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The Beast Within (Philippe Mora 1982) Trash rating
Adapted from Edward Levy's novel by Tom Holland (who would go on to write and direct the hugely entertaining Fright Night released in 1985); The Beast Within is a largely forgotten drive-in curio notable for Tom Burman's early 'air bladder' makeup work (a process involving the inflation of small balloons under prosthetic skin/masks) used so widely in eighties horror films. It's merely these two factors and the film's supposedly impressive 'final transformation sequence' that made this essential viewing for me. Indeed, director Philippe Mora has also delivered films of note since, but for all the wrong reasons. Anyone who's seen his may-cause-extreme-drowsiness turdfest Howling II...Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985) will surely attest to that; Oh and the less said about his 1989 alien abduction disaster Communion, the better...
The Beast Within kicks off with Eli and Caroline MacCleary (Ronny Cox in his pre Robocop 'good guy' days, and Bibi Besch) breaking down in misty remote back woods. As expected something nasty lurks in the bushes and once they get separated (as you know they will), Besch is subjected to a spot of interspecies hanky-panky with a slimy mutant half breed. Fast forward seventeen years with the MacCleary's now proud parents to a teenage son; Michael (Paul Clemens) who sweats profusely, and dresses like he's auditioning for Michael J Fox's part in Teen Wolf. By coincidence the MacCearys have returned to the same town where the rape took place, prompting smelly Michael (who's clearly not Eli's) to go on a blood drinking murder spree, before changing into whatever molested his mum and starting the cycle off again...
Oh God please, not Howling II!!!
Unsurprisingly everything about The Beast Within is merely second rate forgettable fodder and a bit of a missed opportunity. It's sometimes fun to watch, but evidence of Holland's subsequent talent is pretty much non existent as most of the film is extremely muddled, with poorly drawn characters, and a plot that rarely makes any sense (considering the simple premise). Worst of all, it's so under lit most of Tom Burman's makeup effects go completely unseen apart from 'the final transformation sequence' which thankfully takes place in a bright hospital. Said sequence is certainly memorable, but I found it laughably inept as opposed to sickeningly effective. Air bladder effects were clearly still an unperfected art back then (if you've seen the behind the scenes featurette re Rob Bottin's excellent work on The Howling then you'll know what I mean) and unfortunately Burman's attempt at a facial metamorphosis merely resembles a knobbly green party balloon covered in phlegm. Elsewhere there's a surprising amount of gore; Cox is good, and the creaky supporting cast are nowhere near as bad as some reviews make out (namely Don Gorden, R.G. Armstrong, and L.Q. Jones as Judge Curwin, Doc Schoonmaker and Sheriff Pool respectively). Throw into the mix one unintentionally hammy performance from Besch who never convinces as the mother, and a nonsensical middle act comprised almost entirely of murderous Michael looking about as intimidating as a Pokemon, and you have a film for afficionados of disappointment only.
The Beast Within (Philippe Mora 1982) Trash rating
Adapted from Edward Levy's novel by Tom Holland (who would go on to write and direct the hugely entertaining Fright Night released in 1985); The Beast Within is a largely forgotten drive-in curio notable for Tom Burman's early 'air bladder' makeup work (a process involving the inflation of small balloons under prosthetic skin/masks) used so widely in eighties horror films. It's merely these two factors and the film's supposedly impressive 'final transformation sequence' that made this essential viewing for me. Indeed, director Philippe Mora has also delivered films of note since, but for all the wrong reasons. Anyone who's seen his may-cause-extreme-drowsiness turdfest Howling II...Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985) will surely attest to that; Oh and the less said about his 1989 alien abduction disaster Communion, the better...
The Beast Within kicks off with Eli and Caroline MacCleary (Ronny Cox in his pre Robocop 'good guy' days, and Bibi Besch) breaking down in misty remote back woods. As expected something nasty lurks in the bushes and once they get separated (as you know they will), Besch is subjected to a spot of interspecies hanky-panky with a slimy mutant half breed. Fast forward seventeen years with the MacCleary's now proud parents to a teenage son; Michael (Paul Clemens) who sweats profusely, and dresses like he's auditioning for Michael J Fox's part in Teen Wolf. By coincidence the MacCearys have returned to the same town where the rape took place, prompting smelly Michael (who's clearly not Eli's) to go on a blood drinking murder spree, before changing into whatever molested his mum and starting the cycle off again...
Oh God please, not Howling II!!!
Unsurprisingly everything about The Beast Within is merely second rate forgettable fodder and a bit of a missed opportunity. It's sometimes fun to watch, but evidence of Holland's subsequent talent is pretty much non existent as most of the film is extremely muddled, with poorly drawn characters, and a plot that rarely makes any sense (considering the simple premise). Worst of all, it's so under lit most of Tom Burman's makeup effects go completely unseen apart from 'the final transformation sequence' which thankfully takes place in a bright hospital. Said sequence is certainly memorable, but I found it laughably inept as opposed to sickeningly effective. Air bladder effects were clearly still an unperfected art back then (if you've seen the behind the scenes featurette re Rob Bottin's excellent work on The Howling then you'll know what I mean) and unfortunately Burman's attempt at a facial metamorphosis merely resembles a knobbly green party balloon covered in phlegm. Elsewhere there's a surprising amount of gore; Cox is good, and the creaky supporting cast are nowhere near as bad as some reviews make out (namely Don Gorden, R.G. Armstrong, and L.Q. Jones as Judge Curwin, Doc Schoonmaker and Sheriff Pool respectively). Throw into the mix one unintentionally hammy performance from Besch who never convinces as the mother, and a nonsensical middle act comprised almost entirely of murderous Michael looking about as intimidating as a Pokemon, and you have a film for afficionados of disappointment only.