Strange Behavior

Galesberg, Illinois is a sleepy, small town where brutally strange murders are occurring. Sheriff John Brady believes it has something to with some secret experiments being performed on the local teenagers by a collage's psych department led by Dr Gwen Parkinson. Also unknowingly to John, his son Pete has signed up to the program in the hope the money he earns off it, would go a long way for him getting into his preferred collage.

Slashers hey. God love 'em! Well this was around the same time when the craze for it was huge in the horror genre. But that in mind, while I found the New Zealand/Australian co-production "Dead Kids" to follow the conventional methods and clichés. It still manages to hold its own within the sub-genre because of its quirky charm, realistic touch and overall edgy style that sets it apart from many rancid entries. There's something quite compelling about it all, even though the fractured story could have been far more fulfilling in its matter.

Mainly it comes off because the sterling performances are very convincing in setting up their characters, the story's progression is unforeseeable with a unique premise (that could be lifted right out of those early horror 30's and 40's features of mad scientists) and Michael Laughlin's pastel direction has a freshly polish tinge about it that comes off very well in some superbly choreographed scenes that are stylishly unusual (loved the inspired party scene with Lou Christie's "Lighting Strikes"), unnervingly creepy (the scarecrow scene) or just plain suspenseful. If there's one downer to Laughlin's direction though, it's that the most of the imaginatively nasty death/or attack scenes are executed rather sloppily and can look silly. At least they were grisly and had some splatter to spare, but in the long run it wasn't trying to be pointlessly gory or wanting to up the body count.

It's a moody atmosphere that slowly engages the viewer with its mysteriously offbeat vibe and nail biting jolts created from its wholesome reality. Streaming through the script is a welcome slice of humour that has the right sense towards its material. The production is that of low budget, but it doesn't show up prominently with many professional elements working in favour on the project. While the film is set in US, it was actually filmed in New Zealand with a mostly American cast. The picture-perfect setting authentically comes across and makes good of the atmosphere. Louis Horvath's wide scope Panavison cinematography is gorgeously framed with such hypnotic verve and the Tangerine Dream's effectively airy music score has that alienating awe to it.

Australian producer Antony I. Ginnane backed this one and has some other great films under his belt that he managed to get the screen, like "Turkey Shoot", "Patrick", "Harlequin" and "The Survivor". Michael Laughlin would go on to direct "Strange Invaders" and screenwriter Bill Condon would be recognised for penning and directing "Gods and Monsters (1998)". Though, he first kicked of his flair for direction with effectively minor southern Gothic shocker "Sister, Sister (1987)". The performances are particularly fine. Dan Shor is ideal as the Pete and Dey Young has a very appealing presence on screen. Michael Murphy holds it together with an admirably focused turn as sheriff Brady. Fiona Louis really eats it up as the icy Dr Parkinson. Making up the rest in bit parts are Marc McClure, Johnny Guitar, Charles Lane, Arthur Dignam and very warm-hearted Louise Fletcher.

A definite oddity that works a treat in what it sets out to do. Recommended.

"Strange Behaviour" is a lot better than I'd expected it to be. It has some startling imagery, some genuinely frightening scenes, and finally manages a sense of atmosphere.

It is also an original twist on the slasher formula that was probably stale even in 1981 - at least if the parody film "Student Bodies", made that same year, is anything to go by. Seasoned horror junkies have seen hundreds of slashers at least. We all know the trope of the killer wearing a distinctive mask, which is often removed in the final moments to reveal the killer's identity. But in "Strange Behaviour", the movie has more than one killer, and in fact deals with the question of mind control. In this movie, any of the younger characters can kill at any time, so it's not a question of whodunit. It's more like who's going to go crazy next.

For its cool ideas, occasionally shocking imagery and at least one frightening scene, "Strange Behaviour" is a winner. Unfortunately it is held back by some narrative incoherence and charisma-less lead performances. I still say check it out.

Lastly, I want to say something about the movie's unusual pedigree. It's an American production that was meant to be filmed in Australia, but when the filmmakers couldn't find any cities in Aus that resembled the screenplay's setting in Illinois, they moved the production to New Zealand! How is NZ any more or less Midwestern USA than Australia? And, to top it all off, the movie is considered an "Ozploitation" flick?

No wonder the plotting is a little confusing. The cast and crew probably didn't know where the hell they were, or were supposed to be, or what they were actually making.

Chock full of haunting images, chilling murders, and good performances this slow, laconic but amazingly effective horror flick has stayed with me since I saw it when it was originally released. The film is best in its portrayal of teen life in a small college town in the midwest (though it was shot in New Zealand). Taking it's cue from there, the film moves along at a leisurely, but ultimately disquieting pace revealing that all is not so sleepy and calm in this rural environment.

Co-written by Academy Award-winner Bill Condon ("GODS AND MONSTERS") the story shows remarkable intelligence and wit in the vein of some of the best Roman Polanski flicks (e.g. "THE TENANT" and "REPULSION").

Best if seen in the movie theater to appreciate it's glorious widescreen landscapes. Wish this picture was out on DVD.

In the late 70s/early 80s during the Australian film "renaissance", when historical dramas like 'Picnic At Hanging Rock' and 'Gallipoli' were all the rage, a producer named Antony Ginnane attempted to go against the tide and get some thrillers and horror movies made Down Under. He dreamed of being Australia's Roger Corman. Sadly it wasn't to be but hats off to him for helping movies like 'Patrick', 'Thirst' and 'Turkey Shoot' get to the big screen! 'Dead Kids' (a.k.a. 'Strange Behavior') is another underrated movie from this period that he co-produced. This time Ginnane and friends went to New Zealand instead of Australia, something to do with union hiccups I believe. The movie was actually filmed in Auckland, but set in the US with a mostly American cast, including Dan Shor ('Wise Blood'), Michael Murphy ('Manhattan'), Louise Fletcher ('One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'), Marc McLure ('Superman'), and Dey Young ('Rock'n'Roll High School'). Also appearing were the British born Fiona Lewis ('The Fury') and Aussie character actor Arthur Dignam ('The Devil's Playground'), who plays the enigmatic Dr Le Sangel, a role originally intended for Klaus Kinski. As well as a great cast this movie is noteworthy because it was directed by Michael Laughlin, the producer of Monte Hellman's 70s road classic 'Two-Lane Blacktop', and co-written by Laughlin and Bill Condon, who went on the write and direct the excellent James Whale biopic 'Gods And Monsters'. There are two outstanding bits in 'Dead Kids' which anyone who watches it will never forget: the syringe-in-the-eyeball scene, and the party sequence with a bunch of kids dancing to the Lou Christie oldie "Lightning Strikes". Music buffs will also appreciate the score from Tangerine Dream, and Aussies will get a kick out of (briefly) hearing The Boys Next Door's post-punk classic "Shivers" on the soundtrack. 'Dead Kids' is one of the my favourite horror movies of the late 70s/early 80s, a golden age filled with some very inventive and original shockers e.g. 'Evil Dead', 'Phantasm', 'Dead & Buried', 'Basket Case', to name a few. Eli Roth's super-hyped 'Cabin Fever' claimed to be inspired by some of these movies but totally missed the point in my opinion. Forget Roth, go for the real thing like this, which is both more entertaining AND scarier.

Known most everywhere (outside the US) as DEAD KIDS, this is the film by which "strange flicks" are measured. To some extent, comparable to MY BLOODY VALENTINE in as much as what we have here is majorly weird goings-on in a small township.

You would never pick that this was filmed in New Zealand - it LOOKS like a small Nebraska township with a Pontiac Le Mans, Thunderbird, Chevy and assorted 60's Yank tanks on view as well as your all-american college dudes. Only the dedicated viewer may pick up the cinematography and Tangerine Dream soundtrack as revealing its New Zealand ancestry - very reminiscent at times of BATTLE TRUCK! Actually in large part an Australian endeavour also - witness Arthur Dignam as Dr Weird-In-The -extreme!

Agreed, as a slasher movie it doesn't cut it....as a thinking man's thriller it never rates. As an 80's time-capsule..its a winner ("Friday the 13th" vintage) What makes the film, is its very weirdness and the musical score from Tangerine Dream. Those shots of the car moving along the town's main drag are utterly cool and absorbing. For some reason also the fancy dress party and the kids dancing to Lou Christie's great 60's hit, "Lighting strikes," just hits a nerve somewhere down memory lane. Interesting also to see McClure as a zappy college student. Some of you may recall him as reporter-pup Jimmy Olsen in the four-part SUPERMAN series as well as SUPERGIRL

Not great by a long shot but way left field enough to stake a claim to horror immortality.