User reviews

"Chosen Survivors" is a rare film. It has a GREAT story idea but it's completely undone by bad writing. It's a shame, as the main plot is fantastic.

A small group of people find themselves sedated and brought to a shelter more than 1700 feet underground. It seems that the dreaded nuclear apocalypse has arrived and the government has picked a few people to secure in various bunkers under the earth in order to propagate the human race. Much of the film concerns how these folks adapt to their new lives--or, rather, how some of them cannot cope. I loved the film up to this point and felt it was a brilliant study of human nature. Then, abruptly, the film took a detour to Stupidville! That's because without warning, insane vampire bats invade the bunker. I say insane because these bats in real life are NOT killers--but here in the film they are worse than killer bees, piranhas and Cobras combined!!! Bats just don't behave that way and then too much of a once-interesting story is spent focusing on how to survive with these murderous beasts flapping about....which is a shame, as the film has a wonderful twist that is lost in the process. A great example of a wonderful story idea that is ultimately ruined.

This is a movie I've wanted to see for over 30 years now; I first read about it in horror magazines when it first came out, but it soon turned into a lost film that went completely out of circulation. It has now been made available by Fox as part of their Midnite Movies Collection, and I'm a little disappointed to say I wasn't missing all that much. It's not a "bad" genre film and it's got a good premise, but it's still rather ordinary in the way it's executed. A group of people are selected by computer, sedated, and then sent down 1,758 feet into an underground bomb shelter to see if they might sustain life in the event of a nuclear war. It was another of those perfect experiments hatched by the government, except they overlooked the fact that this project was built down within caves, so now swarms of hungry vampire bats manage to find their way into the bunker and chomp on these frantic chosen survivors. There's more talk going on than anything else, but when the bat attacks do occur, they're pretty satisfying, even if sometimes the special optical effects amount to little more than a flurry of dark splotches.

I got a kick out of seeing former Our Gang child actor Jackie Cooper as the main loudmouth of the bunch who at one point goes on a bender and becomes your basic arrogant pain in the ass character. Other '70s regulars among this cast are Richard Jaeckel (GRIZZLY) Bradford Dillman (BUG), and Lincoln Kilpatrick (THE OMEGA MAN). I thought I recognized director Sutton Roley's name from somewhere, and later I found out that's because he directed some LOST IN SPACE episodes and was primarily a TV show director. I'm not sorry I saw this, but it sure was some tepid tea. ** out of ****

Like the other person that reviewed the film, I was young (12) when I saw the film but I have thought about it many times since.

In fact, I was able to finally track down the title. I cannot say the movie was great but the premise was interesting and, for a 12 year old, plenty of frights. I must have checked over 100 sites to try and find the name of this film. Several scenes were memorable such as when the were being attacked in the control room and then when they were trying to escape by climbing out, since the elevator no longer was operable. If anyone has a copy of the film, I would appreciate being contacted so I can share it with my children.

The premise for this movie is 11 people in an underground shelter, specially chosen for being doctors, athletes, artists, and the like, are to represent the survival of the human race in a nuclear holocaust.

It's made in 1974, so we can expect the worst.

However, it isn't the absolute worst.

Naturally, then, as today, one wonders if this being an "initial" project, if it isn't a test. The man in charge seems very convincing that it isn't a test.

Meanwhile, vampire bats flood the shelter, and they have to be dealt with.

One good thing is that not too much detail is spent on how the shelter is self sustaining. That's good foresight, as such details are not only going to change every three years, but also because no matter what the details are, most viewers who think themselves experts will whine about such details being inferior. In such a case, there will never be a majority consensus, except to pout about what is used. The best one can hope for is a plurality, and even then it will usually be a plurality of ignorance.

That's the best thing going for this movie.

One thing viewers will note is that women scream and panic in movies from about 1960-1975 or so, to the point of silliness.

However, lets not forget that "panic of characters in death struggles" is not nearly as silly as the 1975-2000 period in which no one panics, and actors calmly smile at death.

Fortunately, we have pre-1960 and post-2000 films which usually present a believable balance.

The characters aren't so bad, but they are very formula for the seventies.

The events are predictable at first, then it looks like they might have some fresh material in the middle, but then the end is complete Hollywood. The last 10 minutes is so cliché filled that one wonders if it was meant as a joke. And that means "cliche filled for 1974" as well as today.

One of the biggest challenges to movie makers is conveying the horror of nuclear war in post-atomic film. The reality is that shelter life isn't that glamorous if depicted realistically. The threats present aren't very dramatic and in most cases stealthy and lacking in suspense. The madness of nuclear war has to be communicated instead through contrivances, like atomic mutations or pervasive inescapable radiation like in ON THE BEACH. These things are not realistic but somehow they can often transmit the bleak and terrifying plight of the survivors.

CHOSEN SURVIVORS uses vampire bats to contrast with the serene tranquility of the expensive government shelter the characters take refuge in. No matter how safe they may think they will be, it turns out that the bats are determined to intrude in their sanitary environment and prey on them where they believed they were safe.

It's very effective for a low budget film. It is well acted and well directed and has an interesting score that complements the story. There are times you really feel claustrophobic and at the mercy of the bats who can penetrate even what they think are secure places.

The color scheme was pretty good considering it was accomplished before CGI filters existed for post-production and the special effects are pretty convincing as well. The somber blue shades over everything in the darkness combined with the lively shadows of the bats is very well done. The sequences of bats attacking is extremely well choreographed with the human actors.

This movie is a rare sci-fi gem with a bleak apocalyptic ending that is common for this genre of cinema but somehow satisfying. The movie stopped a little short of being a classic but is well worth viewing.

and was it worth the wait? The answer is no, all the time I thought I was missing something, I wasn't! Just think your average 1970's TV movie of the week ( but this one got released to theaters), with your average TV movie cast i.e. Jackie Cooper,Richard Jaeckel etc. All capable actors, but even capable actors need a script. This one didn't have much of a plot, and the effects even by 1970's standards were not very good. I don't want to give away much of the story, but I've seen better, more realistic bats in 1940's Universal Dracula movies! Except for the occasional close up of a real bat, they are all badly animated. So, if you're into cheesy 70's sci-fi this one's OK to rent, however I'd think twice about shelling out $12-$15 for it. The black and white B-movie Earth Dies Screaming (that accompanied it on DVD)is more entertaining, in a 1960's Black and white B Movie sort of way!

Chosen Survivors is directed by Sutton Roley and written by H.B. Cross. It stars Jackie Cooper, Alex Cord, Richard Jaeckel, Bradford Dillman, Barbara Babcock, Diana Muldaur and Lincoln Kilpatrick. Music is by Fred Karlin and cinematography by Gabriel Torres.

It's the eve of nuclear war and a government computer has selected a specialist group of people to live 1,758 feet underground in a nuclear proof, purpose built housing facility. The purpose is that these people can start to repopulate the Earth in five years time. However, something isn't quite right about this set-up and things take a distinctive turn for the worse when it's revealed that a colony of vampire bats have also made the facility their home.

It's far better than any plot synopsis suggests. True, it's very 70s, both in characters (clothing/delivery of dialogue/hair), and the effects used, but it also captures the zeitgeist of paranoia running at the time. Fear of nuclear war and the government hangs heavy, while the group dynamic under a stress situation makes for a tellingly oppressive mood. The whole thing has a bleakness about it, and that's before the vampire bats turn up hungry for what is apparently the only source of blood left available to them. The downbeat feel is further enforced by Karlin's music score, which often sounds like the synthesiser strains favoured by John Carpenter for some of his well revered culters. There's the expected bad turn of events with some of the characters, I mean it would be a dull film if everyone just got on all hunky dory, while there's a wicked twist that propels the narrative to another level of enjoyment for the viewer.

Competently acted by the cast, and effectively put together by Roley, Chosen Survivors is a neat horror/sci-fi hybrid. Not without some cheese and gaps in plotting for sure, but very effective and recommended on proviso you aren't looking to be cheered up! 7/10

One of the most successful (and equally irritating) TV-formats of recent years is Big Brother, in which a bunch of people, complete strangers to each other, are put together in an isolated location and become forced to get along and accomplish ordeals together. Apparently this concept isn't so new or innovating at all, as the obscure (although less obscure now, with its recent release on DVD) and still criminally underrated 70's gem "Chosen Survivors" thrives on a similar premise. Only this movie is at least a gazillion times better than any Big Brother edition you ever saw, because it has genuine suspense, a formidable cast of characters, plot twists you actually don't see coming and – not to forget – thousands of bloodthirsty bats! Now, THAT is what they should do in the TV-series of Big Brother: unleash an army of aggressive and rabid bats on the attention-horny participants, ha! Ayway, "Chosen Survivors" opens with atmospheric images of the New Mexican desert and army helicopters approaching a secret underground lair. Eleven eminent persons, who achieved great things is different fields (sports, science, literature, business…) awake to hear they are the chosen survivors. On the earth's surface, a nuclear war has wiped out all humanity and they are to remain underground until it is safe again to re-populate the planet. But of course, the survivors don't get along as they should, some them behave overly hostile and suspicious and the hi-tech government designed lair isn't exactly bat-proof. The film offers a splendid combination of terrific character drawing, for psychological tension, and actual nail-bitingly tense situation with the bat attacks and the quest for freedom. H.B. Cross' script is excellent and Sutton Roley, usually a director of TV series episodes, does an amazing job providing the film with a genuine apocalyptic feeling. The acting performances are top-notch, with notably exceptional roles for Jackie Cooper as the arrogant Mr. Couzins and Bradford Dillman as the calm behavior analyst. Highly recommended Sci-Fi gem.

"Chosen Survivors" poses quite a few ethical questions, while taking extreme liberties with the reputation of vampire bats. The film has an almost fatal failing in that it introduces a dozen characters all at once. This of course means that character development is totally inadequate. We really know nothing about those unfortunate individuals who succumb to the blood sucking winged annoyances. On the positive side, many of the futuristic sets are intriguing, there are some unexpected twists, and the use of actual as well as animated bats lends realism. The movie occasionally grinds to a halt with meaningless small talk, but overall has definite entertainment value. - MERK

This is one film that, even though I have not seen it in years, deserves a DVD release. It was, when I saw it as a teenager, one of the scariest movies I had ever scene, and the ending sequence with the bat attack still brings back some shivers. I taught a Science Fiction class in a NJ high school and I had a budget for films - - I found this movie as a projection movie at a local distributor. After carefully discussing the plot with the class, and the graphic scenes, my class viewed the film and enjoyed it thoroughly as a message movie and a horror film. With more and more archive titles coming out on DVD, perhaps soon this "little gem" will be released. For those who have not seen this film, have patience - - - even though I have never seen it on Sci-Fi Channel or TBS or such - - this is a tidy little thriller that really delivers the goods!

"CHOSEN SURVIVORS" (1974, Roley) is about an eclectic mix of personalities who, without warning, are dropped deep underground by the government to survive the nuclear destruction of the planet. Unfortunately the shelter is regularly invaded by blood-thirsty bats.

It's a pretty good film, definitely a good idea, but something about it prevented me from having a great time. The characters and plot don't quite gel very well. Decent enough gore for a TV film.

It reminded me of John Carpenter's "THE THING" (1982) at times.

A diverse group of people are flown to an underground bunker, where they are informed that they are the sole survivors of a nuclear war that has broken out. They are naturally shocked and upset by this, but try to learn more about the war and new surroundings, when another horror happens...the survivors discover that their underground cavern is filled with vampire bats, who are not content to leave them in peace.

Obscure film deserves to be better known, since it is well acted by its stars(Jackie Cooper, Diana Muldaur, Alex Cord, Bradford Dillman, among others) and has an intelligent script that contains quite a few surprises for the viewer. Ultimately downbeat drama, but compelling,and would have been at home on either "The Twilight Zone" or "The Outer Limits". Is on DVD at least, and worth seeing.

The world as we know it, is about to end. Total Thermonuclear Destruction: 4 billion casualties, 168 survivors, 12 hi-tech underground facilities spread across the USA at a depth of 1.758ft, one located in the New Mexico desert inhabited by 11 unsuspecting citizens on government command with their sole purpose… the survival of the human race. But our group of chosen survivors will soon have something else to worry about than the lethal radiation levels above their heads: Desmodus Rotundus, commonly known as the vampire bat.

CHOSEN SURVIVORS is one nifty 70's post-nuke paranoia-thriller. The opening-scene already looks promising: 11 sedated citizens are flown in by helicopter over the ominous desert landscape, accompanied on the tunes of a tense brass score. In slow-motion they are shoved into an elevator and when it starts to go all the way down, the opening-credits come on and slow-motion shots of the elevator rattling and shaking continue. Great stuff! Once inside the facility, the survivors learn about their faith.

The characters are all well drawn-out, each of them having an expertise in a certain field (science, sports, writing,…). They'll all have to get along and work together in order to survive, but needless to say tensions arise and conflicts occur. All that is pretty entertaining already, but the real fun starts when they discover a vampire bat inside the facility. They realize that a whole horde of hungry killer-bats is lurking inside the caves surrounding the facility. And paranoia turns into survival. Psychologically, the characters are also well thought-out. Naturally, there's one guy you love to hate that eventually does something very stupid, but even his character changes throughout the movie. So, all-in-all CHOSEN SURVIVORS is pretty unpredictable when it comes to who'll survive and who won't, if any.

The set-design, of course, looks dated but nevertheless was a well-constructed concept for those days. The bat attacks are staged in a decent fashion. Good thing is that they actually used a lot of real bats in certain scenes, instead of going for the obvious fake ones. The blue-screen effects are obvious in certain scenes, but always effective. Aside from the survival-horror-element with the bats, CHOSEN SURVIVORS is a bit more in the sci-fi/thriller vein of other 70's paranoia/conspiracy movies like, for instance, CAPRICORN ONE. Only this time with nobody being hunted down, but the whole group being trapped deep below ground. As to be expected, the facility isn't all that big (limited budget, limited sets), but the location is put to good use.

With the look and feel being obsolete, CHOSEN SURVIVORS actually could inspire a decent remake, in my opinion. Just replace the global nuclear devastation angle with that of the ever-so-popular killer-virus one, put the whole concept in capable hands with a decent budget for a skilled crew and up-to-date special effects supported by a good cast, et voilà, we should have a remake that's far more decent than the uninspired crap they keep cranking out nowadays. No need to change the script even, because it already contains a decent twist around the middle part, which in today's suspense cinema has become a must. Actually, they might want to make the bats virus-infected this time, because how in this film they manage to kill off adults in a couple of minutes with a dozen bites or so, is beyond me. Other than this shortcoming, the script successfully blends genres. A typical 70's accomplishment on the one hand, and ahead of its time on the other. Check this one out. It's a gem.

A diverse group of characters - including a behavioural scientist (Bradford Dillman), an Olympic athlete (Lincoln Kilpatrick), a novelist (Alex Cord), a doctor (Barbara Babcock), and a corporate honcho (Jackie Cooper) are whisked away by the government. Armageddon is at hand, and these people are taken to a specially designed shelter buried almost two miles below the Earth. They're all stressed out as it is, but the main problem is yet to come. It seems that the government, which modified existing caves, just couldn't create a shelter that was vampire bat proof.

"Chosen Survivors" has the feel of a TV movie, and in fact the director, Sutton Roley, worked mostly in that medium. Nothing about it is particularly stylish, although it does have decent atmosphere, especially in scenes where the lights go out. Shock and squirm moments are variable: when real bats are used, things are fine, but the special effects are simply *terrible* when it comes to creating mass bat attacks. (The movie *is* gorier than the typical TV movie, to be sure.) The screenplay by Harry Spalding and Joe Reb Moffly has some rather thin characters and silly dialogue, making it all the more impressive that some of the actors would come off as well as they do. The music score by Fred Karlin is pretty good.

Of course, this does fall into the clichés of the genre, particularly when it comes to characters. One of our "chosen survivors" is a loudmouth Jerk (the Jackie Cooper role) who does a lot of complaining. Also, we get one poor woman, Kristina Lerner (Cristina Moreno) who's obliged to do most of the screaming and panicking. The cast does the best it can with the material; the quietly effective Kilpatrick and the excellent Richard Jaeckel come off the best.

At the very least, "Chosen Survivors" can boast one very well executed set piece, when one person tries to step to the heroic challenge and scale the massive elevator shaft to send a signal to potential rescuers. It's here that Roley is able to generate the most genuine tension.

This is very much of its time, but still offers a reasonable amount of entertainment for undemanding B movie lovers.

Six out of 10.

Like several previous commentators I'd love this little gem to get an airing on TV. I saw it as a "supporting feature". In 1974 we were in the dying days of "double features" in the UK. I think the "main" feature that day was "Electra Glide in Blue". Anyway, I fondly recall this as a very effective thriller. It certainly conveyed claustrophobia and menace. It would be great to have an opportunity to re-appraise this film.

I saw this movie when I was little and I never quite knew the name of it. I knew that it had survivor in the tile. This is the first website that actually had the movie listed. Pretty scary stuff as I remember it. The bats were pretty ferocious and I don't recall anyone making it. From the plot summary, I guess they did??? I would love to see it again though. I was even beginning to think that I never this movie never existed and I was confusing it with Aliens. This movie came out when special effects were not so prevalent and a lot of the horror was more mental than visual. I place this movie up there with "Gargoyles", and "Don't be afraid of the Dark". Those movies kept me up at night for weeks!!!