It Lives Again (1978)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The 'It's Alive' Baby is back... Only now there are three of them.

Plot Keywords:

Second Part | Sequel To Cult Movie | Sequel To Cult Favorite | Monster | Terror

Cast

Frederic Forrest	...	Eugene Scott
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Jody Scott
John P. Ryan	...	Frank Davis
John Marley	...	Mr. Mallory
Andrew Duggan	...	Dr. Perry
Eddie Constantine	...	Dr. Forrest
James Dixon	...	Detective Perkins
Dennis O'Flaherty	...	Dr. Peters
Melissa Inger	...	Valerie
Victoria Jill	...	Cindy
Bobby Ramsen	...	Dr. Sando da Silva
Glenda Young	...	Lydia
Lynn Wood	...	Jody's Mother

Also Known As:

It's Alive 2: It Lives Again (USA) (DVD box title)
It's Alive II

Runtime:

91 min | France:68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Norway:16 (video premiere) | Australia:R | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Larco Productions

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When John P. Ryan and Kathleen Lloyd are sitting on the couch talking after the baby shower, the boom mic is blatantly visible sticking out from under the coffee table.

Movie Connections:

Follows It's Alive (1974/I)

Lacking the finer touch

There is an epidemic of these mutant babies and the authorities are destroying them before they are born, but this time three manage to escape and are being looked after by doctors and the father from the original.

This film had a low budget but it was bigger then that of the original. The story is alright but it kinda rehashes some of the ideas from the original and in a much slower pace. It keeps the dreary atmosphere but the problem was it was a real talkative sequel, in which nothing really exciting happens until the last 30 minutes.

Good performances from John. P. Ryan as Frank Davis, Freddic Forrest as Eugene Scott and Kathleen Lloyd as Jody Scoot play the parents of the hideous baby this time around. Though John.P.Ryan performance isn't as prominent this time, but the performances are down to earth.

As usual it's got a good script, but definitely the humourless of the three. A decent score, that never reaches the great heights of the originals composer Bernard Herrmann. The make-up effects and puppets are pretty ordinary from the Rick Baker because of the problem of showing the viewer too much of the babies.

It's real funny seeing the babies jumping and attacking people and the amount of cops that are after the baby is hilarious.

The film is worth it for last 30mins in which the tension finally appears and the atmosphere standouts with its stark lighting and good camera angles give it some tense scenes, but not enough. The plot and direction is not bad, but lacks a real punch.

It's watchable because of the performances and script but it would be my least favourite of the three films.

2.5/5