It's Alive (1974)

An Important Entry in the Seventies Low-Budget Horror Category, This Tale of a "Monster" Baby has Gained Cult Status Justifiably. It has Enough Wit to Set "It" Apart from the Usual Mindless Movies of "Its" Clan.Writer/Director/Producer Larry Cohen, Still Working in the Modern Era Got His Start With This Surprising Hit and Never Looked Back. The Script is the Film's Strongest Suit Although the Visual Style, Musical Score (Bernard Herrmann), and Overall Production are Above Average.Taking Cues from Val Lewton, the Frankenstein Story, and the Then Current Trend of Environmental Concern, Pharmaceutical Corruption, and Other Topical Subjects of its Time, the Film is Loaded with Cerebral Conceits and Overall "It's" a Winner.Some Horror Fans of Today will Undoubtedly Complain About the Lack of Visual Slaughter, but that's a Time Stamped, Ill Conceived, Flaw in Thinking and Only Reflects a Myopic Misunderstanding of the Times and Changing Styles and Limitations.The Acting from Both Leads is Way Above Average for This Type of Thing and the Performances from John Ryan and Sharon Farrell are Heartfelt and Commendable.Overall, Worth a Watch Certainly for Thinking Horror Movie Fans and Must Viewing for Larry Cohen Cultists.

I was too young to see this when it came out but vividly remember the ads and was very intrigued at the time. I'm so glad it was R-Rated and had to wait to see it. It's one of the worst horror movies ever! The acting was truly awful. The story is pathetic in every way, from the characters, to the plot development and especially the thrill factor. There's zero suspense, very little gore and even the attack scenes didn't raise my pulse one beat. It also completely lacked the proper amount of "cheese" for a good 'B' Film. Don't waste the 91 minutes of your life on this piece of junk. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities about this movie whatsoever!

Expectant parents Frank (John P. Ryan) and Lenore (Sharon Farrell) get the shock of their lives when their new baby turns out to be a hideous mutant, one that kills whenever it feels threatened. Fleeing the hospital, having massacred the entire delivery room staff only seconds after its birth, the savage infant roams Los Angeles, hunted by the police and its own father.Although writer/director Cohen's script flirts with ecological/medical issues, briefly suggesting that either pollution or untested drugs may be the cause of the mutation and questioning the morality of abortion, these interesting plot points are quickly pushed aside in favour of Frank's growing psychological turmoil and the mounting police search for the monstrous child.The former is handled pretty well, John P. Ryan giving a commendable performance as the initially belligerent father who ultimately tries to save his new son, but the pursuit of the creature is very tedious—unimaginative, repetitive, and lacking in general outrageousness and gore, with effects genius Rick Baker's mutant baby frustratingly kept hidden in the shadows for the majority of the film.

But, it's not the worst.This film is about a husband and wife who give birth to their second child. Unfortunately for them, the baby is a mutant, and they must do all they can to kill it.Simple enough, but there were enough elements in it that kept me interested. For example, throughout most of the film, the baby is kept mostly in the shadows, which I think is a very effective portrait of the baby. It works, and it makes the baby even more creepy when we do see it in full light.Unfortunately, there were some flaws, but the main one that I had was that the acting could have been much better. That being said, it is still better than most acting in horror movies today, where the hot females chicks only say stuff like "Oh my God! Ahhhhhhhhh!" So, it could have been better, but it could have been worse as well.All in all, a decent enough horror film. However, do not go in expecting something like A Nightmare on Elm Street or Jaws, because this is in no way as good as those two, or any other movies along that line. Just go in expecting to be thrilled, and leave your brain at the door. 7/10 for me.