A mutant bunny is "saved" by a scientist's daughter and released into a hotbed of hare activity where it breeds and helps genetically alter the growth rate of rabbits in this western desert town. Soon, living in huge mining shafts are these monstrous rabbits with fangs out to rip, shred, cut, slice, maim, hew, and devour any living thing in their wake. This is the stark, gritty horror that is Night of the Lepus. Yeah right! Night of the Lepus has to be one of the most ridiculously inspired films I've seen in some time. Did a bunch of people actually sit down and think that bunnies would be frightening? To give credit where it is due, some of the rabbits(seen through some process that magnifies actual rabbits with blood-like red smeared on their noses and whiskers) actually look ... quite ridiculous. With those kind of special effects, you know what you are getting. Some scenes are just so humorous because of their poor production values. Seeing a handful of rabbits stuffed into a miniature hotel or watching the National Guard battle those rascally rabbits being just such two scenes. The cast has some big names with Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh playing the scientist couple and Rory Calhoun as the farmer in need of ridding his pastures from rabbits, and then there is Deforrest Kelly, looking quite out of place, as a friend to all. Watchin Deforrest lay down TNT to blow up rabbit holes is a real hoot. The acting though can't save this film from anything more than what it is: a funny bad picture that is fun to watch because of its ridiculous premise, lamentable special effects, and some corny acting and dialog. C'mmon! Rabbits! What's next? Revenge of the Hamsters. Gerbil Apocalypse. The Guniea Pig Massacre. Ludicrous stuff here but fun nonetheless.
147 Reviews
Is it a bad film...sure!
rnormfoto22 September 2004
.....but I still love this movie as it is one of my 'favorite bad films' of the 70's. It was also the first film that I recall receiving a promotional item for in the lobby ( a pin that I still have that says "Beware of the Lepus") which I thought incredibly cool. Yes, it's incredibly lame, but I have a soft spot for it...what can I say? Besides - you have Janet Leigh and DeForrest Kelly trying to be as serious as possible. You have 'giant' bunnies running around. You have generally all around poor acting. Did I mention giant bunnies? Well - rent this or buy it on eBay - do what you have to see this Great Bad movie!
It's a classic. Watch it if you like really BAD films.
Rob_Taylor24 December 2002
This is a true classic. It has such an absurd plot that you couldn't ever think of taking it remotely seriously.
Basically killer mutant rabbits go on the rampage. Or rather, harmless rabbits are photographed with miniatures or have their images enlarged and superimposed to look menacing.
And do they look menacing? Well.....no, not at all. They just look like a bunch of Watership Down wannabees out on a stroll.
What was DeForest Kelley thinking when he signed up to this. Or Janet Leigh for that matter. Just how did they get persuaded to star in this?
It's a classic. Watch it if you like really BAD films.
Basically killer mutant rabbits go on the rampage. Or rather, harmless rabbits are photographed with miniatures or have their images enlarged and superimposed to look menacing.
And do they look menacing? Well.....no, not at all. They just look like a bunch of Watership Down wannabees out on a stroll.
What was DeForest Kelley thinking when he signed up to this. Or Janet Leigh for that matter. Just how did they get persuaded to star in this?
It's a classic. Watch it if you like really BAD films.
"Ladies and gentlemen, attention! There is a herd of killer rabbits headed this way!"
MetalGeek16 June 2006
NIGHT OF THE LEPUS is one of those movies that you simply have to see to believe. I am very glad that LEPUS has finally been officially released on DVD because for years, I have described it to fellow B-movie fans who have then accused me of making it up. Besides, I am now finally able to replace my bootleg DVD (recorded from foreign TV with Swedish or Norwegian subtitles, I'm not sure which, running across the bottom of the screen) and enjoy this masterpiece the way it was meant to be seen.
In brief: Somewhere in the American Southwest, ranchers are losing their crops to hungry herds of Jackrabbits. A scientist, attempting to figure out a way to slow the reproduction rate of the rabbits, injects an experimental hormone into some test animals. One of the test rabbits escapes and begins mating with the local bunnies, resulting in a horde of giant killer mutant rabbits with a taste for human flesh. You CAN'T make this stuff up, kids! From there it's long-eared, low budget mayhem of the highest order, with scenes of regular-sized bunnies rampaging through miniature Western towns (complete with dubbed-in squeals and roars on the soundtrack) and hungry bunnies (played by stuntmen in full body rabbit suits) attacking unlucky townspeople, until the military is called in to neutralize the threat. Anyone who makes it more than fifteen minutes into this movie without cracking up is a better person than I am. You can almost imagine Janet Leigh during filming, smoking cigarettes in between takes and asking DeForest Kelley "What the hell are we doing in a movie about KILLER RABBITS? I worked with Alfred Hitchcock for cryin' out loud! I am going to KILL my agent!" I had pet rabbits growing up and never found them scary in the slightest. Maybe that's why I love this movie so much. To this day, I wonder if the studio person who green-lighted this project and allowed it to be made still had a job when his superiors saw the final product. Do yourself a favor and check out NIGHT OF THE LEPUS, an unjustly forgotten slice of early 70s drive-in cheese. You may love it, you may hate it, but I promise you, you will NEVER forget it!
In brief: Somewhere in the American Southwest, ranchers are losing their crops to hungry herds of Jackrabbits. A scientist, attempting to figure out a way to slow the reproduction rate of the rabbits, injects an experimental hormone into some test animals. One of the test rabbits escapes and begins mating with the local bunnies, resulting in a horde of giant killer mutant rabbits with a taste for human flesh. You CAN'T make this stuff up, kids! From there it's long-eared, low budget mayhem of the highest order, with scenes of regular-sized bunnies rampaging through miniature Western towns (complete with dubbed-in squeals and roars on the soundtrack) and hungry bunnies (played by stuntmen in full body rabbit suits) attacking unlucky townspeople, until the military is called in to neutralize the threat. Anyone who makes it more than fifteen minutes into this movie without cracking up is a better person than I am. You can almost imagine Janet Leigh during filming, smoking cigarettes in between takes and asking DeForest Kelley "What the hell are we doing in a movie about KILLER RABBITS? I worked with Alfred Hitchcock for cryin' out loud! I am going to KILL my agent!" I had pet rabbits growing up and never found them scary in the slightest. Maybe that's why I love this movie so much. To this day, I wonder if the studio person who green-lighted this project and allowed it to be made still had a job when his superiors saw the final product. Do yourself a favor and check out NIGHT OF THE LEPUS, an unjustly forgotten slice of early 70s drive-in cheese. You may love it, you may hate it, but I promise you, you will NEVER forget it!
"Attention, attention..., there's a herd of killer rabbits headed this way!"
classicsoncall19 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Let me ask you something. Say you're at the drive-in with your family and you hear the announcement made in my summary line above. Do you immediately start your car and leave or wonder whether you need a hearing aid? Well, every car turned on it's lights and headed out the exit, apparently in the belief that a herd of killer rabbits is just one of those things you might run into every now and then. One could make a case that they really didn't care for the flick showing at the drive-in - it was "Every Little Crook and Nanny", and YES!, that was a real movie that came out the same year this one did. With Lynn Redgrave and Victor Mature in the cast, it rates a whole point higher than this one on IMDb.
You know, sometimes I struggle to write these film reviews, and sometimes they just write themselves. This is one of those times where the words just gush forth in dubious admiration for a flick that's so outrageous it just had to be made. Who came up with this concept? It would have been right at home in that bizarre year of 1959 which offered up such celluloid treats as "The Giant Gila Monster" and "The Killer Shrews". Both of those pictures, along with 'Lepus', make the best use of extreme close-up shots to enlarge their title creatures to monstrous proportions against the miniaturized buildings they over run.
One of the principals here is the old Texan himself, Rory Calhoun, ditching his vest and leading the charge against the giant mutant killer bunnies, along side Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh, a nifty trio of actors who somehow managed to keep a straight face throughout the proceedings. DeForest Kelley also got roped into this thing, and for a guy who once had trouble with tribbles, I'm wondering how the heck he came along for this ride.
The thing is, nobody ever got wise to the fact that it was the Bennett's (Whitman and Leigh) own daughter who was responsible for the hare-raising horror that followed when she switched places with a serum injected rabbit she liked for another one that she put in a quarantine cage. The kid got away scot-free and no one was any the wiser. Even crack sheriff Cody (Paul Fix) couldn't solve this puzzle, after all those years keeping the peace in North Fork. You'll have to forgive all my TV Western references, you can blame director William Claxton who brought along a host of former acting colleagues from prior projects.
The biggest kick I got out of this flick were all those great slow-mo rabbit stampedes, ominously approaching their intended victims or descending on the next unfortunate town in their path. By this time in 1972 it seems the film makers should have eased up on the brightness of the fire engine red blood on all those poor victims. I'd understand if this was a Hammer film, but it wasn't, so next time, let's try to tone it down a bit, OK?
You know, sometimes I struggle to write these film reviews, and sometimes they just write themselves. This is one of those times where the words just gush forth in dubious admiration for a flick that's so outrageous it just had to be made. Who came up with this concept? It would have been right at home in that bizarre year of 1959 which offered up such celluloid treats as "The Giant Gila Monster" and "The Killer Shrews". Both of those pictures, along with 'Lepus', make the best use of extreme close-up shots to enlarge their title creatures to monstrous proportions against the miniaturized buildings they over run.
One of the principals here is the old Texan himself, Rory Calhoun, ditching his vest and leading the charge against the giant mutant killer bunnies, along side Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh, a nifty trio of actors who somehow managed to keep a straight face throughout the proceedings. DeForest Kelley also got roped into this thing, and for a guy who once had trouble with tribbles, I'm wondering how the heck he came along for this ride.
The thing is, nobody ever got wise to the fact that it was the Bennett's (Whitman and Leigh) own daughter who was responsible for the hare-raising horror that followed when she switched places with a serum injected rabbit she liked for another one that she put in a quarantine cage. The kid got away scot-free and no one was any the wiser. Even crack sheriff Cody (Paul Fix) couldn't solve this puzzle, after all those years keeping the peace in North Fork. You'll have to forgive all my TV Western references, you can blame director William Claxton who brought along a host of former acting colleagues from prior projects.
The biggest kick I got out of this flick were all those great slow-mo rabbit stampedes, ominously approaching their intended victims or descending on the next unfortunate town in their path. By this time in 1972 it seems the film makers should have eased up on the brightness of the fire engine red blood on all those poor victims. I'd understand if this was a Hammer film, but it wasn't, so next time, let's try to tone it down a bit, OK?
The Killer Rabbits
claudio_carvalho1 July 2015
In Arizona, the rancher Cole Hillman (Rory Calhoun) has his lands invaded by rabbits and he asks to the college president Elgin Clark (DeForest Kelley) an ecologic alternative to poison to get rid of the rabbits. Elgin contacts the researcher Roy Bennett (Stuart Whitman) and he goes with his wife Gerry (Janet Leigh) and their daughter Amanda (Melanie Fullerton) to the ranch. Roy collects samples and uses hormones in the rabbits expecting to sterilize the rabbits. However her daughter takes one of the injected rabbits with her but Amanda accidentally lets the animal escape. Soon the animal reproduces in an abandoned mine becoming a new breed of huge carnivorous rabbits.
"Night of the Lepus" is among the silliest and most ridiculous horror movies ever made. The use of the cute animals as bloodthirsty flesh eater monsters never works. In addition, the dialogs and the situations are dumb and laughable. However it may be considered a cult classic movie in the trash genre. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "A Noite dos Coelhos" ("The Night of the Rabbits")
"Night of the Lepus" is among the silliest and most ridiculous horror movies ever made. The use of the cute animals as bloodthirsty flesh eater monsters never works. In addition, the dialogs and the situations are dumb and laughable. However it may be considered a cult classic movie in the trash genre. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "A Noite dos Coelhos" ("The Night of the Rabbits")
What was the intent,here?
SmileysWorld5 October 2001
My review will be brief,here.If you are an adult viewing this film for the first time,you are sure to have a few good laughs. If you are an easily frightened 7 year old kid,such as I was when I saw it,it will give you nightmares about rabbits.I am not sure what the intent was here,whether they felt they had a legitimate horror film,or that they went out of their way to be silly,but the film is exactly that;silly.If your kids are easily frightened,keep them away until they are adults who are able to see the humor.If you are one who likes to collect bad movies for fun,or if you are genuinely frightened by the idea of giant killer rabbits,this one is for you.
Blood-Crazed Bunnies--need I say more?!
planktonrules14 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The film begins with stock footage of rabbit invasions in Australia and elsewhere--then the scene switches to Arizona where a rancher has a huge epidemic of bunnies devouring his land. He asks his friend, DeForrest Kelley if he knows of someone who can get rid of the rabbits without poison and Kelley finds a weirdo professor (Stuart Whitman) to help him using "science". All appears to be going well until Whitman's stupid child switches rabbits in a cage (replacing the rabbit injected with Chemical X with a normal one). Why this stupid child did this is 100% uncertain--no child would do this and no parent would inject a bunny with a strange unknown chemical and leave their kid alone with it! And, naturally, no child would take this injected rabbit outside and then let it go--but of course, in this dumb movie that's exactly what she did. Naturally, this one super rabbit grows to astronomical proportions and makes other bunnies that way overnight! They didn't even wait a couple months to indicate that the injected rabbit bred and created more big bunnies--perhaps he/she bit the other rabbits and made them big. I assume this biting IS the case, as all the big rabbits then went from sweet vegetarians to blood-thirsty man-killers!!! There's nothing scarier than a 300 pound bunny on the prowl for blood!!!
Aside from MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, I can't think of another movie audacious enough to have killer bunnies! I mean, even if they are BIG, they are still only bunnies! But, when writers who used a little too much LSD or who forgot to take their medication came up with the insane idea to make a horror film, you'd still think some boss at the studio would tell them the idea stank!
So how do they make the bunnies look evil?! Well, have them hop around really itsy bitsy sets with tiny houses in slow motion as you play creepy music!! Did ANYONE associated with this movie actually think this would work?! Well, despite the utter stupidness of the idea, apparently so, as they got performers such as Janet Leigh, Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun and DeForrest Kelley to star in this dreadful film!
By the way, in the end when the bunnies are being killed off, it was pretty disturbing--PETA members and those with delicate constitutions are advised against viewing! There are bunnies on fire, getting shot and being electrocuted a plenty!!
While not quite as bad as some similar films from the 50s and 60s (since the production values were a tad better), this one STILL is a dreadful film--of interest only to those with a morbid curiosity to see how low these stars had fallen.
Aside from MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, I can't think of another movie audacious enough to have killer bunnies! I mean, even if they are BIG, they are still only bunnies! But, when writers who used a little too much LSD or who forgot to take their medication came up with the insane idea to make a horror film, you'd still think some boss at the studio would tell them the idea stank!
So how do they make the bunnies look evil?! Well, have them hop around really itsy bitsy sets with tiny houses in slow motion as you play creepy music!! Did ANYONE associated with this movie actually think this would work?! Well, despite the utter stupidness of the idea, apparently so, as they got performers such as Janet Leigh, Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun and DeForrest Kelley to star in this dreadful film!
By the way, in the end when the bunnies are being killed off, it was pretty disturbing--PETA members and those with delicate constitutions are advised against viewing! There are bunnies on fire, getting shot and being electrocuted a plenty!!
While not quite as bad as some similar films from the 50s and 60s (since the production values were a tad better), this one STILL is a dreadful film--of interest only to those with a morbid curiosity to see how low these stars had fallen.
When bunnies go bad!
bensonmum214 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The local ranchers are up in arms over the rabbits that have taken over their fields and destroyed the land they use for grazing their herds. A scientist comes up with the idea of using experimental gene therapy to wipe out the rabbits. But when one of his test rabbits escapes, the consequences prove deadly. The gene experiments have created a bunch of giant, blood-thirsty bunnies.
KILLER RABBITS! Is there any reason to say much more? How in the world did Night of the Lepus get the green-light? It's got to be one of the most ridiculous premises ever for a horror movie. I don't care how hard you try, you simply cannot make a rabbit look vicious. Most of the "special" effects consist either of filming rabbits from a low vantage point to try to make them look huge or of rabbits jumping around miniature sets of barns and houses. I'll admit that the sight of a rabbit with blood covering its mouth is a bit unsettling. But scary? Not in the least.
There must have been some actors hard-up for work in Hollywood in 1972. For a movie about killer rabbits, Night of the Lepus boasts a cast far beyond what you would expect. I'm assuming that the good movie offers weren't rolling-in for Janet Leigh when this movie was made. The rest of the cast includes Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun, and DeForest Kelley. Each does an adequate job considering the embarrassing material they were working with.
I realize that my rating (3/10) is probably too high. Night of the Lepus really isn't even that good. But it does possess a certain camp appeal that I find some entertainment in. The cheese-factor alone is worth a point or two.
KILLER RABBITS! Is there any reason to say much more? How in the world did Night of the Lepus get the green-light? It's got to be one of the most ridiculous premises ever for a horror movie. I don't care how hard you try, you simply cannot make a rabbit look vicious. Most of the "special" effects consist either of filming rabbits from a low vantage point to try to make them look huge or of rabbits jumping around miniature sets of barns and houses. I'll admit that the sight of a rabbit with blood covering its mouth is a bit unsettling. But scary? Not in the least.
There must have been some actors hard-up for work in Hollywood in 1972. For a movie about killer rabbits, Night of the Lepus boasts a cast far beyond what you would expect. I'm assuming that the good movie offers weren't rolling-in for Janet Leigh when this movie was made. The rest of the cast includes Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun, and DeForest Kelley. Each does an adequate job considering the embarrassing material they were working with.
I realize that my rating (3/10) is probably too high. Night of the Lepus really isn't even that good. But it does possess a certain camp appeal that I find some entertainment in. The cheese-factor alone is worth a point or two.
Cottontails On the Rampage Doesn't Make For A Bad Film!
ClassixFan20 November 2003
OK, I've read several of the reviews/comments for this film and I must stand and be counted as one of the fans of this low-budget film. Sure, the story may be ludicrous and the effects may be bad, but face it, this film doesn't deserve all the bad publicity it always receives. It's got a nice cast and they all seem to be genuine in their efforts to make this film a success, but it does fall short of it's target in several aspects. I'd say the one constant in this film that bothers me the most is the young girl, the daughter of Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh, I'd have gladly fed her to these rabbits in the first 20 minutes or so, but beyond that, I really don't see all the fuss about how horrible of a film this is. It's definitely an original idea for a horror film and if you ever have the opportunity to view the unedited version, there is a scene or two that's nice and bloody, but it isn't a gore-hound's delight and it won't ever sit high among the classics of horror, but I miss the fact that this used to be a staple on late-night TV when I was a kid and you can't see it at all, these days. For those of you with a curious nature, I'd recommend viewing this film at least once, just so you can be counted among film fans that have watched this killer bunny film...trust me, it won't hurt at all!
Bills Reviews For Short Attention Spans
bipbop1325 February 2019
Well, happy Easter horror lovers, and what could be a better holiday film for us to eat our chocolate bunnies with than "Night of the Lepus." I watched an obviously cut version of this on TV as a kid in the 70's, but get the DVD, and you can put little Suzie off cuddly rabbits forever!!
Ah yes, another nature goes crazy film from the 70's. It seems as though we had a lot of those back in the day. Day of the Animals, Food of the Gods, Empire of the Ants, just to name a few. And of course this one. As funny of a premise as this sounds, the movie was actually based on a book. We have the plot of a rancher (Rory Calhoun; Motel Hell) having problems with an overpopulation of rabbits ruining his fields for the cattle. A Zoologist (DeForest Kelley; Star Trek) has helped the rancher before, removing coyotes from his land, thus the reason for the rabbit population. He has an idea though, to get his friend and his wife, lab specialists (Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh), to do some lab experiments on the rabbits to see if they can lower the population by natural means and not chemical ones.
Through a mix up in the rabbit cages and one of the bunnies getting loose, we have a far bigger problem, literally. Giant rabbits!! Hundreds of them, and it seems as though they are on a rampage at night only, holing up in different places during the day. The characters of the film have to band together with volunteers and the national guard to have a final showdown. Does the plan work? Spend this afternoon gnawing on your chocolate Easter bunnies to find out!
Now, the premise of this movie has always seemed a silly one, but this is a good little scare flick with a very strong cast. The only problem I've ever had with the film is its special effects. I know it was the 70's, and they had to do miniatures and such. But you see the same special effects shot three or four times during the film. And as a movie that asks you to suspend your disbelief in a huge way, this can easily take you out of the moment to wonder why they couldn't get more SF shot produced for a major studio film.
This type of film has an unusually strong cast, and that's exactly what it needed to keep this film from becoming laughable. Every one of them plays their part seriously and the story moves along at a good speed because of this. There is a lot of action in the movie and you know that everyone involved must have had a great time working on it.
Should you add this DVD to your collection? Well, if you've only ever seen the cut up prints on television, then yes you should. It's still only rated PG (It would get a PG-13 if released today I believe). But there is more blood and bunny death in the DVD version. Its a pretty bare bones release, with only the trailer for an extra. But the film can be found in bargain bins, or at a bargain price, so pick it up for an Easter holiday horror film to be enjoyed by all!
Ah yes, another nature goes crazy film from the 70's. It seems as though we had a lot of those back in the day. Day of the Animals, Food of the Gods, Empire of the Ants, just to name a few. And of course this one. As funny of a premise as this sounds, the movie was actually based on a book. We have the plot of a rancher (Rory Calhoun; Motel Hell) having problems with an overpopulation of rabbits ruining his fields for the cattle. A Zoologist (DeForest Kelley; Star Trek) has helped the rancher before, removing coyotes from his land, thus the reason for the rabbit population. He has an idea though, to get his friend and his wife, lab specialists (Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh), to do some lab experiments on the rabbits to see if they can lower the population by natural means and not chemical ones.
Through a mix up in the rabbit cages and one of the bunnies getting loose, we have a far bigger problem, literally. Giant rabbits!! Hundreds of them, and it seems as though they are on a rampage at night only, holing up in different places during the day. The characters of the film have to band together with volunteers and the national guard to have a final showdown. Does the plan work? Spend this afternoon gnawing on your chocolate Easter bunnies to find out!
Now, the premise of this movie has always seemed a silly one, but this is a good little scare flick with a very strong cast. The only problem I've ever had with the film is its special effects. I know it was the 70's, and they had to do miniatures and such. But you see the same special effects shot three or four times during the film. And as a movie that asks you to suspend your disbelief in a huge way, this can easily take you out of the moment to wonder why they couldn't get more SF shot produced for a major studio film.
This type of film has an unusually strong cast, and that's exactly what it needed to keep this film from becoming laughable. Every one of them plays their part seriously and the story moves along at a good speed because of this. There is a lot of action in the movie and you know that everyone involved must have had a great time working on it.
Should you add this DVD to your collection? Well, if you've only ever seen the cut up prints on television, then yes you should. It's still only rated PG (It would get a PG-13 if released today I believe). But there is more blood and bunny death in the DVD version. Its a pretty bare bones release, with only the trailer for an extra. But the film can be found in bargain bins, or at a bargain price, so pick it up for an Easter holiday horror film to be enjoyed by all!
The killer bunnies are coming!
chris_gaskin12321 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
One thing we didn't get in 1950's sci-fi movies was giant rabbits. This movie from 1972 certainly makes up for that. I quite liked watching this.
A Rabbit that has been injected with hormones and mutated blood escapes from a laboratory and grows into a giant and others soon follow. They start to go on the rampage and eat people, horses and cattle. The military are called in and a stretch of railway line is electrified to toast them to death when they cross it. This succeeds and everything can return to normal.
Despite this being his type of movie, Bert I Gordon had nothing to do with this.
The movie has a good cast: Janet Leigh (Psycho, The Fog), Stuart Whitman (Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines), DeForest Kelley (Star Trek), Western star Rory Calhoun and Paul Fix.
Night Of the Lepus is a must see for sci-fi/horror fans. Great fun.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
A Rabbit that has been injected with hormones and mutated blood escapes from a laboratory and grows into a giant and others soon follow. They start to go on the rampage and eat people, horses and cattle. The military are called in and a stretch of railway line is electrified to toast them to death when they cross it. This succeeds and everything can return to normal.
Despite this being his type of movie, Bert I Gordon had nothing to do with this.
The movie has a good cast: Janet Leigh (Psycho, The Fog), Stuart Whitman (Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines), DeForest Kelley (Star Trek), Western star Rory Calhoun and Paul Fix.
Night Of the Lepus is a must see for sci-fi/horror fans. Great fun.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
The glory of B-movies, where else would you see this!
Nightman8517 October 2005
Campy, hokey, and oh so hilarious B movie is an unforgettable tale of nature on the rampage.
In rural New Mexico folks trying to eliminate the rabbit population create a race of huge, killer rabbits that terrorize mankind!
Night of the Lepus is one of those golden B flicks that must be seen to be believe. It's wonderfully tongue-in-cheek in its premise, and builds up some good moments of spookiness despite of its silliness. For a film of its budget, this movie manages to have some pretty decent special FX, it certainly beats the likes of Food of the Gods (1976) or Empire of the Ants (1977).
The veteran cast is OK in their performances. The late-great Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, and Stuard Whitman are the best of the cast. The music score is bland, but in a nicely moody way.
Night of the Lepus is a classic film not to be missed by fans of the B horror genre.
** 1/2 out of ****
In rural New Mexico folks trying to eliminate the rabbit population create a race of huge, killer rabbits that terrorize mankind!
Night of the Lepus is one of those golden B flicks that must be seen to be believe. It's wonderfully tongue-in-cheek in its premise, and builds up some good moments of spookiness despite of its silliness. For a film of its budget, this movie manages to have some pretty decent special FX, it certainly beats the likes of Food of the Gods (1976) or Empire of the Ants (1977).
The veteran cast is OK in their performances. The late-great Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, and Stuard Whitman are the best of the cast. The music score is bland, but in a nicely moody way.
Night of the Lepus is a classic film not to be missed by fans of the B horror genre.
** 1/2 out of ****
Just when you thought it was safe to back into the carrot patch!
Bruce_Cook26 February 2004
For all those film critics who claim that Hollywood is scared to try new ideas, here's proof that Hollywood will try anything. After making monster movies which feature every imaginable kind of vermon and pest, Hollywood got desperate and made one about monster rabbits.
(Monster RABBITS?)
That's right, the word "lepus" means rabbit. The story concerns a group of scientist who try to solve a rabbit over-population problem in the Midwest by injecting the bunnies with a hormone intended to decrease their breeding abilities. Instead, the hormone increases the rabbits' growth rate until they weight 150 pounds, stand four feet tall, and roar.
(ROARING rabbits?)
Right! That's part of what makes them MONSTER rabbits. The special effects involve a combination of real rabbits on miniature sets and actors in monster rabbit suits.
(Monster rabbit SUITS!?)
The National Guard is called in to battle this menace to mankind.
(The National Guard battles BIG BUNNIES!!?)
Yes, indeed. Producer A. C. Lyles and director William F. Claxton knew full-well that a distinguished cast was needed to lend credibility to this bold and risky venture, so they hired Stuart Whitman ("City Beneath the Sea"), Janet Leigh ("Psycho"), Deforest Kelly ("Star Trek"), Rory Calhoun ("The Texan"), and Paul Fix (numerous westerns).
These fine stars did their best, but alas it wasn't enough, and "Night of the Lepus" is considered a failed experiment. What the film needed was Morris Ankrum as an army general who uttered lines such as,
"Good Lord, if we don't stop these monsters, there won't be a single carrot left on the planet!"
Now that I would love to see.
(Monster RABBITS?)
That's right, the word "lepus" means rabbit. The story concerns a group of scientist who try to solve a rabbit over-population problem in the Midwest by injecting the bunnies with a hormone intended to decrease their breeding abilities. Instead, the hormone increases the rabbits' growth rate until they weight 150 pounds, stand four feet tall, and roar.
(ROARING rabbits?)
Right! That's part of what makes them MONSTER rabbits. The special effects involve a combination of real rabbits on miniature sets and actors in monster rabbit suits.
(Monster rabbit SUITS!?)
The National Guard is called in to battle this menace to mankind.
(The National Guard battles BIG BUNNIES!!?)
Yes, indeed. Producer A. C. Lyles and director William F. Claxton knew full-well that a distinguished cast was needed to lend credibility to this bold and risky venture, so they hired Stuart Whitman ("City Beneath the Sea"), Janet Leigh ("Psycho"), Deforest Kelly ("Star Trek"), Rory Calhoun ("The Texan"), and Paul Fix (numerous westerns).
These fine stars did their best, but alas it wasn't enough, and "Night of the Lepus" is considered a failed experiment. What the film needed was Morris Ankrum as an army general who uttered lines such as,
"Good Lord, if we don't stop these monsters, there won't be a single carrot left on the planet!"
Now that I would love to see.
You gotta love premises like this one.
Hey_Sweden30 June 2014
Ranchers in the American Southwest must deal with hordes of rabbits that are laying waste to their lands. Most would prefer to use poison, but the more humane Cole Hillman (Rory Calhoun) enlists the services of a husband and wife team, Roy and Gerry Bennett (Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh) who propose to keep the bunnies from breeding by injecting them with hormones. Unfortunately, one test rabbit who's been given an experimental serum escapes into the wild and promptly causes mutations among its kin, leading to murderous four foot tall predators that cause even more damage than they were doing before. Eventually the National Guard must be called in to deal with the problem.
This scenario is amusing, no doubt about it. No matter how hard the filmmakers and animal trainers try to make our antagonists fearsome, it doesn't really work. Director William F. Claxton handles everything in a workmanlike fashion, but, much like everyone on screen, tends to take the proceedings a little too seriously. That said, there's definite camp value in hearing lines such as "There's a horde of killer rabbits coming this way!". The actors give the movie more gravitas than it deserves; Whitman, Leigh, and Calhoun are joined by DeForest Kelley ("Damn it, Jim! I'm a doctor, not Elmer Fudd!"), Paul Fix, and Melanie Fullerton. Music, cinematography, pacing, and special effects are all adequate enough; fans of B horror may be pleased by the amount of bloodletting going on.
This little movie was actually a little ahead of the curve, predating "Jaws" by a few years; it may be on the cheap and cheesy side of "nature strikes back" cinema, but it's still entertaining for what it is.
Five out of 10.
This scenario is amusing, no doubt about it. No matter how hard the filmmakers and animal trainers try to make our antagonists fearsome, it doesn't really work. Director William F. Claxton handles everything in a workmanlike fashion, but, much like everyone on screen, tends to take the proceedings a little too seriously. That said, there's definite camp value in hearing lines such as "There's a horde of killer rabbits coming this way!". The actors give the movie more gravitas than it deserves; Whitman, Leigh, and Calhoun are joined by DeForest Kelley ("Damn it, Jim! I'm a doctor, not Elmer Fudd!"), Paul Fix, and Melanie Fullerton. Music, cinematography, pacing, and special effects are all adequate enough; fans of B horror may be pleased by the amount of bloodletting going on.
This little movie was actually a little ahead of the curve, predating "Jaws" by a few years; it may be on the cheap and cheesy side of "nature strikes back" cinema, but it's still entertaining for what it is.
Five out of 10.
What's up, Doc? Bugs Bunny killing people. This is what happens when the author of Watership Down does crack.
ironhorse_iv30 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A lot of animal attack movies were made in the 70s, but none were ever quite as absurd as this one. First off, the movie is call 'Night of the Lepus'. Lepus means in Latin "Hares', but the movie has both hares and rabbits. There are several important differences between rabbits and hares even though both animals belong to the Lagomorpha order of mammals. Most of all, hares are brownish gray with white belly mammals that can give birth to up to five young at one time. The movie producers didn't both researching, as both rabbits and hares are show cast here. And while we're at it, a group of rabbits is called a 'troop' not a 'herd', movie. Still, how are rabbits supposed to be scary? They are not even meat eaters. Rabbits and hares are essentially herbivorous. They solve this problem, by having them corrupted by science. Science that doesn't make any sense that turns them into giant insane blood-lust carnivorous. Although the premise was in of itself ridiculous, what ruined this movie for whomever was able to look past that was how nonchalant everybody was about the threat. Clearly the actors realized that nothing short of the greatest performance ever made could make these rabbits the least bit frightening so they didn't bother acting scare. Stars such as DeForest Kelley of Star Trek fame, plays an college president Elgin Clark, whom couldn't even bother giving out a sense of fear. I think Dr. McCoy Deforest's porno mustache is the scariest thing about this movie. Another main stream actor that is in this movie is Janet Leigh of Psycho fame. Poor Janet! She went from being stabbed to death by Norman Bates to nearly being stomped to death by Roger Rabbit!! She doesn't do any good as researcher Gerry Bennett, but make the rabbits worst off by having her daughter take an infected rabbit out of the lab, and put into the wild. This happens when her daughter's rabbit is taking away from her from a farmer kid that hates rabbits because they kill his chickens. Rather than killing it, the farmer boy free the bunny into the wild to mate with the hares. If this doesn't make any sense, it doesn't. Second, the infected rabbit would take weeks to produce that many new hares that are mutation. Not in a few days. Anyways, the town people starts getting attack by giant killer hares or what is supposedly a giant killer hare. Most of the time, it's just people in rabbit costume smearing red tempera paint all over people's body to simulate bloody attacks. That or close ups of hares to make them look bigger on camera. Yes, it was that low budget. Behold the horror of adorable little domestic bunnies running around scale model sets! Dear God, save us from the apocalyptic horror of the giant twitching noses! Oh the humanity! The filmmakers could have at least used better special effects for the mutant rabbits rather than using stock footage, horrible slow motion and technical laziness shots of carnage spliced with adorable bunnies that throws you off even if you were willing to believe the premise. The town people smartest folks such as the scientist and the police officer believe they are being attack by Sabre Tooth Vampires Tigers. Not kidding. That's what they think they are getting attack from. I guess, it kinda makes sense, because the bunnies somewhat roars like lions in this. Most of the characters in this movie are borderline dumb as rocks. It takes them forever to realize that they are getting attack by giant rabbits. Where's Elmer Fudd when you need him? They need more holy hand grenades! Imagine the luck you get from one of those rabbit's feet if you capture one. Anyways the whole plot is them trying to kill them all. I don't know if any animals were hurt or kill during the making of this film, but I have to believe that some probably didn't make it. Lenny from Of Mice and Men will probably be sad about that. The producers could have been hungry for rabbit stew, who knows. Finally, the movie fails to deliver the obvious environmental message about habitat preservation and human encroachment on the ecosystem; for example, the most likely cause of a sudden burst of rabbits would be caused by mankind's hunting of wolves and cougars and birds of prey, ETC. None of this is explained. Rather than making it camp, I am also surprised how seriously this movie took itself. It is based off a book called 'The Year of the Angry Rabbit', and that is supposed to be a satire. It is so hilariously bad on so many levels, and the fact that it takes itself way too serious makes it even better. The movie tries to be too much like Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' (1963). Hitchcock was interested in the notion about birds killing people, because we don't expect birds to kill people, they are harmless. Director William Claxton saw a good idea of killing hares, but should have keep it in the regimes of being realities. Seriously, out of all the animals to make a horror movie monster out of, they choose the sweetest and cutest one. The best thing that probably came out of this movie is that it was later use for background in the movie Matrix (1999). Not kidding. Look it up, at the scene where Neo meets the Oracle. Anyways, the movie is a 'so-bad it's good' category of films to me. Night of the Lepus is one of my favorite movies ever when it comes to the sheer fun you can get out of a movie. It just that funny to watch.
Fine cast, good acting, but, hey, it's about rabbits
pv71989-26 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
In the '70's, the theme was "nature gone wild." To that end, we had such films as "Kingdom of the Spiders," "Piranha," "It Happened at Lakewood Manor," "Alligator" and "Day of the Animals." On the flip side, we also got "Piranha II: The Spawning," "Alligator 2" and "Empire of the Ants." "Night of the Lepus" belongs somewhere in the middle. An excellent cast tries gamely in what should have been played tongue-in-cheek, but they were undone by a silly premise. You hug bunny rabbits, you don't shoot them, burn them and electrocute them.
The plot is cliché: Man faces problem from pest, asks scientists to help, scientists screw up unintentionally and huge ravenous beasts are spawned to ravage small town America (by the way, why is Arizona always the target -- "Tarantula," "Kingdom of the Spiders," "Eight-Legged Freaks").
The special effects were okay for what they had to work with. Low camera angles to make the bunnies look big, expertly-crafted miniatures and even fake blood smeared on rabbits and lifelike human dummies. Unfortunately, the killings had to be done by stunt men in rabbit suits (and you thought men in Hefty garbage bags in "Giant Leeches" was a low point).
A game cast and a willing director almost pull it off (almost). William Claxton was mostly a TV director when he got this assignment. The actors were still in their prime, so I don't know why they took this commission, but they gave their all. For the main cast, we get Stuart Whitman (City Beneath the Sea, Darby's Rangers), reclusive Janet Leigh (Psycho, Manchurian Candidate, A Touch of Evil), Rory Calhoun (TV's "The Texan"), DeForest Kelley ("Star Trek") and Paul Fix (Sheriff Micah on "The Rifleman"). The director added some nice touches with a supporting cast of vets, including Henry Wills, Chuck Hayward, Francesca Jarvis, William Elliott, Don Starr and I. Stanford Jolley. Also, look for legendary radio & TV broadcasters "Uncle" Bob Hardy and Jerry Dunphy.
Spoilers A word of warning: if you adore rabbits, have kids that like rabbits, work for the ASPCA or are associated with PETA, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM.
You will see regular-sized rabbits herded into fences and dumped into sacks and trash barrels. You will see monster-sized rabbits blasted by rifles and shotguns, burned by flares and flamethrowers and electrocuted on railroad tracks. You will see rabbits smeared with blood as they eat people, horses and cattle.
If you are not fazed by this, then you will be laughing your arse off. B movies are always the funniest when they're not meant to be and how this cast thought they could pull off the film without unintentional laughs is beyond me.
It's on DVD now on Amazon.com, so buy it for some late-night laughs and a chance to see DeForest Kelley after "Star Trek" and Janet Leigh, who'd gone into seclusion after the mid-60's.
The plot is cliché: Man faces problem from pest, asks scientists to help, scientists screw up unintentionally and huge ravenous beasts are spawned to ravage small town America (by the way, why is Arizona always the target -- "Tarantula," "Kingdom of the Spiders," "Eight-Legged Freaks").
The special effects were okay for what they had to work with. Low camera angles to make the bunnies look big, expertly-crafted miniatures and even fake blood smeared on rabbits and lifelike human dummies. Unfortunately, the killings had to be done by stunt men in rabbit suits (and you thought men in Hefty garbage bags in "Giant Leeches" was a low point).
A game cast and a willing director almost pull it off (almost). William Claxton was mostly a TV director when he got this assignment. The actors were still in their prime, so I don't know why they took this commission, but they gave their all. For the main cast, we get Stuart Whitman (City Beneath the Sea, Darby's Rangers), reclusive Janet Leigh (Psycho, Manchurian Candidate, A Touch of Evil), Rory Calhoun (TV's "The Texan"), DeForest Kelley ("Star Trek") and Paul Fix (Sheriff Micah on "The Rifleman"). The director added some nice touches with a supporting cast of vets, including Henry Wills, Chuck Hayward, Francesca Jarvis, William Elliott, Don Starr and I. Stanford Jolley. Also, look for legendary radio & TV broadcasters "Uncle" Bob Hardy and Jerry Dunphy.
Spoilers A word of warning: if you adore rabbits, have kids that like rabbits, work for the ASPCA or are associated with PETA, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM.
You will see regular-sized rabbits herded into fences and dumped into sacks and trash barrels. You will see monster-sized rabbits blasted by rifles and shotguns, burned by flares and flamethrowers and electrocuted on railroad tracks. You will see rabbits smeared with blood as they eat people, horses and cattle.
If you are not fazed by this, then you will be laughing your arse off. B movies are always the funniest when they're not meant to be and how this cast thought they could pull off the film without unintentional laughs is beyond me.
It's on DVD now on Amazon.com, so buy it for some late-night laughs and a chance to see DeForest Kelley after "Star Trek" and Janet Leigh, who'd gone into seclusion after the mid-60's.
Passable B Horror Film with a Shocking Ending
BRU6721 September 2020
Rancher Rory Calhoun (who will be familiar to horror fans as Vincent Smith from Motel Hell) is being eaten out of house and ranch by an infestation of rabbits. So he goes to his buddy, university president DeForest Kelly (Dr. McCoy of Star Trek fame) for help. Kelly recommends the services of the crack husband and wife biologist duo Stuart Whitman and the great Janet Leigh (who either really needed money or had a good sense of humor).
Instead of using harmful cyanide to kill the rabbits, the duo decide the best option will be to inject a substance which causes contagious and unknown genetic defects into one of the bunnies. Of course, this rabbit is immediately released into the wild after the two biologists fail in a criminally negligent manner to observe basic quarantine rules - which is ironically timely here in 2020. Next thing you know, we've got a heard of giant rabbits killing hapless town folk and expendable hired hands and just generally destroying everything in their path in a most disgusting fashion. These rabbits simply seem invincible to everything except for Janet Leigh's inexhaustible road flare.
But not to worry. Our heroes, whose safety is treated as paramount compared to the defenseless plebes murdered by the monsters, ultimately save the day in arguably the best movie ending involving railroad tracks since Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Of course, it's the only other movie ending involving railroad tracks that I can think of but still. They also apparently avoid prison time and a massive civil lawsuit for their grossly negligent actions.
The movie is utterly ridiculous, of course, but it is watchable as a B-horror film from the era if you are fan of these types of movies.
Instead of using harmful cyanide to kill the rabbits, the duo decide the best option will be to inject a substance which causes contagious and unknown genetic defects into one of the bunnies. Of course, this rabbit is immediately released into the wild after the two biologists fail in a criminally negligent manner to observe basic quarantine rules - which is ironically timely here in 2020. Next thing you know, we've got a heard of giant rabbits killing hapless town folk and expendable hired hands and just generally destroying everything in their path in a most disgusting fashion. These rabbits simply seem invincible to everything except for Janet Leigh's inexhaustible road flare.
But not to worry. Our heroes, whose safety is treated as paramount compared to the defenseless plebes murdered by the monsters, ultimately save the day in arguably the best movie ending involving railroad tracks since Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Of course, it's the only other movie ending involving railroad tracks that I can think of but still. They also apparently avoid prison time and a massive civil lawsuit for their grossly negligent actions.
The movie is utterly ridiculous, of course, but it is watchable as a B-horror film from the era if you are fan of these types of movies.
These bun-buns are fun-buns!
Mr. Fark9 July 1999
A jaw-droppingly stupid idea (giant carnivorous bunny rabbits on a rampage) makes for a surprisingly fun, entertaining movie. The effects are reasonably convincing, it's briskly paced, with a blast of an ending. It's all played perfectly straight, and good for many a giggle.
Dumb? You bet. Fun? Abso-wootwy (as Elmer Fudd would say). Plus it stars DeForest Kelly. Bad film buffs will adore it!
Dumb? You bet. Fun? Abso-wootwy (as Elmer Fudd would say). Plus it stars DeForest Kelly. Bad film buffs will adore it!
Yes, it's that bad
dave_hillman19 January 2023
Night of the Lepus is the only giant killer rabbit movie I know. As for other Easter horrors, there's the Z-grade "The Being", but The Being has some warped humor and gore, whereas Lepus has....humiliation of its cast.
Incredibly M-G-M put their name on this dismal bomb.. Employed at low points here are Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun, and the great Janet Leigh who is to commended for getting through this wearing the most sadistic 70s costumes her drunk costumer came up with. Seriously, Janet, a beautiful woman, is running around wearing pantsuits Judy Garland would not have donned even in Australia.
Optical effects are laughable. The giant bunnies are obviously blown up rabbits to mega-size, wearing ketchup on their furry little faces, looking confused (my guess is that they were drugged). They are never convincing or remotely scary, but do provide this turkey with much-needed camp.
Don't watch this sober.
Incredibly M-G-M put their name on this dismal bomb.. Employed at low points here are Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun, and the great Janet Leigh who is to commended for getting through this wearing the most sadistic 70s costumes her drunk costumer came up with. Seriously, Janet, a beautiful woman, is running around wearing pantsuits Judy Garland would not have donned even in Australia.
Optical effects are laughable. The giant bunnies are obviously blown up rabbits to mega-size, wearing ketchup on their furry little faces, looking confused (my guess is that they were drugged). They are never convincing or remotely scary, but do provide this turkey with much-needed camp.
Don't watch this sober.
Night of the Lepus falls into movies that are so bad, they're good. It is a must watch.
robfollower23 October 2019
One of the finest..erm...funniest eco-vengeance cinematic horrors ever captured on celluloid .
Director:William F. Claxton Writers:Don Holliday (screenplay), Gene R. Kearney (screenplay) Stars:Stuart Whitman, Janet Leigh aka (Marion Crane) , Rory Calhoun , DeForest Kelley aka(Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy ) Dammit Jim I'm a doctor not a killer rabbit specialist.
A Rabbit that has been injected with hormones and mutated blood, escapes from a laboratory and grows into a giant rabbit; and others soon follow. They start to go on the rampage and eat people, horses and cattle.
"Night of the Lepus" resembles an offering of Atomic Age cinema from the 1950s, with camerawork to sell the illusion of average rabbits as unconquerable murderers, keeping humans on the run as they work out plans to fight back. Splashing ketchup on animal faces and bodies helps the gore factor. So hysterical.
"Night of the Lepus" is so thoroughly entertaining. The trick of "Night of the Lepus" is that while it deals with a supremely silly premise, it takes everything seriously, trying to examine the rabbit apocalypse with complete concentration on the animal world Eco-vengeance details of the uprising.
What makes Night of the Lepus so memorable is the use of live rabbits, the kind you would find in any local pet store. The filmmakers use quick cuts, close-ups, slow motion and just about every other cinematic trick to make the rabbits look as menacing and bloodthirsty as possible. They really wanted to scare or worry people with the possibility that huge rabbits could wreak havoc.
With its horde of man-eating bunnies and straight-faced performances by an especially earnest cast, Night of the Lepus falls into movies that are so bad, they're good. It is a must watch. 8/10
Director:William F. Claxton Writers:Don Holliday (screenplay), Gene R. Kearney (screenplay) Stars:Stuart Whitman, Janet Leigh aka (Marion Crane) , Rory Calhoun , DeForest Kelley aka(Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy ) Dammit Jim I'm a doctor not a killer rabbit specialist.
A Rabbit that has been injected with hormones and mutated blood, escapes from a laboratory and grows into a giant rabbit; and others soon follow. They start to go on the rampage and eat people, horses and cattle.
"Night of the Lepus" resembles an offering of Atomic Age cinema from the 1950s, with camerawork to sell the illusion of average rabbits as unconquerable murderers, keeping humans on the run as they work out plans to fight back. Splashing ketchup on animal faces and bodies helps the gore factor. So hysterical.
"Night of the Lepus" is so thoroughly entertaining. The trick of "Night of the Lepus" is that while it deals with a supremely silly premise, it takes everything seriously, trying to examine the rabbit apocalypse with complete concentration on the animal world Eco-vengeance details of the uprising.
What makes Night of the Lepus so memorable is the use of live rabbits, the kind you would find in any local pet store. The filmmakers use quick cuts, close-ups, slow motion and just about every other cinematic trick to make the rabbits look as menacing and bloodthirsty as possible. They really wanted to scare or worry people with the possibility that huge rabbits could wreak havoc.
With its horde of man-eating bunnies and straight-faced performances by an especially earnest cast, Night of the Lepus falls into movies that are so bad, they're good. It is a must watch. 8/10
Great fun
acedj19 March 2020
A small western town is terrorized by rabbits that are the size of large dogs. They kill anything that gets in their way, including man.
What is not to love about this film? DeForrest Kelly. check. Janet Leigh, check. You have the swagger and levelheadedness of Dr. McCoy and the original scream queen in the same film.
Look, there is nothing groundbreaking here, and it is as funny as it was ever scary, but is that not the point of these movies? I found this highly enjoyable as a man versus nature film.
What is not to love about this film? DeForrest Kelly. check. Janet Leigh, check. You have the swagger and levelheadedness of Dr. McCoy and the original scream queen in the same film.
Look, there is nothing groundbreaking here, and it is as funny as it was ever scary, but is that not the point of these movies? I found this highly enjoyable as a man versus nature film.
NIGHT OF THE LEPUS
TCurtis919229 February 2020
"NIGHT OF THE LEPUS" (1972, Claxton) is infamous as the giant killer bunny film from the 70's but, if you haven't seen it, have you heard that it's not half bad? Because really it's a good giant monster movie.
Pros
The rabbits are used effectively. They are convincingly giant and do behave in quite a grizzly manner.
The cast are very experienced and carry this film further than it deserved really. Although Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh being described as a young couple (with a young daughter too) is hilarious.
It's Reminiscent of monster movies such as "THEM" (1954, Douglas) which pretty much carved out the giant monster sub genre's formula.
Cons
It's an adaptation of the Australian 1964 novel "THE YEAR OF THE ANGRY RABBIT" by Russell Braddon and it bears absolutely no similarities to it. Why WB bought the rights and then disregarded the book is beyond me. But as much as I like the book I also like the film.
The average viewer won't buy into the premise that giant rabbits are terrifying and so much of this film may be hysterical.
"THE FOOD OF THE GODS" (1976, Gordon) superseded this with giant killer rats. The later effort may not have been a better film but those rats sure bring a lot more excitement than the rabbits.
It's a good film and very fun, you should watch if you haven't already.
Pros
The rabbits are used effectively. They are convincingly giant and do behave in quite a grizzly manner.
The cast are very experienced and carry this film further than it deserved really. Although Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh being described as a young couple (with a young daughter too) is hilarious.
It's Reminiscent of monster movies such as "THEM" (1954, Douglas) which pretty much carved out the giant monster sub genre's formula.
Cons
It's an adaptation of the Australian 1964 novel "THE YEAR OF THE ANGRY RABBIT" by Russell Braddon and it bears absolutely no similarities to it. Why WB bought the rights and then disregarded the book is beyond me. But as much as I like the book I also like the film.
The average viewer won't buy into the premise that giant rabbits are terrifying and so much of this film may be hysterical.
"THE FOOD OF THE GODS" (1976, Gordon) superseded this with giant killer rats. The later effort may not have been a better film but those rats sure bring a lot more excitement than the rabbits.
It's a good film and very fun, you should watch if you haven't already.
I worked on this movie
leencarol1 December 2003
Anyone who has ever worked with animals knows how difficult it can be "Rabbits" was a very difficult film to do> WE worked in tremendous heat conditions and had hundreds of rabbits to deal with It was a fun film for the trainers I think because no one has done a horror film before with rabbits> Take the silly stuff away and its a fun film.
Giant Rabbits Run Amok in This Legendary Turkey
mrb19809 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The 1950s were the golden decade of monster movies--ants, praying mantises, Martians, spiders, gill-men, and many others wreaked havoc on defenseless actors time and time again. The monster cycle seemed to end in the early 1960s, then in 1972 "Night of the Lepus" was released.
I won't go into the plot very much, but it involves an invasion of giant rabbits who commit violence on a number of well-known actors, including DeForest Kelley, Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, and Stuart Whitman. The rabbits are shown two ways, as regular sized bunnies in miniature sets, and as actors in rather shabby rabbit costumes. Often the homicidal bunnies are shown with blood on their incisors, much to the audience's amusement. The rabbits are defeated in the movie's bravura conclusion, which comes none too soon.
I didn't know what to think when I first saw this film, but my friends and I had had several beers by the time it was over. I guess Leigh, Kelley, Calhoun and Whitman really needed the work, but it must have been a really entertaining movie to make, and the cast does a pretty good job considering the material they had. It's a 1950s movie from 1972, and it really isn't too bad if you're in the right frame of mind.
I won't go into the plot very much, but it involves an invasion of giant rabbits who commit violence on a number of well-known actors, including DeForest Kelley, Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, and Stuart Whitman. The rabbits are shown two ways, as regular sized bunnies in miniature sets, and as actors in rather shabby rabbit costumes. Often the homicidal bunnies are shown with blood on their incisors, much to the audience's amusement. The rabbits are defeated in the movie's bravura conclusion, which comes none too soon.
I didn't know what to think when I first saw this film, but my friends and I had had several beers by the time it was over. I guess Leigh, Kelley, Calhoun and Whitman really needed the work, but it must have been a really entertaining movie to make, and the cast does a pretty good job considering the material they had. It's a 1950s movie from 1972, and it really isn't too bad if you're in the right frame of mind.
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