The Clonus Horror (1979)

User Rating:

3.0/10   

Director:

Robert S. Fiveson

Writers:

Bob Sullivan (story)
Ron Smith (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

WARNING: The shock and horror of this film is unusually intense. It is not a film for the faint-hearted.

Plot:

Politicians scheme to clone themselves, assuring immortal life.

Plot Keywords:

Clone | Escape | Cloning | Presidential Candidate | Secret Experiment

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tim Donnelly	...	Richard Knight Jr. (as Timothy Donnelly)
Paulette Breen	...	Lena
Dick Sargent	...	Dr. Jameson
Keenan Wynn	...	Jake Noble
David Hooks	...	Prof. Richard P. Knight
Peter Graves	...	Jeffrey Knight
Zale Kessler	...	Dr. Nelson
James Mantell	...	Ricky Knight
Lurene Tuttle	...	Anna Noble
Frank Ashmore	...	George Walker
Larry Manning	...	Guide #4
William Bufkin	...	Clone
Tony Haig	...	Jack
Boyd Holister	...	Senator
Eddy Carroll	...	Doctor

Also Known As:

Alter Ego (UK) (video title)
Clonus (USA) (alternative title)
Parts: The Clonus Horror (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Moorpark College - 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, California, USA

Company:

Clonus Associates

Trivia:

Director Robert S. Fiveson brought a copyright infringement suit against the makers of The Island (2005). The lawsuit cited almost 100 points of similarity between "Clonus" and "The Island", and the court ruled that Fiveson made a prima facie case for infringement. Before the case could go to trial, Dreamworks settled with the plaintiffs for an undisclosed amount.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Lena falls off her bike 13 minutes into the film, you can clearly see a crew members hand making sure she doesn't fall any further, on her left side.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Parts: The Clonus Horror (#9.11)" (1997)

An effectively disturbing little movie.

In this combination of sci-fi / horror and political conspiracy thriller, a company named Clonus is making copies of human beings; these clones are kept docile and, for the most part, not particularly curious, in a facility in the California countryside where they're constantly being trained before they are sent to "America", although they're being collected for a more sinister and selfish purpose. Trouble brews when one of the smarter clones, Richard (Timothy Donnelly) starts asking too many pointed questions.

"Parts: The Clonus Horror" is effective at being both intelligent and delivering an assortment of thrills. The plotting is interesting and the pacing fairly efficient. (It's worth noting that the movie does hit the ground running and establish the disquieting mood right away.) While the revelations don't come off as being very surprising, it's still entertaining to watch and the larger moral statements that the movie makes are impossible to miss. One nightmare sequence in particular delivers a creepy feeling; the movie also doesn't hesitate to show violence and gore when necessary.

The presence of old acting pros like Peter Graves (still a few years away from successfully sending himself up in "Airplane!"), Keenan Wynn, and Dick Sargent helps lend the movie credibility. Star Timothy Donnelly may be on the bland side, but he's an adequate enough lead, and Paulette Breen is an undeniable knockout as his love interest. (It's also worth noting that Frank Ashmore is in the movie too, since Graves and Ashmore were both among the flight crew in "Airplane!".)

It's too bad that this is the only substantial film credit for the director, Robert S. Fiveson; he did a good enough job with this movie that we should have seen more from him over the years. But having this movie on his resume is not such a bad legacy to have.

Smart, provocative, and uneasy, "Parts: The Clonus Horror" leads to an effectively bleak conclusion and delivers a good dose of low-budget genre fare to rate as a solid hour and a half of viewing.

8/10