OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
Canada, 1983, 88 minutes, Colour.
Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, Lawrence Dane, Shannon Tweed.
Directed by George Pan Cosmatos.
Of Unknown Origin is a Canadian animal menace story, focusing on rats. It is very similar to the film Rats directed by Robert Clouse.
The setting is New York City, an apartment refurnished by the hero, played by Peter Weller (Robocop, Leviathan). While his wife and son are away, a rat starts to torment him, attack the apartment. He becomes obsessed by rats, studying them and unable to concentrate on his work. Eventually, armed in anticipation of Robocop, he confronts the rat - with the result that he wrecks his apartment. At this moment his wife and son return.
While there are corny touches, Peter Weller acts with obsessive conviction and makes us identify with him in his battle against the destructive rat. We feel the irony of his health going to pieces, his emotional resilience wearing down, his inability to do his job and finally the wrecking of his wonderful apartment.
Direction is by George Pan Cosmatos, director of The Cassandra Crossing as well as the two Sylvester Stallone films, Rambo II and Cobra. Interesting of its kind.
1. Animal menace story? Horror touches? Human obsession? Battle?
2. New York settings, the city, workplace, the apartment? The focus on the rat, animal photography, special effects and editing? Musical score?
3. Rats and the title, the background of rats and their origin? Their destructive force? Bart's explanation of the effect of rats on food, health, the economy to the people at the banquet?
4. The focus on Bart Hughes: businessman, relationship with his wife and son, their going away? His work, the bosses, contracts and deals? His assistant - and his emotional reliance on her? The discovery of the rats, consulting the plumber and the other workmen? The frights in the night, the destruction of parts of the apartment, the mystery, the confrontation with the rat - especially in the toilet? The intercutting of the rat's activity? His growing desperation, reading, obsession, wanting his wife to come back? Fear in the night? Arming himself, the weapon? The final confrontation and fight? Victory but at what cost?
5. The sketch of the wife and the son, relationship, holiday, phone calls, return home?
6. The superior, money deals, meetings, dinners? Bart's behaviour? His personal assistant and his attraction towards her?
7. The rat, the scenes of the rat in the building, the tunnels, the destruction? The reaction of the workman?
8. The passageways in the building and the travelling of the rats, the litter, the attacks on Bart, the destruction in the building, the final fight - and its editing and pace?
9. Audience reaction to rats, the plausibility of the rats' behaviour in this story, the human reaction?
