The Clonus Horror

This low budget thriller is a pretty decent B movie with a great original premise.

The government has been running a clone farm for many years and now one of the clones has escaped into the outside world.

A clever premise, some solid direction, and a good cast help to make this film a pretty compelling sci-fi thriller. The Clonus Horror is an effectively chilling film that examines the theme of what it is to be human and just how the advance of science can ultimately turn to a violation of human life. The direction of Robert Fiveson is well-done, as he creates some nicely nightmarish sequences to give this film a creepy edge, as though the subject matter of the movie alone isn't unsettling enough. There's also some gruesome scenes as well. Kudos also go to a stirring, operatic music score.

The cast delivers good on their performances and features some great veteran actors like Dick Sargent, Peter Graves, and Keenan Wynn.

While The Clonus Horror may not have the big budget of The Island, it's as equally thought-provoking and disturbing. Worth seeking out, especially for film buffs.

*** out of ****

I have seen this movie a bunch of times. I like the idea of a movie about a colony of clones being used for spare parts. The cloning and what it was used for make this a good Science Fiction movie. The innocence of the clones in contrast to what they are being used for is tragic. The story of what one of the clones does when he finds out this terrible secret kept me interested until the conclusion. Some of the characters are silly and strange but it never really gets in the way of the story.

This is a great premise for a movie. The overall plot is very original,interesting, and something to think about. However poor production, an obviously small budget, crapy acting from the main character, and several side actors really detract from this would be classic. An up and coming producer should try to resurect this story and give this basicly half hearted atempt a proper release.

Like most other people, I saw this movie on "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Although it received some well-deserved barbs, it's one of the better films to be featured on that show.

The premise is better than even your average Hollywood blockbuster these days; it poses some interesting moral dilemmas. Although the score is sometimes obtrusive, it also provides a few lovely moments when Richard is walking by the river. Watching the movie, you can see where a lot of plot developments probably looked very good on paper. Richard's discomfort in modern society is an interesting problem to ponder, and the ending probably would have been a nice '70s-style mindfuck if the preceding affairs hadn't been so goofy.

Unfortunately, the movie is visibly cheap, making the flaws all the more obvious. The "clone farm" is very obviously a college campus, and a beer can serves as a major plot point. Lena and Richard have zero chemistry -- we are supposed to believe this is a meeting of kindred minds, but there doesn't seem to be a brain cell between them. The "cranky old couple" schtick also gets real old, real fast. There are also some mistakes that can be blamed on bad directorial choices, such as the decision to hold a climactic conversation out of reach of any audio equipment whatsoever.

In all, a noble effort, but is nonetheless best viewed on MST3K.

The average 2.1 rating tells me that most of the people who rated this movie have only seen the Mystery Science Theater version. True, it was a poorly executed low budget 70s horror film but it had a good plot; good enough to be remade as THE ISLAND (2005).

As a 70s horror flick it is obviously violent and cheesy, but the unique plot, involving a secret clone factory, by itself keeps one's interest. In better hands it could have been a good movie, and THE ISLAND is, in fact, a good uncredited remake of this one. Consequently, the movie has historical interest, particularly considering that cloning as a reality was still many decades off back then.

The directing is obviously mediocre. The violence was designed for shock (although it is still tame compared to a Tarantino movie or even a lot of mainstream action or horror flicks of this generation). I cannot openly recommend the movie but do deny that it belongs in the "so bad its good" category. It is, perhaps, more of a guilty pleasure inasmuch as no one wants to admit liking the movie, but I can think of many many movies (including a list of theatrical releases from this year) which are far worse.

It is not something you can expect to keep in your home video library but it is a unique 70s horror flick that was the "inspiration" for THE ISLAND. It give it 6 out of 10 because of the story and ingenuity, otherwise it would have gotten a 5 at best.