Mutant (film)
Mutant is a 1984 American horror film. It was initially released to theaters as Night Shadows, but it premiered on video with the Mutant title, which it has retained for all subsequent releases.
| Mutant | |
|---|---|
 Original poster designed by Design Projects, Inc. | |
| Directed by | John "Bud" Cardos |
| Produced by | Igo Kantor |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by | Richard Band |
| Cinematography | Alfred Taylor |
| Edited by | Michael J. Duthie |
| Distributed by | Film Ventures International |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Brothers Josh and Mike are run off the road by local rednecks and forced to spend the night in a small town whose inhabitants are suffering from a mysterious disease. When Mike goes missing, Josh has to team up with the sheriff to defeat the mutating townsfolk.
Cast
- Wings Hauser as Josh Cameron
- Bo Hopkins as Sheriff Will Stewart
- Jody Medford as Holly Pierce
- Lee Montgomery as Mike Cameron
- Marc Clement as Albert Hogue
- Cary Guffey as Billy
- Jennifer Warren as Dr. Myra Tate
- Danny Nelson as Jack
- Mary Nell Santacroce as Mrs. Mapes
- Stuart Culpeper as Mel
- Johnny Popwell, Sr. as Dawson
- Ralph Redpath as Vic
- Larry Quackenbush as Harve
- Tina Kincaide as Judy Ann
- Lit Connah as Mrs. Miller
- Wallace Wilkinson as Mr. Miller
Production
The film was directed by John "Bud" Cardos. Mark Rosman was originally hired to direct, but was replaced by Cardos early in the production after the studio objected to the way he was shooting the film.[1] Mutant was a production of Edward L. Montoro,[2] and this film's budget was one of the contributing factors to the downfall of Montoro's company, Film Ventures International.
Home media
The film was available on CED in the 1980s. The film is available on DVD from several different distributors. DVDs released by both Elite Entertainment and Genius Products, under license from Liberation Entertainment, each show the film in widescreen. In the United Kingdom, a DVD was made available from Hollywood DVD. A second DVD was released in the UK from Boulevard Entertainamet on April 2, 2007. It has been released on a European region free Blu-ray with no special features. In 2016 American company Code Red films released a limited edition restored 4K transfer of the film on Blu-ray. Special features include an on-camera interview with actors Bo Hopkins and Lee Montgomery, an audio commentary with Lee Montgomery, Igo Kantor and director John Bud Cardos, and the original theatrical trailer.
Soundtrack
The film score by Richard Band was released by Perseverance Records on April 28, 2008. It is an expanded release of the original score album, released by Intrada Records in 1993 (previously available as an LP for Varèse Sarabande). The score, performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, has been highly acclaimed over the years for its massive size, often lyrical scope and a surprisingly melodic nature.
Reception
Writing in The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia, Peter Dendle called it a "fairly humorless and uncomplicated zombie invasion exercise" that is "derivative and unnecessary".[3]
The movie was mocked on May 7, 2012 by Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett of Rifftrax.[4]
References
- Fischer, Dennis (2011). Science Fiction Film Directors, 1895-1998. McFarland & Company. p. 128. ISBN 9780786485055.
- Alright, Brian (2008). Wild Beyond Belief!. McFarland & Company. p. 30. ISBN 9780786482504.
- Dendle, Peter (2001). The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia. McFarland & Company. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-0-7864-9288-6.
- Rifftrax: Mutant, retrieved 2018-03-22