Rabid (1977) - A Review and Look at the 2019 Remake

It seems to be the theme of the world these days, but we have yet another horror movie remake coming our way as part of FrightFest UK, and we’re actually looking forward to this one making its way across the pond. The film being remade is Rabid, originally created in 1977, and in honor of the upcoming renovation, we’re going to take a look at the old film and see what it did right, what it did wrong. Then we’ll take a look at what we think should be updated in the newest edition and what should be left alone. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the 1977 version of Rabid.

Rabid (1977)

With a name like Rabid you’d rather expect the film to be about what's written on the tin, wouldn’t you? Well, you might just be surprised. The story doesn’t involve someone getting infected with this disease and going all Cujo on people, instead, it's about a woman’s recovery from a horrific accident. Following a motorcycle accident, our main character Rose has extensive injuries and a doctor who wants to try something new to help her heal.

The process involves the implantation of graphs with morphogenetic properties that he hopes will automatically form into replacements for the skin and organs that have become damaged. Rose wakes up in terror in the middle of the night over a month later and causes a bizarre injury to a fellow patient while they’re trying to calm her. It turns out that Rose has developed a stinger under her armpit and no longer has the capacity to eat normally, but must consume human blood.

Unfortunately, those who are injured by her stinger become infected with some strange condition (hence the titles name) and begin attacking people who, in turn, become infected. This leads to an ongoing zombie apocalypse style scenario that the news reports as ‘a new form of rabies’. The story drives on to a rather tragic end as Rose tries to find a way to stop the horror from progressing but can’t help but spread it.

The film does an excellent job of playing with multiple tropes, including the zombie apocalypse scenario (before it had been so overdone). Another great aspect is that our main character does not desire to spread the disease and is driven to do so, and is playing part and parcel in trying to find a cure. The most critically tragic part of it is where her attempts to do so lead to her own death, and her body being disposed of by those unaware that she is the progenitor and possible source of the cure.

We found the movie to be timeless and well-done, and it was enjoyable being exposed to special effects that were over 40 years old. The upcoming film has all the benefits of modern technology to create a horrific new version, but we hope they don’t go overboard on the CGI. The topics covered in the film are still topical, and in fact perhaps even more relevant today than they were at the time of the creation of the film. And WE know YOU know that watching a movie like this only whets your appetite for some of the most intense, realistic Zombie Masks and Zombie Costumes ever sold, right here at The Horror Dome!