donald Murphy, and Sally Todd. The film was distributed by Astor Pictures and was released theatrically as a double feature with Missile to the Moon.

<i>Wrong Is Right</i> 1982 film by Richard Brooks

Wrong Is Right, released in the UK as The Man with the Deadly Lens, is a 1982 American political satire comedy thriller film directed, written, and co-produced by Richard Brooks and starring Sean Connery as TV news reporter Patrick Hale. The film, based on Charles McCarry's novel The Better Angels, is about the theft of two suitcase nukes.

<i>They Might Be Giants</i> (film) 1971 film by Anthony Harvey

They Might Be Giants is a 1971 American comedy mystery film based on the 1961 play of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward. The play opened at Stratford East in 1961, and closed after only four weeks.

<i>A Study in Terror</i> 1965 British film by James Hill

A Study in Terror is a 1965 British thriller film directed by James Hill and starring John Neville as Sherlock Holmes and Donald Houston as Dr. Watson. It was filmed at Shepperton Studios, London, with some location work at Osterley House in Middlesex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Cohen</span> American filmmaker (1936–2019)

Lawrence George Cohen was an American filmmaker. He originally emerged as the writer of blaxploitation films such as Black Caesar and Hell Up in Harlem, before becoming known as an author of horror and science fiction films — often containing police procedural and satirical elements — during the 1970s and 1980s. His directorial works include It's Alive (1974) and its sequels, God Told Me To (1976), The Stuff (1985) and A Return to Salem's Lot (1987).

<i>Frankenstein Unbound</i> 1990 film by Roger Corman

Frankenstein Unbound is a 1990 science fiction horror film based on Brian Aldiss' 1973 novel of the same name, starring John Hurt, Raul Julia, Bridget Fonda, Jason Patric, and Nick Brimble. The film is co-written and directed by Roger Corman, returning to the director's chair after a hiatus of almost fifteen years. This is his final film as a director before his death in 2024. He was paid $1 million to direct.

<i>Its Alive</i> (1974 film) 1974 American science fiction horror film by Larry Cohen

It's Alive is a 1974 American science fiction horror film written, produced, and directed by Larry Cohen. It stars John P. Ryan and Sharon Farrell as a couple whose infant child turns out to be a vicious mutant. The film's cast also includes James Dixon, William Wellman Jr., Shamus Locke, Andrew Duggan, Guy Stockwell, and Michael Ansara. The baby was designed and created by special effects make-up artist Rick Baker, and the film's score was composed by Bernard Herrmann.

<i>The Fury</i> (film) 1978 film by Brian De Palma

The Fury is a 1978 American supernatural horror thriller film directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Amy Irving, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, and Andrew Stevens. The screenplay by John Farris was based on his 1976 novel of the same name.

<i>Revenge of the Pink Panther</i> 1978 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards

Revenge of the Pink Panther is a 1978 comedy film. It is the sixth film in The Pink Panther comedy film series. Released in 1978, it is the final on-set performance of Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau. It was also the last installment in the series that was distributed solely by United Artists; the company was absorbed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer three years after the film's release.

<i>Prophecy</i> (film) 1979 American sci-fi horror film directed by John Frankenheimer

Prophecy is a 1979 American science fiction monster horror-thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer and written by David Seltzer. It stars Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire and Armand Assante. Set along the Androscoggin or Ossipee River, the film follows an environmental agent and his wife filing a report on a paper mill in the river, not knowing that the paper mill's waste has polluted the river, causing mutations to man and beast alike. One of these animals, a local bear, runs amok in the wilderness.

<i>The Return of Swamp Thing</i> 1989 film by Jim Wynorski

The Return of Swamp Thing is a 1989 American superhero film based on the DC Comics' character of the same name. Directed by Jim Wynorski, it is a sequel to the 1982 film Swamp Thing, having a lighter tone than its predecessor. The film has a main title montage consisting of comic book covers set to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou", and features Dick Durock and Louis Jourdan reprising their roles as Swamp Thing and Anton Arcane respectively, along with Sarah Douglas and Heather Locklear.

<i>Its Alive</i> (2009 film) Film by Josef Rusnak

It's Alive is a 2009 American science fiction horror film directed by Josef Rusnak. It is a remake of the 1974 film written and directed by Larry Cohen. Bijou Phillips stars as a mother who has a mutant baby which kills anyone when scared. The film was released on April 2, 2009, as a direct-to-video and received mostly negative reviews upon release.

<i>Konga</i> (film) 1961 British film by John Lemont

Konga is a 1961 Eastmancolor science fiction horror film directed by John Lemont and starring Michael Gough, Margo Johns and Austin Trevor.

<i>V.I. Warshawski</i> (film) 1991 American film

V.I. Warshawski is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Jeff Kanew and starring Kathleen Turner, Jay O. Sanders, Charles Durning, Lynnie Godfrey, Anne Pitoniak, Geof Prysirr, Angela Goethals, Stephen Meadows, Frederick Coffin, Stephen Root and Wayne Knight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Nicholson filmography</span>

Jack Nicholson is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter who made his film debut in The Cry Baby Killer (1958). Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation. He is also one of the most critically acclaimed: his 12 Academy Award nominations make him the most nominated male actor in the Academy's history. He is also a Kennedy Center Honoree and a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award.

<i>Its Alive III: Island of the Alive</i> 1987 American film

It's Alive III: Island of the Alive is a 1987 American science fiction horror film written and directed by Larry Cohen. It is the sequel to the 1978 film It Lives Again. The film stars Michael Moriarty, Karen Black, Laurene Landon, James Dixon, Gerrit Graham, Macdonald Carey and Neal Israel. The film was released by Warner Bros. in May 1987.

Stacking, also known as Season of Dreams, is a 1987 American drama film directed by Martin Rosen, starring Christine Lahti, Frederic Forrest, Megan Follows, Jason Gedrick, James Gammon, Jacqueline Brookes, and Irene Dailey. The film premiered at the US Film Festival under the title Season of Dreams on January 22, 1987. Following a change of title to Stacking, the film had a brief theatrical release in various cities including Los Angeles starting October 9, 1987, in Atlanta at some point in 1987, in New York City starting January 15, 1988, and in Toledo, Ohio on January 29, 1988, before being broadcast as episode 3 of season 8 of American Playhouse on February 15, 1989.

References

  1. "Big Rental Films of 1978". Variety : 17, 50. January 3, 1979.
  2. 1 2 Canby, Vincent (May 10, 1978). "Movie Review - It's Alive 2 (1978) - Screen: 'It Lives Again': 3 Monster-Babies". The New York Times . p. C21. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  3. "It Lives Again". Variety . December 31, 1977. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  4. Milne, Tom (December 1978). "It Lives Again". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 45 (539): 242.
  5. "It Lives Again". TV Guide . Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  6. "It Lives Again (1978)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 28, 2018.