Willard (2003)

A young man with an unusual connection to rats uses them at his own sociopathic will.

Director:

Glen Morgan

Writers:

Glen Morgan (screenplay), Gilbert Ralston

Stars:

Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey, Laura Harring

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Crispin Glover	...	Willard
R. Lee Ermey	...	Mr. Martin
Laura Harring	...	Cathryn (as Laura Elena Harring)
Jackie Burroughs	...	Mrs. Stiles
Ashlyn Gere	...	Ms. Leach (as Kimberly Patton)
William S. Taylor	...	Mr. Garter
Edward Horn	...	Colquitt
Gus Lynch	...	George Foxx
Laara Sadiq	...	Janice Mantis
David Parker	...	Detective Boxer
Ty Olsson	...	Officer Salmon

Storyline

This is the story of Willard Stiles who is a social misfit taking care of his ill and fragile but verbally abusive mother Henrietta in a musty old mansion that is also home to a colony of rats. Willard then finds himself constantly humiliated in front of his co-workers and is eventually fired by his cruel and uncaring boss, Mr. Frank Martin, a vicious man whose professional interest in Willard extends to a personal financial one.

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Plot Keywords:

rat | killing a pet | revenge | work | at work | 

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Taglines:

This Spring Stand Up And Bite Back

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for terror/violence, some sexual content and language

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Vingança de Willard

Filming Locations:

Lion's Gate Studios, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,010,593, 16 March 2003, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$6,886,089

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,546,666

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Hard Eight Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The rats all had numbers inked onto the underside of their tails so the filmmakers and trainers could keep track of them.

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Goofs

The gender of the two main rats, Socrates and Ben change through out the film. In some scenes the rats are male and in others they are female.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Willard's Mother: Willard! There are rats in the basement!

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Crazy Credits

Second Unit Chef Dave Carlson's credit is listed as: Cater to the Stars...DAVID CARLSON

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Connections

Referenced in The Rat Trainer's Notebook (2019)

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Soundtracks

Ben
Written by Walter Scharf and Don Black
Performed by Crispin Glover (as Crispin Hellion Glover)
Produced by Crispin Glover (as Crispin Hellion Glover) and Robert Haimer

User Reviews

Macabre fairy tale. Very atmospheric!!

Glen Morgan's Willard isn't your ordinary mainstream remake! Unlike the bombastic and computerized money-making films like …oh, I don't know Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 13 Ghosts and Dawn of the Dead who're merely loud updates of classic horrific tales. Willard is a modest and respectful production that lays the stress on atmosphere and scenery instead of gory effects and good-looking young flesh. Willard is the tale of an extremely introvert middle-aged man (lives with his needy mother, no girlfriend, stuck in a hopeless job) who discover his ability to control and command little rodents…rats in particular. By communicating with these rats, he finally discovers what friendship feels like and it also gives him the opportunity to satisfy his deepest feelings of anger and vengeance towards his boss – Frank Martin. But the mob of rats slowly turns against Willard as he doesn't treat them alike. Thanks to the depressing scenery (Willard's old house, the morbid factory) and the under-exposure at times, Willard often looks like a 40's chiller! There's a good and constant variation of tension and sadistic humor, with the cat-chase as the absolute highlight to state this. Crispin Glover – the man with the most incomprehensible cult following in the film industry – is brilliantly cast as Willard. His goofy – yet spooky – charisma fits his character really well. R. Lee Ermey receives the change to be his old boisterous self again as the dreary factory-owner who's out to destroy Willard life. To conclude the cast, Laura Harding is very charming as the understanding and helpful Cathryn. This film may not show as many bloodshed and eccentric slaughtering as the nowadays public demands, but it surely made an impression on me. Willard is a very atmospheric and often frightening horror storytelling with some adorable fairy-tale aspects and playfully imaginative aspects. Highly recommended. I saw this film at a during a festival-night…after a series of gory slashers. The over-enthusiast public didn't appreciate it that much but I trust in the fact that Willard will build up a solid cult reputation.