The Beast Within
Writer Tom Holland felt that the transformation scene that the public was sold on was not handled properly somewhat. He felt that Director Philippe Mora lingered "too much" on Paul Clemens and not cutting away to see the reaction shots by the other actors in the room which would've made the effect a lot more shocking than it really was.,During the scene in the kitchen when Michael is telling Amanda to leave, a shotgun keeps appearing and disappearing behind them leaning in front of the window.,Sheriff Pool: on the phone: "Oral sodomy?... Well, that's why it's a small town... Yeah, we'll look into it. Thank you for calling.",The film suffered numerous cuts to the gore to qualify for an "R" rating rather then an "X".,Featured in Sneak Previews: Fantasia/The Kirlean Witness/Diva/Circle of Deceit (1982),"The Beast Within" was a staple of TNT's MonsterVision many years ago, and its unique (yet often convoluted) premise reveals why: how many movies have featured a bloodthirsty cicada monster? Based on the novel by Edward Levy (adapted by future "Child's Play" director Tom Holland), the plot has happy newlyweds Ronny Cox and Bibi Besch running afoul of terror along a backwoods Mississippi road, where Besch is raped by some vague, subhuman creature; 17 years later, son Paul Clemens is exhibiting some extreme growing pains that include the occasional ghastly murder when his parents return to the scene of the crime looking for answers. While the plot never really comes together as well as it should, "Beast" is a model of B-movie efficiency that utilizes atmosphere, location, and some supremely grotesque special effects to leave the viewer rattled (director Philippe Mora also has an excellent grasp of light and shadow to create mood). In hindsight, the film has the type of contained, small-town-America aesthetic that has become the watermark of Stephen King's prose, and the cast is appropriately comprised of rather typical faces, not marquee stars. In the end, "Beast" is a wonderfully ghastly little flick with a creepy story that's executed just well enough to overcome some poor acting and an occasionally sluggish pace.,