‘Trapped in a cave of terror!’
It’s Alive! is a 1969 sci-fi horror film written, edited, produced and directed by Larry Buchanan (The Loch Ness Horror; Zontar: The Thing from Venus; The Naked Witch; et al).
The movie stars Tommy Kirk, Shirley Bonne, Bill Thurman (The Evictors; Keep My Grave Open; Night Fright), Corveth Ousterhouse and Annabelle Weenick (Don’t Look in the Basement).
The film’s screenplay was allegedly based on ‘Being’, a 1964 script for a film production of Richard Matheson’s story of the same name. Much to AIP’s chagrin, ‘Being’ had to be shelved after lead actor Peter Lorre passed away before filming could commence. Buchanan inherited the project for one of AIP’s TV cheapies.
Plot:
A mad farmer finds a prehistoric monster hiding in a cavern on his land. To feed his critter, the demented farmer kidnaps three people who desperately try to escape…
Reviews:
“The monster is a guy in a rubber suit with fangs and ping-pong balls for eyes. Even a barely adequate director would have realised such a shoddy monster required the use of lightning-fast cut-aways in order to diminish its comical
potential, but Buchanan presents us with lengthy headshots so that we can examine its awfulness in detail.” 20/20 Movie Reviews
” …the movie is a stinker, with too many dull stretches and a particularly ill-conceived monster. The latter uses the same outfit that Buchanan used for Creature of Destruction; it was a lousy monster suit, to begin with, but at least in that movie it made a little sense. Here, it’s supposed to be a giant dinosaur, but it never once conveys any sense of real size, and it looks not the least bit dinosaurish.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“The opener with the couple getting lost is mildly effective – as it’s helped by an ominous kind of Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style voiceover – but the rest is a poorly acted snoozer.” The Terror Trap
“Brave viewers are advised to fortify themselves with caffeine or other stimulants before attempting the scene where Thurman’s housekeeper recounts her kidnapping and abuse, an endless flashback told in almost complete silence. Keep telling yourself: it’s only a movie…” Videohound’s Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Pics
Choice dialogue:
Narrator: “There is a legend in these hills. That when it rains and the sun shines at the same time, the Devil is kissing his wife.”
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YouTube reviews:
Free to watch online on YouTube [1080p HD]:
Free to watch online on YouTube [720p]:
Filming locations:
Eureka Springs and Beaver, in the Ozark Mountain area of northern Arkansas
