Synopsis
The scene is New York (though obviously Montreal in reality). Peter Weller is a type Ayuppie, living in a brownstone he has renovated himself. His wife and son leave him for aholiday. His stress load, already increased by a make-or-break assignment at work, shootsthrough the roof when his home is invaded by a rat. The rat is big, but not supernaturally so. It is,however, very, very, very smart, and soon man and animal are engaged in all-out war. Everynightmare you ever had …bout rats is exploited to the max, and Weller’s deadpan performanceadds just the right note of humour to the tale. The flick is by no means a classic, but it is a hell ofa lot of fun, and certainly one of director George P. Cosmatos’ finest hours.
Audio
A solid mono soundtrack, though afflicted by buzz once or twice. This is a film that wouldhave benefited from a stereo remix, though. One scene in particular, where Weller is walkingthrough the streets and is afflicted by the cumulatively layered sound of the city, cries out for ablasting surround treatment. Ah well, one can only imagine.
Video
The format is 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colours aren’t bad, and the blacks are niceand deep. Once in a while, there is a little bit of flicker or grain, but nothing really major, and thesame goes for the edge enhancement. The film does look rather murky, however, and I can’t helpbut think is murkier than it would have been theatrically. There are moments where it is veryhard to make out what the hell is going on.
Special Features
A very pleasant surprise to discover an audio commentary on what is really a fairly minorrelease. Both Cosmatos and Weller take part. They were clearly recorded separately, but someeffort has been spent in keeping their comments on similar subjects close together. This doesmean a fair bit of overlap, but also a logical flow to the their talks. Cosmatos is still giving themovie the hard cell, twenty years after its release. The other extras are cast and crewfilmographies and the theatrical trailer. The menu’s main page is scored.
Closing Thoughts
Very good fun, and for me, an exercise in rediscovery. Horror fans should definitely give thisone a try.
Special Features List
- Audio Commentary
- Cast and Crew Filmographies
- Theatrical Trailer
