A social misfit, Willard is made fun of by his co-workers, and squeezed out of the company started by his deceased father by his boss. His only friends are a couple of rats he raised at home, Ben and Socrates. However, when one of them is killed at work, he goes on a rampage using his rats to attack those who have been tormenting him.
Acting
Bruce Davison's sweaty desperation is genuinely haunting.
Practical Effects
Hundreds of real rats. No CGI cowardice here.
Direction
Daniel Mann treats rodent chaos with bizarre sincerity.
Director
Daniel Mann
Bruce Davison
Willard Stiles
Ernest Borgnine
Al Martin
Sondra Locke
Joan Simms
Elsa Lanchester
Henrietta Stiles
Michael Dante
Brandt
Jody Gilbert
Charlotte Stassen
William Hansen
Barskin
John Myhers
Carlson
J. Pat O'Malley
Jonathan Farley
Joan Shawlee
Alice Rickles
Almira Sessions
Carrie Smith
Alan Baxter
Walter T. Spencer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 1971 novel 'Ratman's Notebooks' spawned this AND a 2003 Crispin Glover remake. The rat revenge genre is weirdly durable.
Bruce Davison kept Ben's preserved corpse prop. It later sold at auction. Hollywood is cursed.
US
