WILLARD (1971)
Starring Bruce Davison and Ernest Borgnine
The original 1970s "Willard" was something of a groundbreaking animal-horror
film. Predating the snake-oriented "Stanley" and other psycho animal-trainer
films, the flick is really a psychological thriller about a nerdy momma's boy
who turns to homicide to solve problems in his life. The "hook" is that he uses
an army of trained rats to do his dirty work.
When his mother finally passes away, Willard learns that he isn't about to inherit much money, and Borgnine moves in to take his property -- the same way he took the company away from Willard's father. It's too much for the young animal lover to take. Willard finally sicks his red-eyed friends on Borgnine in an orgy of rat violence.
"Willard" is a nice, slow-paced '70s fear film, pretty low on gore content and void of any sex or other R-rated naughtiness, but a solid fear film and must for fans nonetheless. Kids might be disappointed that the flick has a low, low body count. In fact, the attack on Borgnine takes place a long two-thirds of the way into the movie. Not surprisingly, the sequel, entitled "Ben," delivered more of the rat action horror fans were truly hungry for. "Willard" has drifted in and out of print on video, and has finally evolved into a VHS collector's item. A remake starring Crispin Glover in the title role went before cameras in 2003, a year that saw a slew of '70s horror film remakes in development, from "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" to "Dawn of the Dead."
Davison would go on to play the anti-mutant senator in Bryan Singer's "X Men."
Director Mann also helmed the James Bond spoof "Our Man Flint."
Directed by Daniel Mann
Davison is both sympathetic and socio-pathic as the film's wimpy title character. Willard is a white-collar worker employed by an angry and arrogant boss (Borgnine), who stole the family business from Willard's now-deceased dad. The young man's mother and her friends are constantly pressuring him to stand up and act like a man, while temp employee Sondra Locke is trying to romance him. Borgnine, meanwhile, simply relishes in busting his balls each and every day. On his off time, Willard has struck up a bizarre friendship with a seemingly intelligent rat named Ben, whom he keeps downstairs in the basement and who leads his own army of other rats. Willard eventually uses the intelligent rats to wreck one of Borgnine's parties, setting the stage for … you guessed it … murder.