Obscure Horror Movie Review - "The Beast Within"



I remember seeing this in college. It was strangely haunting and I ended up later on buying the VHS tape of it in the early 90s. It stars Ronny Cox, who will probably best be remembered from “Deliverance,” and was surprisingly well acted.

This 1982 film is about a young married couple about to embark on a honeymoon when the bride is raped by a man/beast in the woods. The resulting child is a fine boy and they believe him to be their son. However, some time when the hormones of teen years kicks in, he becomes a hungry beastly young man who apparently wants to take after his real papa and search for a vulnerable woman to rape. His parents don’t want to accept what they realize to be true, that he is the rapist’s child.

The movie sounds rather nasty, but in fact, it really is kind of a metaphor for hormones and young men. There’s a real mystery involved and it keeps you on edge wondering how it will be resolved. I think the strong points of the movie are the feel of an old-time scary movie, a kind of dark and strange location, and the sexual tensions that give rise to the young man’s rage. It kind of reminded me of young men when they get their hormones and began to stand up to their old man to show him who the new power in the house is. It mixed male hormones and family secrets into a dark and troubling tale.

I would say if you liked “The Howling,” and “The Incubus” this movie feels exactly like them as far as time period, content, storytelling, atmosphere, and acting.

Comments

  1. I don't think I've seen this movie. I'll check it out when I get the chance.

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  2. Has a little bit of Rosemary's Baby/Teen Wolf sound to it. I have not seen this one but have seen The Howling so I may catch it if it shows up on cable or if I get Netflix again.

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  3. Julie;
    Yup, Netflix has it on the list. It's worth a look-see. It reminds me very much of "The Incubus" and quite a bit like "The Howling." I found it interestingly disturbing, but then I just like disturbing, period. :-)

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