Parasite (1982 film)

Last updated

Parasite
Parasite poster.jpg
Original theatrical poster
Directed by Charles Band
Written byMichael Shoob
Alan J. Adler
Frank Levering
Produced byCharles Band
Starring Robert Glaudini
Demi Moore
Luca Bercovici
Cherie Currie
Vivian Blaine
Cinematography Mac Ahlberg
Edited byBrad Arensman
Music by Richard Band
Distributed by Embassy Pictures (1982, original)
Koch International (2000, DVD)
Release date
  • March 12, 1982 (1982-03-12)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$800,000 [1]
Box office$5.5 million [1]

Parasite is a 1982 American science fiction horror film produced and directed by Charles Band. The film is set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future in which the United States has been taken over by a criminal organization which unwittingly creates an uncontrollable deadly parasite and sets it loose on the population. The film received negative reviews from film critics, who viewed it as a poorly written B movie with unconvincing special effects. The film features actress Demi Moore in her first major film role.

Contents

Plot

In the near future, an atomic disaster has reduced the world to poverty. Instead of a government, America is run by an organization called the Merchants, who exploit the degenerate remains of society. In order to keep control of the populace, the Merchants force Dr. Paul Dean to create a new life form, a parasite that feeds on its host. Realizing the deadly potential of such a being, Dean escapes the Merchants with the parasite, infecting himself in the process.

Now on the run, he travels from town to town, studying the parasite so that he can find a way to destroy it, all the while keeping one step ahead of a Merchant named Wolf, who is hunting for him. While resting in a desert town, he is attacked by a gang of hooligans-Dana, Arn, Shell, Bo, and Zeke, led by Ricus, former slave of the Merchants. The gang steal a silver canister containing the parasite, not realizing what it is. It escapes and infects one of the members.

Meanwhile, Paul befriends a pretty young lemon grower named Patricia Welles, who promises to help him destroy the escaped parasite. Ricus, trying to save the life of his friend, comes to Paul for help, only to be confronted by Wolf. Patricia, Paul, and Ricus evade Wolf, but when they return, the parasite has spread to another member and grown into a fleshy worm with a mouthful of deadly teeth. Ricus becomes a turncoat and attempts to help, but is killed by Wolf. A friendly diner owner, named Collins, comes to aid the group. After Patricia helps kill the parasite bonded to Paul by electrocuting it, the remaining parasite attacks Wolf who is then blown up by Patricia, Paul, and Collins.

Cast

Production

The film was envisioned as a remake of William Castle's The Tingler envisioned by Michael Shoob, Alan J. Adler, and Frank Levering that was further developed into what would become Parasite following an impromptu discussion between Adler, Charles Band, and Robert Glaudini. [2] A Chance encounter between Band and 3-D specialist Randall Larson convinced Band that shooting the film in 3-D would add commercial appeal to Parasite. [2]

Home media

The film was released on CED 1983 by Embassy Home Entertainment, with a VHS from Wizard Video around the same time. A DVD edition was released by Cult Video on July 6, 1999. Anchor Bay later re-released the film on August 6, 2002, and again on September 13, 2005, the latter was released as a six-disk combo pack. [3] A 3D Blu-ray disc was released in the US by Kino Lorber on October 22, 2019. [4]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 15% based on reviews from 13 critics, with an average rating of 3.3/10. [5]

Variety magazine, in their review, called the film "lethargic between its terror scenes, making it a test of patience for all but the most fanatical of horror cheapies." [6] In a similarly negative review, Time Out magazine called the script "banal" and the actors "uninspired," as well as calling the film "visually as uninteresting as a catfood commercial." [7] Janet Maslin from The New York Times wrote, "The movie winds up more gruesome than scary, especially because the 3-D tricks are both repetitive and infrequent. It provides only a few strong shocks, chief among them an Alien-inspired scene that has the creature bursting forth from the body of one victim. These thrills notwithstanding, this is a badly acted B movie without much flair for involving its audience." [8]

J. Doyle Wallis from DVD Talk gave the film 2/5 stars, stating that the film was "just for the nostalgic 80's horror film fan, and loony Demi Moore/Stan Winston stalkers". [9] Scott Weinberg from eFilmCritic awarded the film 1 out of 5 stars, calling it "[an] Amazingly BORING sci-fi horror". [10] TV Guide rated the film an abysmal 0 out of 5 stars, stating that the film was "[a] crushingly inane mess". [11]

In 2019, during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden , Moore named Parasite as "the worst movie [she had] ever been in". [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demi Moore</span> American actress (born 1962)

Demi Gene Moore is an American actress. She first gained attention on daytime television before breaking out as a film star in the 1980s. By the mid-1990s, she was the highest-paid actress at the time. She has earned several accolades, including nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globes.

<i>An American Werewolf in London</i> 1981 film by John Landis

An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 comedy horror film written and directed by John Landis. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, the film stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne and John Woodvine. The title is a cross between An American in Paris and Werewolf of London. The film's plot follows two American backpackers, David and Jack, who are attacked by a werewolf while travelling in England, causing David to become a werewolf under the next full moon.

<i>Scary Movie 2</i> 2001 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American supernatural parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It is the sequel to Scary Movie and the second film in the Scary Movie film series. The film stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, as well as Tim Curry, Tori Spelling, Chris Elliott, Chris Masterson, Kathleen Robertson, David Cross and James Woods. The film is the last in the series to feature the involvement of stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans, and director Keenan. Marlon would eventually go on to produce a similar horror-themed parody, A Haunted House, and its sequel, both starring himself. In the latter film, Wayans pokes fun at the Scary Movie series' decline in quality after his family's departure.

<i>Teen Wolf</i> 1985 American fantasy comedy film

Teen Wolf is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed when he discovers that he is a werewolf. James Hampton, Scott Paulin, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine, Matt Adler, and Jay Tarses appear in supporting roles. Filming took place from November to December 1984.

<i>The Wolf Man</i> (1941 film) American horror film

The Wolf Man is a 1941 American gothic horror film written by Curt Siodmak and produced and directed by George Waggner. The film stars Lon Chaney Jr. in the title role. Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, and Maria Ouspenskaya star in supporting roles. The title character has had a great deal of influence on Hollywood's depictions of the legend of the werewolf. The film is the second Universal Pictures werewolf film, preceded six years earlier by the less commercially successful Werewolf of London (1935). This film is part of the Universal Monsters movies and is of great cinematic acclaim for its production.

<i>Silver Bullet</i> (film) 1985 film by Dan Attias

Silver Bullet is a 1985 American horror film based on the 1983 Stephen King novella Cycle of the Werewolf. It stars Gary Busey, Everett McGill, and Corey Haim, with Megan Follows, Terry O'Quinn, Lawrence Tierney, Bill Smitrovich, Kent Broadhurst, David Hart, and James Gammon in supporting roles. The film is directed by Dan Attias, written by King and produced by Martha De Laurentiis.

<i>Silent Night, Deadly Night</i> 1984 American slasher film by Charles E. Sellier, Jr

Silent Night, Deadly Night is a 1984 American slasher film directed by Charles E. Sellier, Jr., and starring Robert Brian Wilson, Lilyan Chauvin, Gilmer McCormick, Toni Nero, Linnea Quigley, Britt Leach, and Leo Geter. The story concerns a young man named Billy, who suffers from post-traumatic stress over witnessing his parents' murder on Christmas Eve by a man disguised as Santa Claus and his subsequent upbringing in an abusive Catholic orphanage. In adulthood, the Christmas holiday leads him into a psychological breakdown, and he emerges as a spree killer donning a Santa suit.

<i>Slither</i> (2006 film) 2006 American science-fiction comedy horror film by James Gunn

Slither is a 2006 science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by James Gunn in his directorial debut. Produced by Paul Brooks and Eric Newman, the film stars Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Tania Saulnier, Gregg Henry, and Michael Rooker. The film is set in a small town in South Carolina that becomes invaded by a malevolent alien parasite.

<i>Death Line</i> 1972 British film by Gary Sherman

Death Line is a 1972 British-American horror film written and directed by Gary Sherman and starring Donald Pleasence, Norman Rossington, David Ladd, Sharon Gurney, Hugh Armstrong, and Christopher Lee. The screenplay was by Ceri Jones from a story by Sherman.

<i>From Beyond</i> (film) 1986 film by Stuart Gordon

From Beyond is a 1986 science-fiction body horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, loosely based on the short story of the same name by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written by Dennis Paoli, Gordon and Brian Yuzna, and stars Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Ken Foree and Ted Sorel.

Chris Alexander is a Canadian magazine editor, film critic, director, musician, composer, teacher and writer. Alexander was a member of the Toronto Film Critics Association and was the editor-in-chief of Fangoria, an editor of American film website ComingSoon.net and a writer for the daily newspaper Metro News.

<i>Deadly Eyes</i> 1982 Canadian film

Deadly Eyes is a 1982 Canadian horror film directed by Robert Clouse, very loosely based on the 1974 horror novel The Rats by James Herbert. The story revolves around giant black rats who begin eating the residents of Toronto after ingesting contaminated grain.

Robert Glaudini is an American actor, playwright, director and teacher.

<i>Terror in the Aisles</i> 1984 film by Andrew J. Kuehn

Terror in the Aisles is a 1984 American documentary film about horror films, including slasher films and crime thrillers. The film is directed by Andrew J. Kuehn, and hosted by Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen. The original music score is composed by John Beal.

<i>Madman</i> (film) 1982 film

Madman is a 1981 American slasher film written and directed by Joe Giannone and starring Gaylen Ross and Paul Ehlers. The plot focuses on an axe-wielding murderer named Madman Marz who, after accidentally being summoned by a group of campers during a campfire tale, begins to stalk and murder the young adults.

<i>The Boogens</i> 1981 American film

The Boogens is a 1981 American monster film directed by James L. Conway and starring Rebecca Balding, Fred McCarren, Anne-Marie Martin, Jeff Harlan, John Crawford, Med Flory, Jon Lormer, and Scott Wilkinson. The title refers to scaly turtle-like monsters that are released from an abandoned and boarded-up silver mine, and begin to wreak havoc.

<i>Straight into Darkness</i> 2004 American film

Straight into Darkness is a 2004 American horror war film directed by Jeff Burr and starring Ryan Francis and Scott MacDonald. It was produced by Mark Hanna and Chuck Williams.

<i>The Demons of Ludlow</i> 1983 American horror film directed by Bill Rebane

The Demons of Ludlow is a 1983 American horror film directed and produced by Bill Rebane. The plot revolves around murderous pilgrim demons that lurk inside an antique piano.

<i>Inn of the Damned</i> 1975 Australian film by Terry Bourke

Inn of the Damned is a 1975 Australian western horror film, directed by Terry Bourke. It has been called Australia's first "horror Western".

<i>Silent Night</i> (2012 film) 2012 slasher film by Steven C. Miller

Silent Night is a 2012 slasher film directed by Steven C. Miller and starring Malcolm McDowell, Jaime King, Donal Logue, Ellen Wong, and Brendan Fehr. It is a remake of Charles E. Sellier Jr.'s 1984 film Silent Night, Deadly Night and the sixth installment in the Silent Night, Deadly Night film series. The film was given a limited theatrical release on November 30, 2012, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on December 4, 2012.

References

  1. 1 2 "Parasite (1982)". AFI . Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Villard, Bob; Newsom, Ted (1981). "Parasite". Cinefantastique . Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Parasite (1981) - Charles Band". AllMovie.com. AllMovie. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Parasite 3D Blu-ray". blu-ray.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Parasite (1982)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Parasite Review". Variety.com. Variety. January 1982. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Parasite Review - Time Out". TimeOut.com. Time Out. September 10, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  8. ↑ Maslin, Janet (March 13, 1982). "'PARASITE,' A CREATURE IN 3-D". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  9. ↑ J., Wallis. "Parasite : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk.com. J. Doyle Wallis. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  10. ↑ Weinberg, Scott. "Movie Review - Parasite (1982)". eFilmCritic.com. Scott Weinberg. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Parasite - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TV Guide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  12. ↑ Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts w/ Demi Moore. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.