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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The drive-in theater is showing another MGM film, Every Little Crook and Nanny (1972).

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Goofs

All the death and destruction is the result of a little girl's selfish act, but at no point is she ever punished or even reprimanded.

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Quotes

Officer Lopez: Attention! Attention! Ladies and gentlemen, attention! There is a herd of killer rabbits headed this way and we desperately need your help!

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Dogs (2013)

User Reviews

I worked on this movie

Anyone who has ever worked with animals knows how difficult it can be "Rabbits" was a very difficult film to do> WE worked in tremendous heat conditions and had hundreds of rabbits to deal with It was a fun film for the trainers I think because no one has done a horror film before with rabbits> Take the silly stuff away and its a fun film.

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)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A.C. Lyles Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor) Black and White (newsreel footage)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1