It's Alive (1974)

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

October 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Whatever it is, it's alive and deadly.

Plot:

The Davies expect a baby, which turns out to be a monster with a nasty habit of killing when it's scared. And it's easily scared.

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Baby | Hospital | Murder | Son

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John P. Ryan	...	Frank (as John Ryan)
Sharon Farrell	...	Lenore
James Dixon	...	Lt. Perkins
William Wellman Jr.	...	Charley
Shamus Locke	...	The Doctor
Andrew Duggan	...	The Professor
Guy Stockwell	...	Bob Clayton
Daniel Holzman	...	Chris
Michael Ansara	...	The Captain
Robert Emhardt	...	The Executive
Nancy Burnett	...	Nurse (as Mary Nancy Burnett)
Patrick McAllister	...	Expectant Father (as Patrick Macallister)
Diana Hale	...	Secretary
Gerald York	...	Expectant Father
Jerry Taft	...	Expectant Father
Gwil Richards	...	Expectant Father
W. Allen York	...	Expectant Father

Directed by
Larry Cohen

Writing credits
Larry Cohen		(written by)

Produced by
Larry Cohen	....	producer
Peter Sabiston	....	executive producer
Janelle Webb	....	co-producer (as Janelle Cohen)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Fenton Hamilton		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Peter Honess

Production Design by
Bob Biggart		(uncredited)
Pat Somerset		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Rick Baker	....	makeup artist
Rick Baker	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Biggart	....	sound effects (as Robert Biggart)
Pat Somerset	....	sound effects (as Patrick Somerset)

Special Effects by
Bob Biggart	....	special effects (uncredited)
Pat Somerset	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Leonard	....	stills
Robert Isenberg	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jeffrey L. Kimball	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Other crew
Bob Cohen	....	production assistant
Reid Freeman	....	production assistant
Steve Salkin	....	production consultant

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (as Warner Bros. Pictures An AOL Time Warner Company)
• Larco Productions (as A Larco Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. A Warner Communications Company) (as Warner Bros. Pictures An AOL Time Warner Company also)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Dabara Films (1977) (Canada) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (1977) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Imagic Inc.  titles & opticals by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) (1975) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG | Iceland:16 | Norway:(Banned) (1975-2003) (cinema release) | Finland:(Banned) (1984) | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) (2009) | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | West Germany:18 | Norway:16 (video premiere) | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | UK:X (original rating) (1975) | UK:15 (tv rating) | Italy:VM14

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Bernard Herrmann titled the music cue where the milkman meets his demise "The Milkman Goeth."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Franks brings the bottles of milk in from the porch, he is never seen closing the door. When he opens the other refrigerator, the door to the porch is closed.

Quotes:

Lieutenant Perkins:Hunting and killing babies doesn't seem to be my specialty.

Movie Connections:

Features Beep, Beep (1952)

Attack of the killer baby!!!

Yes, this movie features a baby of a different kind...the kind that crawls and kills!!! Yes, a killer baby that for some reason me and my family watched quite a few times when I was a kid. Somewhat creepy and somewhat cheesy at the same time as parts of it are easily made fun of. The movie has a couple of kills in it, but it really is not all that gory compared to an Italian horror movie. The story is okay and it does not try to explain things to much, unlike the later "It's Alive" movies would do. The movie ends in a rather different fashion too as it is somewhat surprising what the man does at the end. Still, the thought of a killer baby is kind of creepy and kind of funny and that is why this movie somewhat works. More gore and such would have made it better and more sewer scenes too, for some reason I find the sewer to be a very good horror backdrop that is used somewhat in movies, but not not enough for my tastes. All in all though this movie is not boring and somewhat fun to watch and in some parts make fun of.