maarck6 Storywise, this is a two tiered tale. The first dealing with Rod Steiger as a (very) mad scientist who is performing unholy genetic experiments with humans who have been kidnapped from automobile accidents, turning them into mad half-people half-something else (watch the movie and find out what). Meanwhile, John is a young doctor who is informed by his girlfriend that his mother has just come out of a three year coma after a heart attack.Unfortunately, she is also a mad scientist, but, having found her conscious, wants her son to go out to her house and destroy all her research and notes. Steiger, of course, takes umbrage to this, and wants to put the skids on this destruction. To help him, he plants Melissa, who is a spy, in John's camp.John takes Melissa, his girlfriend, and some friends up to his mom's house, and it is here that strange things start happening, including a dog's bloody death and a woman being attacked by a creature possessed watermelon (!), and the pacing starts to pick up from there to a truly exciting climax.This is an old-fashioned monster romp, full of icky monsters, monster attacks, a mad scientists, mad scientists experiments, people running amok in panic, cute babes, and a solid pacing. There's suspense and humor, although this film never devolves into comedy. The special effects are totally icky, but in a fun way. The story is full of plot holes to be sure, something that comes from a script that was written by five people, including Stephen Carpenter (who created Grimm), Joseph Stefano (Psycho), and Earl Ghaffari (music editor for such movies as Frozen, Zootopia, and Wreck-It Ralph). But it also moves at a quick pace, and all seem to be having a wacky time making it. Including the cast, which includes such journeymen actors like Kim Hunter, Rod Steiger, who just chews up the scenery, Talia Balsam, Peter Frechette (Profiler), and the yummy Amanda Pays (Max Headroom, and both versions of The Flash) as the subversive Melissa.The best way to describe this movie is as if Frankenstein and The Island of Doctor Moreau were written by H. P. Lovecraft and filmed by a less coked out Stuart Gordon. No nudity, no real gore, good make-up, so it's fun for everybody and don't forget to bring the kids.

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** Grossed out horror movie involving world renowned, but somewhat deranged, Geneticist Dr. Phillip Llyod, Rod Steiger, who's into creating clones of human beings who despite having the exact genetic material in their DNA don't look anything like each other.It was Dr. Llyod's assistant Dr. Amanda Hollins, Kim Hunter, who in fact discovered the metamorphosis like operation but unlike the totally crazed Dr. Llyod knew just how dangerous it was for all humanity and tried to stop it by destroying all the papers she had written on it over the years. Recovering for a massive heart-attack, which she later died from, Dr. Hollins begs her son John, David Allen Brooks, to burn the notes and papers on her secret experiment before it's too late. Too late in stopping John's genetic twin Anthony, who in fact looks nothing like him, coming out into the open and killing everything, human and animal life, that he or it comes in contact with!It's at Dr. Hollins country home where she conducted her experiment in human genetics that her Son John and his friends planned to spend the weekend not realizing the dangers they they were soon to be facing. Anthony makes his long awaited and grand appearance hiding inside a watermelon that he uses as cover in attacking and devouring one of John's friends Neil, Burki Z, while she was driving home to celebrate her parents 35th wedding anniversary! It takes a lot of convincing but by the time that Anthony finally reveals himself it's almost too late to stop him or it. The both mad and cagey Dr. Llyod had secretly planted among John's friends a spy, who's dependent on Dr. Llyod's medication, who does everything to stymie John in finally bringing an end to his genetic brother Anthony. The sad part is that he or she in doing Dr. Llyod's bidding becomes Anthony 1st victim!Despite being on the screen for less then ten minutes Academy Award Winner actor Rod Steiger steals the acting honors as the totally out of his head Dr. Phillip Llyod. Dr. Llyod in trying to keep his and the late Dr. Hollis invention from being cooked down to a blob of Vaseline tried desperately to stop John & Co. from liquefying it only to end up joining the "Thing" in the very depths of hell from where it came from! :The by then totally destroyed Dr. Hollis secret laboratory. But it's in fact Anthony, who looks like a combination of a deep sea squid and cicada beetle, who's the real star of the movie. This yucky and gooey monstrosity is about the grosses thing even seen in a horror movie and makes every minute of its on screen appearances count! To the point where in the end you actually end up feeling sorry for it despite all the death and destruction it caused!

udar55 For the demographic demanding to see Rod Steiger covered in slime, this movie is for you! THE KINDRED is actually a fun little monster flick. Dr. John Hollins (David Allen Brooks) heads to the home of his scientist mother (Kim Hunter) with some friends to clean up her work after she has a heart attack. While he isn't quite sure what she was working on, she demands he destroy it all. Oh, she also reveals he has a brother named Anthony. What is Anthony? A mutant hybrid of John's genes and some aquamarine life. Of course an evil scientist (Steiger) is also out to get his hands on Anthony. The film does have a few problems (most notably the slow first half hour and low body count) but this is still an enjoyable monster mash with good acting. Titular creature Anthony is an original looking design and the rest of the effects work is very good. In addition, the film has a great score by David Newman. Co-directors Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow are also responsible for THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, THE POWER and SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT.

bad_habitt This one was a real surprise. I expected it to be a tedious and clichéd film but it was so so much more.The acting was simply magnificent and for an 80's movie, the special effects were some of the best i have seen. The story line was also very solid and i found myself wanting to the movie not to end as i was so into it.One of the very best horror films you are likely to see.10\10.A A A A