moonspinner55 Review of Strange Behavior

Strange Behavior (1981)

Credentials high, however this low-budget shocker never quite takes off...

[4/10 · 27 November 2010]

Australian-New Zealand-US co-production about modern-day teenagers in a small town "outside of Chicago" who come under the influence of a nefarious scientific team conducting paid experiments in their laboratory-fortress; the resident chief of police, harboring a grudge against the government-funded operation since the mysterious death of his wife, investigates. Director Michael Laughlin, working from a thin script by Bill Condon and himself, is very apt at creating atmosphere and mood, and the tension which slowly develops rests entirely upon these attributes (the characters and dialogue being of little consequence). His handling is, at times, uncomfortably physical, yet the violent sequences are paced in a realistically awkward manner--as if in a tumultuous dream-state. Laughlin takes it all quite seriously, with no camp overtones, though he doesn't give his first-rate cast an opportunity to do any real acting (Louise Fletcher, speaking with a light, frivolous twang, is particularly frittered away). Still, the look of the picture, the music by Tangerine Dream, and some of the horrific images are unique and memorable. *1/2 from ****