Strange Behavior (1981)

A scientist is experimenting with teenagers and turning them into murderers.

Director:

Michael Laughlin

Writers:

Bill Condon, Michael Laughlin

Stars:

Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Murphy	...	John Brady
Louise Fletcher	...	Barbara Moorehead
Dan Shor	...	Pete Brady
Fiona Lewis	...	Gwen Parkinson
Arthur Dignam	...	Dr. Le Sange / Nagel
Dey Young	...	Caroline
Marc McClure	...	Oliver Myerhoff
Scott Brady	...	Shea
Charles Lane	...	Donovan
Elizabeth Cheshire	...	Lucy Brown
Beryl Te Wiata	...	Mrs. Haskell
Jim Boelsen	...	Waldo
Billy Al Bengston	...	Felix Rowe
Nicole Anderson	...	Flying Nun
Bill Condon	...	Bryan Morgan

Storyline

Widowed John Brady is the Chief of Police in small town Galesburg, Illinois, where he has lived most of his life. His only offspring, Pete Brady, is a bright high school senior. John has been in turmoil since the suspicious death of his wife Catherine years earlier, which he always believed had something to do with her boss, Dr. Le Sange, who himself died shortly after Catherine's passing. Only recently has John and Pete's home life gotten back on track with John dating Barbara Moorehead, a waitress at the local hangout, she who has known John for some time. John's life takes a turn for the worse when he has to investigate the brutal slashing murders of four townsfolk in four separate incidents. A brief eyewitness statement to one of the murders before the eyewitness herself is murdered is the only substantive evidence. However, the three other victims were the sons of long time friends of his. Those three friends have a special connection to John's past. As such, he believes if the ...

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Plot Keywords:

video nasty | psychotronic film | ozploitation | murder | college | 

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Taglines:

Town population is down... about six feet

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Australia New Zealand USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 June 1982 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Dead Kids

Filming Locations:

Avondale College, Victor Street, Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hemdale, Fay, Richwite, South Street Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Klaus Kinski turned down the role of Dr Le Sangel.

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Alternate Versions

Although the 1986 UK video version was uncut the 1993 Vipco release was cut by 26 secs by the BBFC to remove shots of Pete Brady vertically cutting his wrist with a knife, as this was classed as an imitable suicide technique. The cuts were expanded to 41 secs for the 2004 DVD release though the 2008 Optimum DVD restores around 14 secs via a different edit.

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Connections

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2 (2006)

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Soundtracks

Shivers
by The Birthday Party
Published by Doodah Music
Reproduced by courtesy of Missing Link Records

User Reviews

Better than expected, but...

FINALLY, a passable horror. Although, I'll remember it more for a stunning I Dream Of Jeannie costume in the fancy dress party scene, than for the actual content. Also, I have no idea why this is rated 18 since the murders are more comical than gruesome, and the most horrific thing on displays are the bad 80's hairdos.

Still, Fiona Lewis's performance as the most ruthless female medical worker since Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is noteworthy (Oddly enough, the woman who played Nurse Ratched, Louise Fletcher, pops up here in a completely different role) and there is a nice little twist near the end.

Alas, the unrealistic stabbings and the presence of breathing corpses prevent it from ever being scary, and the tactic of renaming it DEAD KIDS in the UK just reeks of desperation.It's perfectly watchable,and miles better than some of the dross I've seen of this genre recently, but my wait for a truly good horror this year goes on