Night of the Lepus (1972)

Giant mutant rabbits terrorize the south-west.

Director:

William F. Claxton

Writers:

Don Holliday (screenplay), Gene R. Kearney (screenplay)

Stars:

Stuart Whitman, Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stuart Whitman	...	Roy Bennett
Janet Leigh	...	Gerry Bennett
Rory Calhoun	...	Cole Hillman
DeForest Kelley	...	Elgin Clark
Paul Fix	...	Sheriff Cody
Melanie Fullerton	...	Amanda Bennett
Chris Morrell	...	Jackie Hillman
Chuck Hayward	...	Jud
Henry Wills	...	Frank
Francesca Jarvis	...	Mildred
William Elliott	...	Dr. Leopold
Bob Hardy	...	Professor Dirkson (as Robert Hardy)
Richard Jacome	...	Deputy Jason
Inez Perez	...	Housekeeper
Roy Gaintner	...	Walker (as G. Leroy Gaintner)

Storyline

Cole Hillman's Arizona ranch is plagued with 'mongrel' rabbits, and he wants to employ an ecologically sound control method. As a favor to college benefactor Hillman, college president Elgin Clark calls in zoologist Roy Bennett to help. Bennett immediately begins injecting rabbits with hormones and genetically mutated blood in an effort to develop a method of disrupting rabbit reproduction. One of the test subjects escapes, resulting in a race of bloodthirsty, wolf-sized, man-, horse-, and cow-eating bunnies. Eventually the National Guard is called in for a final showdown with the terrorizing rabbits.

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Plot Keywords:

giant rabbit | mutation | rampage | killer rabbit | giant animal | 

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Taglines:

They were born that tragic moment when science made its great mistake... now from behind the shroud of night they come, a scuttling, shambling horde of creatures destroying all in their path.

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rabbits

Filming Locations:

Sonoita, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$900,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,711,923

Company Credits

Production Co:

A.C. Lyles Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A special screening was held at Rincon Valley Farmer's Market in Tuscon, Arizona on July 29, 2006 to help raise funds for Colossal Cave Mountain Park, where much of the film was originally shot. Admission was $5 for adults and $3 for kids (free for ages 5 and under).

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Goofs

Cole Hillman shoots the rabbits through the floor boards, leaving bullet holes. But when he shot the rabbits just a few moments before, through the storm shelter, there was no bullet holes.

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Quotes

Husband in Car: Picking up no strangers, Susan. I said that when we left Denver, and I'm sticking with it. Especially a man carrying a gun!

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Connections

Spoofed in South Park: Pandemic 2: The Startling (2008)

User Reviews

These bun-buns are fun-buns!

A jaw-droppingly stupid idea (giant carnivorous bunny rabbits on a rampage) makes for a surprisingly fun, entertaining movie. The effects are reasonably convincing, it's briskly paced, with a blast of an ending. It's all played perfectly straight, and good for many a giggle.

Dumb? You bet. Fun? Abso-wootwy (as Elmer Fudd would say). Plus it stars DeForest Kelly. Bad film buffs will adore it!