Of Unknown Origin (1983)

A man who recently completed rebuilding a townhouse becomes obsessed with a rat infestation until it becomes an interspecies duel.

Director:

George P. Cosmatos

Writers:

Chauncey G. Parker III (novel), Brian Taggert (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, Lawrence Dane

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Weller	...	Bart Hughes
Jennifer Dale	...	Lorrie Wells
Lawrence Dane	...	Eliot Riverton
Kenneth Welsh	...	James Hall
Louis Del Grande	...	Clete
Shannon Tweed	...	Meg Hughes
Keith Knight	...	Hardware Salesman
Maury Chaykin	...	Dan Errol
Leif Anderson	...	Peter Hughes
Jimmy Tapp	...	Meg's Father
Gayle Garfinkle	...	Janis Wycoff
Earl Pennington	...	Mr. Thompson
Jacklin Webb	...	Newspaper Vendor
Bronwen Mantel	...	Florence Riverton
Monik Nantel	...	Secretary

Storyline

Bart Hughes has a pretty good life, a beautiful wife, a young son, a good job with promotion prospects, and a renovated brownstone in New York. When wife and kid leave for a vacation, Bart stays behind to work on a project that will earn him that promotion, unaware that a certain inhabitant of his basement has other plans for his time. Bart goes a bit bonkers trying to kill this rat, destroying most of his house in the process. Certain allegorical elements tie the household conflict to the "rat race" in his office, but the main event is certainly the night-and-day contest of wills between man and rodent.

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Plot Keywords:

rat | house | new york | animal attack | mouse trap | 

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Taglines:

If it can't scare them to death, it will find another way.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 November 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Origem Desconhecida

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Famous Players Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Bart Hughes: [Bart is setting traps] Watch and weep, you furry fucker.

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Connections

Features The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

User Reviews

The Rodent Jaws

Peter Weller anchors a cast of Canadian actors in this entertaining low budget thriller directed by George Cosmatos. Plenty of action and a good through line of how an obsessively detailed individual would battle a threat to his environment. Louis "Seeing Things" Del Grande is very good as the helpful janitor next door to Weller's yuppie palace. Features rising Canadian actors Kenneth Welsh, Jennifer Dale and a slimmer Maury Chaykin. The Canadian Tax Credit system helped put this film in Montreal, doubling as New York. With little to work with in terms of sets and exteriors, Cosmatos shows his chops as a director who tries to make each shot pay off in a particular way. The overhead shot of Weller looking out over the "human" rat race crossing the street draws an interesting parallel with the main story. More than a couple of 'homages' to Jaws, which Cosmatos admits was one of his favourite movies.A bit repetitive at times but better than 'Willard'. Worth a look.