Boba_Fett1138
This is one great little genre movie from the '70's, that features a great and original concept, though it might sound familiar to those who have seen Michael Bay's "The Island".The movie is set at an enclosed camp were people's clones live and train themselves to be in perfect condition, while they are being oblivious to the fact that they are actually clones, who only exist in case the person they are a clone of need a new organ. Sounds familiar already? Well it should, since this movie almost entirely features the same premise as the 2005 movie "The Island". It even resulted in a law suit, which eventually got settled.So you could say "The Clonus Horror" was a movie that was far ahead of its time. And its entire concept does play out well and originally. It's one of those typical '70's science-fiction movies that play on people's paranoia. It sets things up nicely and the movie is taking some good thriller approaches to its story as well.Only thing that really works against the movie is its low budget. It makes the movie at times come across as being a bit clumsily, or even laughable. Also the acting isn't always of the highest order, though I liked some of its supporting cast.It's low budget also doesn't make this the most spectacular genre film but there is plenty of other stuff to compensate for this. It's story alone is good enough to carry the entire movie through and makes this sort of a must-see as well for the lovers of '70's science-fiction.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
ocristiii
I remember catching this on late night TV back in the 80's and it stuck with me for years until I finally saw a DVD copy. It gets badmouthed, but this is what 'good' low budget sci-fi movie looks like. The story was intriguing (for 1979) and it was able to be fairly well made for next to nothing. Has it aged well? No, but the concept was good enough to be ripped off for a big budget remake 20+ years later. They probably though nobody would remember this old b-movie, but seems they were wrong. I wonder how much it ended up costing them. So it's a little goofy looking now, it still deserves some praise. I'd still rather watch this than 'Clone Wars' any day.
Woodyanders
Clonus is an isolated, rigidly closed off, and closely monitored facility where young, fit, healthy clones of wealthy, powerful people are created and raised for the specific purpose of serving as donors for an illicit underground black market organ ring whose central function is to keep its rich, privileged clientèle forever robust and youthful through the immoral and inhumane use of said clones. The clones are made docile, complacent and cooperative via brainwashing (they're told that when they reach a certain age they'll leave the compound and find freedom in America, which is a particularly subversive bit of mind-twisting misinformation), strict supervision and lobotomies. Timothy Donnelly gives a fine, affecting performance as Richard, an unusually bright and perceptive clone who discovers what's going on, steals an incriminating videotape, and escapes from the compound so he can alert the outside world.A sterling example of how low-budget, independently produced films have the creative freedom to tackle a pertinent issue and incisively examine said issue's multi-layered ethical implications, "Parts: The Clonus Horror" makes for a splendidly chilling and provocative sci-fi/horror medical conspiracy thriller. Under Robert Fiveson's crisp, assured, clearly focused direction, which skillfully milks the rich subtext of Ron Smith and Bob Sullivan's insidious, sharply intelligent, uncomfortably prescient and penetrating script for maximum unease, this laudably audacious and decisive film dares to question the validity of certain cherished American institutions, mainly the medical community, the government and the upper class. The topical subject matter bracingly addresses such pressing themes as how cloning robs human beings of their basic worth and subsequently reduces them to pieces of meat (the clones are called such impersonal pronouns as "it," "them," and "thing"), conformity vs. individuality, technology intruding on one's privacy (everything the clones do gets recorded by hidden cameras), authoritarianism suppressing independence, how our caste system favors those with lots of money and clout, man's desire to conquer mortality, and even fate vs. free will. Given the recent controversy surrounding DNA breakthroughs and minute surveillance cameras popping up all over the place, these issues today now possess a more timely and unnerving resonance.Moreover, the acting is uniformly excellent, with especially bang-up turns by Dick Sargent as the cold, brilliant, unfeeling megalomaniacal smarmbag doctor behind the whole evil plot, Peter Graves as a crooked, unctuous ultra-conservative Republican presidential candidate who assists in the cover-up, Frank Ashmore as the mysterious millionaire who finances the sinister operation, Keenan Wynn as a kindly, helpful retired newspaper reporter, Lurene Tuttle as Wynn's feisty, excitable wife, and Paulette Breen as a fetching blonde clone Richard falls in love with. Further complimented by Max Beaufort's slick, fluid cinematography, and Hal David Schudson's spooky score (the Gregorian chant singing is quite creepy), "Parts: The Clonus Horror" certainly doesn't deserve its current "what the hell?" camp reputation. I personally consider it to be a very underrated little sleeper, a remarkably potent and confrontational affair that scores extra points for its sheer boldness and vehemently skeptical "nothing is what it seems" point of view.
Andrew Fernandez
After viewing this film, I felt it was horrible. I only watched this after hearing about the Plagiarism scandal with the Island. The film lacks a leading character and is shot poorly. Fiveson does a horrible job maintaining "humanity" with the clones. Throughout the movie I felt as if the movie had no sense of direction. I also noticed that Fiveson seems more interested with the reactions and actions of the non-clones rather than what the movie is truly all about.As for its comparison to the Island, It does border that of which the Island is all about. Yet Fiveson didn't create the characters of Tom Lincoln, Merrick, Jordan2Delta. I would not go through the trouble of hunting this movie down on Amazon and purchasing it. Wait for it to show up on AMC, it has absolutely no value as far as Sci-Fi or novelty. Mr. Fiveson should be happy the Island came out, At least someone will be talking about his movie in 2006.
