|
|
 |
|
5
|
|
 |
|
9 |
|
10
= Highest Rating |
|
|
Start
with a sizable portion of Coma,
add a dash of Westworld and stir
in just a pinch of The Parallax View...
That's the basic recipe for Clonus,
a science fiction thriller incorporating elements of horror
and political conspiracy. Although pretty farfetched (even in
our modern age of genetic engineering and animal cloning), the
premise is actually rather intriguing. It's too bad, then, that
the 'chef' — one-shot director Robert S. Fiveson — didn't have
enough money on hand to properly stock the kitchen.
At a secret campus-like facility,
clones of wealthy people and the politicians who do their bidding
are raised from birth for eventual organ harvesting. Most of
these clones were 'modified' while fetuses to grow up mildly
retarded — docile and subservient, they are thus much easier
to handle. However, a small number of clones have not been dumbed
down in this manner in order to serve as a control group for
study. One of these control group clones is Richard (Toolbox
Murders' Tim Donnelly). Although he's been subjected to
the same educational conditioning as the others, he has questions
about his existence and environment that the staff wouldn't
approve of. The poor sap thinks too much for his own good.
All of the
clones are taught (i.e., brainwashed) to keep fit and healthy
for their eventual graduation to "America" — a special,
happy place where all their hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.
In reality the trip ends with the clones being murdered by the
facility's doctors, the corpses cryogenically frozen and stored
in a special 'clone bank'. 100% compatible body parts are thus
readily available whenever the original 'donor' needs an organ
transplant. After his friend George (Frank Ashmore) makes the
final journey to America, Richard strikes up a romance with
another Control Group clone, pretty Lena (Paulette Breen), and
begins to further doubt his surroundings and identity. The discovery
of a strange, unusual metal object in the river — an Old Milwaukee
beer can — prompts him to start asking uncomfortable questions.
Slated for early graduation, Richard thwarts his 'trainers'
by stealing a videotape conveniently describing the secret operation
(codenamed Clonus) and escaping the clone farm into the outside
world — the real America. Here he's a frightened innocent,
completely lost without any knowledge of modern society. An
assassin dispatched by Clonus is also hot on his heels. By remarkable
coincidence he receives help from just the right kind of Good
Samaritan, crusty retired journalist Jake Noble (crusty Keenan
Wynn). Everyone is expendable if it'll insure that Clonus stays
hidden from the public... including a ruthless presidential
candidate (Beginning Of The End's
Peter Graves) with deep ties to the operation.
Made for under
$300,000 in just three weeks, Clonus
is actually a decent debut for a first-time director working
with relatively little money. (Most of the budget probably went
to pay Graves, Wynn and Bewitched's Dick Sargent for
the two or three days' work they each contributed.) The premise
is genuinely interesting, even though the crucial (I'd think)
matter of how the clones are carried to term and born is never
dealt with; further potential for ghoulishness is thus forfeited.
Still, the film's not timid in being cold-blooded about the
characters' fates. The acting is uneven with the veterans providing
the most competent turns. Donnelly, though too old-looking for
the part, does a pretty good job conveying his character's naiveté
and confusion. The flick's main problem is that the low budget
shows in the production values. (The clone farm's "campus-like"
facility is just that — a college campus — and looks every bit
as hard to escape from.) Aside from a flash of Breen's naked
butt and a three second shot of skull-piercing gore, Clonus
is strictly PG material, and perhaps would've been better served
had it been sold to one of the networks to run as a Movie of
the Week. (It bombed in theaters.)
This film —
released to theaters and home video with the title Parts:
The Clonus Horror — emerged from near total obscurity
thanks to the merciless ribbing it took on Mystery Science
Theater 3000. (Peter Graves never fails to provide plenty
of material for Mike and the 'bots.) The new DVD edition will
doubtless increase its exposure to a wider audience of science
fiction fans and not just cheese lovers. Clonus
is cheap-looking and awkward at times, yes, but it's still good
enough to merit a view, especially if you grew up watching some
of these actors on TV in the '60s and '70s.
|
|
|
Mondo
Macabro presents Clonus in its correct
aspect ratio of 1.66:1 (16x9 anamorphic), so you won't see the
boom mikes made fun of by the Mystery Science Theater 3000
gang. Picture quality is surprisingly good for a nearly 30 year-old
low budget feature, certainly superior to the fullframe print
screened on MST3K. The Dolby 2.0 stereo soundtrack, while
not very dynamic, is clean and clear.
Kudos to the
folks at Mondo Macabro for including significant supplemental
material with their release of such an obscure title.
Chief among these extras are an amusing, anecdote-packed interview
featurette with director Robert Fiveson entitled Parts Of A
Life (36 min.), and a worthwhile feature-length audio commentary
with Fiveson and MM's Pete Tombs, covering much the same ground
but in even more interesting detail. Rounding
out the goodies are a stills gallery, the trailer and the always
enjoyable MM promotional reel. The animated main menu screens
make clever use of the film's 'clone farm' motif.
3/29/05 |
•
Home
| Reviews | Top
•
|
