Movie Review: Deadly Eyes (1982; Golden Harvest/Scream Factory)

...going into Shout/Scream Factory's recent release of the 1982 Canadian-produced 'nature-gone-amuck' horror chiller, "Deadly Eyes", sight unseen (...I missed it, when it was originally released theatrically, having instead been intensely engaged in the ol' 'hut-one, hut-two' 12-week-plus military boot camp 'game', at the time), this ardent and devoted viewer of the genre, to be quite honest, really didn't expect much. In fact, given the Fortune Star/Golden Harvest opening logos, I almost thought that I had inadvertently plugged in one of those cheezy chop-socky flicks, which for years, Golden Harvest was best known for. Sure, for a long time, it was dimly known by this unsuspecting fright film fan, that the movie had something to do with killer rats...that the film was based upon a best-selling page-turner, by genre author James Herbert...that, in a surprising genre switch, cult film director Robert 'Enter the Dragon' Clouse, handled the reins of the film. Heck, this viewer was even a bit privy to the concept, that inspiration for the outrageous special effects...especially those depicting the rats...was picked up and taken from that ol' class, notorious known as 'Killer Shrews 101'. Later on, even the dark and somewhat vague box art, displayed on the video shelves, didn't phase nor mesmerize this mega monster movie mogul, who often picked up said video rental from the shelves, took a quick & casual look at it, and with a shrug of the shoulders, placed it back, with an uninterested sigh. I mean, really...a killer rat movie?? What could I see in that, which I had not already seen in, say movies like 1971's "Willard" (...also based on a novel), it's 1972 follow-up, "Ben", or even the 1976 drive-in-flavored creature feature, "Food of the Gods"?? (...I could also mention the 1972 Andy Mulligan stinker, "The Rats are Coming...the Werewolves are Here!"...I could, but naw, scratch that...I won't even go there. Eh, forget I even brought it up...)

...boy, was I in for a big surprise...an understatement, to be sure...

...a wave of gnawing, voracious terror is sweeping through the streets of Toronto, as several of it's citizens...including a helpless little toddler...are attacked and, in some cases, partially devoured by...well, something...something very large, and very hungry. One of the attacks comes to the attention of high school teacher and recent divorcee, Paul Harris (Sam Groom), who in suspecting that one of his students might have been bitten by...well, something, calls upon a collegiate friend of his...a Dr. Spencer (Cec Linder), the local expert in rats. At the same time, Paul makes acquaintance with a rather attractive woman...Elly (Sara Botsford), a health department official, who recently secured a large shipment of steroid-infused grain, and had it burned, under suspicion that the grain was harboring a possible rat infestation. Between the three, it is theorized that the suspected rats...now super-sized by the tainted grain...had moved into the city, as the result of grain shipment having been burned. Of course, possible press on the suspected rat infestation of the grain, as well as the underlinging investigation being conducted, doesn't bode well with the city's mayor, who openly suggests that the theories proposed by Paul, Elly and Dr. Spencer are preposterous, and that those involved in the investigation, shouldn't stick their noses where they didn't belong...

...when the unexplained deaths of one of Elly's field inspectors (Scatman Crothers)...whom she had sent down into the sewers, in the midst of the ensuing investigation...as well as that of Dr. Spencer, shed further light on the theories behind the attacks, Elly orders the complete fumigation of the sewage tunnels, beneath the city; once again driven from from the darkness, the rats lay siege upon the patrons of a local movie theater, as well as a bowling alley. As the investigation continues, it becomes conclusive that the main nest, harboring the majority of the monster rat population, is in the vicinity of the city's subway tunnel system...a system which is about to expand, via a newly constructed tunnel section, personally inaugurated and opened up by the city's mayor, himself. And the heart of the invading, voracious rat population?? Well, by gosh, it just happens to lie just beyond the new section of tunnel...right in the path of the subway train...

...pretty standard stuff, right?? A mysterious and destructive force of nature, striking relentlessly, coldly and without mercy...the ensuing, and quite graphic attacks on the locals...the prerequisite, unorthodox, rag-tag investigation and/or hunt...the self-serving, stiff-shirted, opposing political 'suits', whose monetary interests and political reachings far exceed that of anyone's personal safety, even in light of further attacks. Seems we're hardly a beat missing, in this quirky little horror thriller (...here, under it's original title, "Night Eyes"), which seems to take it's cues right out of the 'Jaws' playbook...albeit in an inner city setting, and a menace...much furrier, and in greater numbers. So, why all the fuss, right?? How has this trashy little ditty of a 'nature strikes back' flick, achieved such a beloved 'this so unbelievably bad, it's dammit-to-all-hell good' cult status??...

...it's those freakin' super-sized rats, man...plain and simple. Understand, it's one thing to see the rats, at times during this film, depicted as nasty-looking, mega-fanged puppet heads, shaken menacingly at the camera, in close-up. However, when hapless viewers of "Deadly Eyes" get an eyeful gander of the giant rats, galloping frantically across the screen, in hordes (...and for the sake of those un-privy to 'Animal Planet' savvy...uh, rats don't normally gallop), the initial reaction might well be, "...uh, what the @#$%??" And they'd be right, in reacting that way...especially after knowing that there's nary a real rat, in the course of the whole film, and in truth, the rats are actually costumed dachshunds, with a few terriers thrown into the mix. Yes, folks, it's seems that the creative powers-that-be couldn't help but inspirationally hearken back to old-school effects, especially that of the 1959 horror schlocker, "The Killer Shrews"...a film where (...hopefully) trained canines were draped in curtain-like fur, and affixed with finger-length, elongated teeth, in order to depict what was supposed to be enlarged mutated killer rodents. And you know something?? Given the darkness of the majority of the film's shots, which shed a certain vagueness of the creatures...as corny and campy as such scenes come across, in the film...amazingly enough, the special effects ruse genuinely works, here...and in the end, that's a good chunk of the overall embraceable, irresistible charm of this little trashy mongrel of a film...

...the cast is amiably capable, throughout these horrific proceedings, though it's no so much the performances themselves, which are particularly stand-out; instead, it's the fact that those cast in the varied roles, with the exception of way-too-recognizable movie & TV veterans Scatman Crothers and Cec Leder, are the type of performers that, when seen, one might well recognize the face, but can't quite place the name. Actor Sam Groom, a veritable and recognizable staple in television roles, stemming back to the '50's...taking a break from TV roles here, as teacher and coach Paul Harris...deftly fending off conspiring high school girls, one minute, and the next, crawling around the sewers, decked out in a contamination suit (...and in the film, such a vocational transition happens...how??). Sara Botsford, as our intrepid and gung-ho, albeit beautiful and attractive health department official, Elly Leonard, has also woven an impressive career in television, with occasional diversion, as far as movies (...for this viewer, I was immediately struck by a sense of familiarity, reaching as far back as a character performance, which she did in 1986's "Jumpin' Jack Flash)...

...even the smaller roles might well invoke the thought of 'hey, I remember seeing that person in...now, what was it??' Those closely privy of the genre might well remember actress Lisa Langlois in the same year's "Class of 1984", or the previous year's "Happy Birthday to Me"; in "Deadly Eyes", she's one of the aforementioned 'conniving female high school students', Trudy, who has a penchant for chasing older men...especially, ahem...a certain high school teacher. Lesleh Donaldson, here playing Trudy's best friend, Martha, may also strike a familiar cord with seasoned genre fans, having also starred in "Happy Birthday to Me", as well as 1983's "Curtains" and 1980's "Funeral Home". And Joseph Kelly...here, as Trudy's frustrated boyfriend...well, does anyone recall the doped-up high school student, dizzyingly climbing the flag pole, in "Class of 1984"?? Yep, that was him...

...Shout/Scream Factory...to the delight of us all, who relish and eagerly anticipate each and every one of their releases...has, as usual, pulled some respectable stops, in giving this film it's misfit-monikered honored due, with a rather striking and vivid 1:78:1 ratio print, despite the fact that most of the film is shot at night, or in an underground setting...which, to a small...though fortunately, not distracting nor diminishing degree, amplifies the campiness and corniness of the special effects. Multiple interviews are included, herein, including some interesting, humorous and waxrapsonic meanderings, regarding the making of the film, as well as their respective careers, by actors Lesleh Donaldson, Lisa Langlois and Joseph Kelly; special effects contributors Allan Apone and Alec Gillis, as well as art director Ninkay Dalton, and writer Charles Eglee also add to the creative and resourceful behind-the-scenes amusings, with regards to the making of the film...

...for this viewer, being a self-claimant auteur of the horror and dark fantasy genres, and yet, humble enough to admit to have not seen everything, it's always an absolute delight to be blown away by a film, which had otherwise slipped by; such candid admission cannot help but be rendered, with regards to having been afford the opportunity to finally see "Deadly Eyes", and...oh hell, let's just go ahead and say that I'm presently kicking myself resounding in the ass, for having passed this one up, so long ago. One can only hope that there are others, much like myself, who for whatever reason, are just now indoctrinating themselves with this deliciously cheezy flick, and as such, in advent, are also kicking themselves in the butt, (...hey, misery loves company, right??). And for those already well "Deadly Eyes' seasoned...well, feel free to strap yourselves in, and prepare to enjoy the ride, yet again.....