Mutant (1984)

Two brothers discover that the residents of a small Southern town are being infected by a form of toxic waste, turning them into blood-ravenous zombies.

Directors:

John 'Bud' Cardos, Mark Rosman (uncredited)

Writers:

Michael Jones (story and screenplay), John C. Kruize (screenplay)

Stars:

Wings Hauser, Bo Hopkins, Jody Medford

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wings Hauser	...	Josh Cameron
Bo Hopkins	...	Sheriff Will Stewart
Jody Medford	...	Holly Pierce
Lee Montgomery	...	Mike Cameron
Marc Clement	...	Albert Hogue
Cary Guffey	...	Billy
Jennifer Warren	...	Dr. Myra Tate
Danny Nelson	...	Jack
Mary Nell Santacroce	...	Mrs. Mapes
Stuart Culpepper	...	Mel
Johnny Popwell	...	Captain Tom Dawson (as Johnny Popwell Sr.)
Ralph Redpath	...	Vic
Larry Quackenbush	...	Harve
Ralph Pace	...	Art
Wallace Wilkinson	...	Mr. Mitchell

Storyline

When two brothers, Josh and Mike, go to a small southern town for a vacation, they find most of the residents either dead or missing. When Mike himself goes missing, Josh teams up with the local sheriff and an attractive school teacher to find him until Josh discovers that the whole town and most of its people have been infected by a form of toxic waste, and they have all turned into toxic vampires whom prowl the streets at night for human blood!

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Plot Keywords:

toxic waste | sheriff | blood | blond boy | child murder | 

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Taglines:

Mankind's Deadliest Threat Will Not Come From The Skies.

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mutant

Filming Locations:

Norcross, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Laurelwood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Writers John C. Kruize and Michael Jones decided to collaborate on writing a horror script in 1980 while working in the mail room at MGM Pictures. They wrote the script for Night Shadows (which was titled "The Pestilence" at the time) while on their lunch breaks and after work. They finished the script in only a few months.

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Goofs

When Josh discovers Mike in the basement of Mrs Mape's house, the knife wound and bandage have disappeared from Mike's arm.

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Connections

Referenced in Ghost Town (1988)

User Reviews

Better than expected

The cover box called this movie 'Mutant' so I knew it wasn't going to be about flower arrangement (good) and it starred Wings Hauser (could be good but then again he could overact mightily) and it was very cheap might be awful) but as it was a wet tuesday I bought it. Much better than I expected.

Wings was restrained, Bo Hopkins good as usual and the other cast members fine. The two female leads were particularly good. They all took part in your usual chemicals contaminates town turning folks into murderous zombie type things sort of plot but the photography was atmospheric, the music creepy or emotional as appropriate, the make up scary and it all built up slowly but surely to a suspenseful ending.

The ordinariness of the setting makes it more frightening. It could be happening in the next town to you!