It's Alive

Plot synopsis:
Lenore Harker leaves college to have a baby with her architect boyfriend, Frank. After discovering the baby has doubled in size in just a month, doctors extract the baby by Caesarian section. After the doctor cuts the umbilical cord, the newborn baby Daniel goes on a rampage and kills the surgical team in the operating room. He afterwards crawls onto his mother's belly and falls asleep. Lenore and Daniel are found on the operating table, the room covered in blood. Lenore has no memory of what happened.
After questioning by the police, Lenore is allowed to take Daniel home. Authorities arrange for a psychologist to help her regain her memory of the delivery. Soon, Daniel bites Lenore when she feeds him, revealing his taste for blood.
Daniel begins to attack small animals and progresses to killing adult humans. Lenore refuses to accept that her baby is a cannibalistic killer. Frank comes home from work to find Lenore sitting in the baby's room, but Daniel is not in his crib. The electricity goes off. Frank goes to check the fuse and at the same time searches for Daniel in the basement. Then he finds himself locked in. Daniel kills Marco, the police officer who came with Sergeant Perkins. Perkins finds Frank in the basement. As Perkins and Frank search for Daniel, Daniel suddenly drops down on Perkins and kills him. Frank captures Daniel with a rubbish can, but cannot bring himself to kill him. Daniel leaps out of the rubbish can and attacks Frank when he lifts the lid off the rubbish can.
Lenore finds Frank injured, and she brings Daniel into the burning house. Frank and his brother, Chris watch helplessly as the house burns with Lenore and Daniel inside.

Tags: murder

Review:
I do not hate many remakes because they stain the memory of "classic" (or semi-classic) movies.In fact, I am absolutely open to receive them with all the possible objectivity, and I think I could recognize their hits in the minority of cases something good came from them (like for example, The Thing and Dawn of the Dead).But what definitely upsets me from many remakes is the arrogance to think they can improve an old film with the mere thing of "modernize" it, when generally the value from the original film resides on the historical context it was made, portraying the sensibility and style from a time.A clear example is the cult film It's Alive, written and directed by the underrated Larry Cohen in 1974, which had a naughty style which found suspense and human drama in premises which border on the ridiculous.That also applies to other Cohen's films, such as The Stuff, Q and God Told Me To, which ended up being much more entertaining and interesting than I expected.What I mostly liked from It's Alive is that it endorsed its bizarre story with interesting ideas about paternity, scientific responsibility and the then emergent field of the induced fertility.Now, the atrocious remake of that film tries to "update" those ideas, but without a pinch of the ingenuity and talent Cohen showed in the original film.It's Alive does not fulfill at all with its purpose of creating horror, suspense or even interest.90% of this movie is set on a remote house, something which severely limits the wingspan from the story, and instead of the suburban horror from the original film, we have a simple "slasher" formula, with the disposable characters escaping from the murderer by the dark corridors and basements from the house.And even though the murderer is a baby, that circumstance is never used to try something more innovating or at least shocking.Another big problem is the pathetic performances.Nobody shows even the slightest energy or conviction.And as for direction, Josef Rusnak belongs to the school of filmmakers who simply film the scenes from the screenplay, and they then chronologically edit them...but who do not have a single idea on how to tell a story, or how to work with the actors.I do not have much more to say.It's Alive (2008) is an execrable "horror" movie, and one of those films which truly damage the genre.Instead of watching this atrocity, I recommend you to see the very entertaining original film..
In this tedious and lifeless remake of Larry Cohen's 1974 campy horror classic pregnant Lenore delivers the baby.During the birth all the doctors and nurses in the operating room are viciously killed by the baby.It seems that her child is thirsty for human and animal blood.This "It's Alive" remake is downright silly and absurd.The film fails to generate even the smallest amount of tension.The killings are mediocre and the CGI effects are cheesy and unconvincing.However I enjoyed the performance of Bijou Philips,because her character has just enough depth to convey at least some of the conflicting emotions between a protective mother and someone frightened for their life.4 out of 10.Watch "Grace" or "Baby Blues" instead..
The pregnant college student Lenore Harker (Bijou Phillips) leaves the college before the end of the semester to move to the isolated house in Larkspur of her boyfriend, the architect Frank Davis (James Murray).
The baby's father is never around and when he is, never seems to have a clue that this kid is a little monster.The entire New Mexico police force consisted of 2 cops, both of which made Inspector Clouseau look like Sherlock Holmes.
As a matter of fact these police were wearing generic uniforms with no insignia etc.The acting was OK up until the mommy (played by Bijou Philips)started to think she was actually in a film that may get some notice and began to ham it up to the point of it being embarrassing.I think that everyone associated with the remake of this camp classic should've watched the movie "Grace" if they wanted to see a terrifying movie about a demon child.
Larry Cohen's original 1974 schlock-fest had gallons of artificial blood, a campy story and one very bad looking baby puppet.
Larry Cohen, writer/director of the original as well as numerous other cult classics, co-wrote the script of this inferior remake, strangely enough.
So Bijou Phillips, who needs to pick a new, less ridiculous name, spend the whole movie ignoring the fact that her baby is evil incarnate and even enabling it from time to time.
I wasn't sure what was going on with this film until recently I received a screener of the remake at work.
It has flaws, including a CGI killer baby this time...but overall, this film is actually a lot of fun.
! just another pointless remake , tho the old film wasn't even that good but when I saw this I was like WTF is this sh!t and here is why:1- acting sucks 2- directing even worse and don't get me start about the effects 3- I was ROFL when I saw the babes face it was a bad version of child's play 4- the script & the storyline is just ...
err I cant even describe itman really don't bother buying it on DVD the film just SUCK Hollywood is really going down nowadays they keep re-making old films no new story- lines terrible actors especially in horror flicks and its really sad because we will not get the chance to see another (The Exorcist) or (Rosemary's Baby) those are the real horror films and if you haven't seen them yet then I must say u know nothing about horror film :/Hollywood PLEASE STOP MAKING STUPID FILMS AND STOP REMAKING.
I found "It's Alive" to be an effective and rather gory tale of a woman who gives birth to a monster of a baby that has an appetite for flesh and blood.I'll admit that I have not seen the 1974 original movie that goes by the same name and was directed by Larry Cohen.Instead, a friend and I watched this remake and we both agree that this was a good horror film.The death scenes of the movie are fast-paced and violent, the baby is a satanic monster, and the mother knows about the baby but refuses to tell anyone.What more could you people want?
I was not in any way disappointed by this movie.It's no contender for a best picture nomination, but it's good entertainment that only some people don't claim it to be.If I had a problem with the movie, it would be the ending.I thought the ending of "The Stepfather" was bad, but this one was something else.But I am giving a recommendation for "It's Alive" and I hope that the reviews that come in after mine are mostly positive.7.5/10.
This remake of Larry Cohen's cult '70s horror is utterly awful from start to finish, director Josef Rusnak unable to make the (admittedly silly) premise of a killer baby convincing or scary in any way.
Every scene will have you squirming in your seat, not out of fear, but out of sheer embarrassment for the actors who signed up for this terrible film.Bijou Phillips plays grad student Lenore Harker, who drops out of school after the traumatic birth of her son Daniel (the entire medical team being slaughtered while performing a C-section).
Various people meet messy fates at the claws and jaws of the vicious mite, with some dreadful CGI effects and lots of blood, but the concept and execution is so weak that it's impossible to care.The best thing that happens in the whole film is the burning to the ground of the really ugly house that is home to the main characters: it's such an eyesore that it's hard to believe that an architect would want to live there..
Of course it's supposed to be over the top and even the explanation you get somewhere in the movie, why this is all happening is so crazy, that you can't help yourself but laugh about it.Having said that, the sole and main reason, you are going to watch this, is the "bloody mess" it delivers (no pun intended).
I couldn't stop laughing out of the irony.Actors' performances are awful and most of them are not believable; the screenplay is horrible and sissy; the "Special Effects" seem to be retro but they aren't (just look at the fire in the house of the final scene); and many other characteristics made this movie, one of the worst movies ever made.However, there are good things about this movie: for instance, if you're studying cinematography you should watch "It's Alive", because this film made think about how not to make movies!.
Lenore and Frank apparently lead a quiet life until they find that their baby likes to kill animals and has a big appetite for blood.
So there is a great sense of production value to weigh up for the lousy storyline.And the performances were also helping to carry the movie along, as Bijou Phillips (playing Lenore) and James Murray (playing Frank) were doing good jobs with their characters and helping to bring them to life on the screen.Sadly, though, that wasn't enough to make the movie stay afloat.
Personally, I just found the storyline about an infant that kills too laughable and implausible.I am sure that if you are a fan of either Bijou Phillips or James Murray then you might actually get some worth out of this movie.
But if you are watching it with the intent of watching a good horror movie, like I did, you are perhaps better off with something else.I am giving "It's Alive" a 4/10 rating because of the acting and the way the movie was shot and edited.
It's Alive (2008) ** (out of 4) Remake of Larry Cohen's cult classic has parents Lenore and Frank (Bijou Phillips, James Murray) happy to welcome in a baby boy but there seems to be something wrong.
I'd imagine this one here would have been a tough sell as not too many people want to watch a movie about a killer baby and even if they did this film doesn't offer up too much.
She begins helping the baby by covering up the murders, which some might say a lot of parents would but at the same time she never stops and thinks about the thing being a killer.
The screenplay does add a few good touches including keeping the baby normal looking instead of the mutant from the original film.
I'm not sure who it will appeal to other than those who need to see every horror movie out there or those who just want to compare it to the original..
In the original the baby escapes from the delivery room and both parents are scared shitless of it....like real people would be.
The new Lenore knows that the baby is a monster, but wuvs him so vewy, vewy much that she just covers up the killings.
"It's Alive" is a remake of the 70's classic by Larry Cohen (which was executive producer on this one).
I saw those movies once and curious what the remake would be like.
(the baby kills a pigeon and she acts like the whole thing didn't happen and is supposed to be normal ??) The killings are rather stupid, there is even a laughably CGI effect of the baby's little arm crushing to a victim's head.
I do understand that her character is tired and mentally deteriorating due to her baby's ferocious appetite for blood and human flesh(killing people and the difficulties of breastfeeding, not to mention, the constant crying for more cannibalistic nourishment don't help matters), but I had a damn hard time sympathetically aligning myself to her.
I do think the point of the first film, the desperate attempts by a mother to protect her beloved child no matter what damage it causes or people it harms, is present in the remake, but a lot of the original's personality is missing from the newer modern take.
I enjoyed Larry Cohen's "panic stricken public" and how the killer infant was considered a terror to the city, while this remake localizes the monster baby's antics to Phillips and Murray's New Mexico home.
I'd just say stick with the original unless you are just a monster baby movie completist.
Bijou Phillips plays a mother who gives birth to some sort of monster baby and realises it is a killer.The acting was hit and miss, for the most part, Bijou was great, aside from some overacting whenever she found that the baby had done something.
I thought that Raphael Coleman was quite good as the baby's wheelchair bound relative, considering that this appears to be only his second feature film.The one piece of casting I couldn't buy was the sinister looking Owen Teale as a police officer.
The only thing that looks worse is the CGI fire that comes around the baby's room near the end.Having said all that, I enjoyed the film.
The whole moral dilemma over whether to kill one's own child, especially as it is just a baby is not a nice position to have to be put in.I'd say watch this film, because it is a decent entry into the straight to DVD market, and although it's no masterpiece, it's still worth a watch..
It's Alive is set in New Mexico where college student Lenore Harker (Bijou Phillips) & her boyfriend Frank Davis (James Murray) are expecting a baby boy, while taking a shower Lenore feels labour pains & know's that she is going to give birth.
Lenore finds Daniel eating dead animals & when she finds a dead body torn to pieces Lenore know's there's only one explanation but how could a young baby boy be a vicious killer...Directed by Josef Rusnak this is a remake of the Larry Cohen written, produced & directed horror film It's Alive (1974) which was a considerable success at the time of release & spawned two sequels of it's own as well as this remake which Cohen himself co-wrote.
Predictable to appease to the teen horror film crowd the mother & father in this remake are pretty young teens rather than grown adults as in the original but you could say that the script deals with the pressures & problems of young parents which is a much, much bigger issue now in 2010 than it was back in 1974 so in a way the script has just been adjusted for a new generation & a new society where it's actually very relevant, issues of blind maternal love, abortion, premature birth & the emotional effects of caring for a newborn baby are touched upon but are never gone into with any great depth or intelligence.
The first twenty five minutes follows the original quite closely as a woman gives birth to a mutant baby that kills the medical team but instead of having the baby go on the run & being hunted down the mother tries to protect it & cover up for it's crimes in a decent twist on the original, having said that surely anyone finding their newborn baby eating dead animals & killing people would have a hard time loving it & protecting like Lenore does here.Available in both 'R' rated & 'Unrated' versions I saw the Unrated cut which is gorier than than the original with better effects & attack scenes, slashed dead bodies are seen, severed limbs are shown, someone is ripped in half, there's lots of blood splatter & someone gets a tiny baby claw fist punched through their head.
The acting varies, the main cast do alright with Bijou Phillips quite good as the mother.It's Alive the remake is a decent little horror film in it's own right actually, don't let anyone fool you that the original is some untouchable classic because it's not although I would still say it's a bit better than this remake overall.
A good pace, nicely shot, there's some good gore & virtually no CGI computer effects work means It's Alive the remake actually turned out better than I had expected..
no mystery at all, no surprises, no heart-attacking moments, no tension, no attracting, the film was just the kid killing some people, eating some creatures, again and again, and then the same thing repeats itself, waiting for something to happen ?
i am still wondering why did they ever have to make or remake that film, it was some very waste of effort and talent if the people who have worked on it ever had any !.
Larry Cohen writes the screenplay for an updated version of his 1970's classic horror film that spawned two sequels.
Add this to the list of good remakes of 1970's horror films.
We also do not really see the baby who remains an enigma for most of the films running time and it adds to the unease since we have to let our imagination create the monster(I will say that it is not the misshapen mutant of the original series).
An ambitious remake of Larry Cohen's 1974 killer baby classic.
An attractive grad student Lenore(Bijou Phillips)puts her education on hold to have a baby with her architect boyfriend Frank(James Murray).
When Lenore is released, the family returns to Frank's house....They should have just called this movie killer baby, or something but the fact of the matter is its a poor remake of a poor movie anyway.Characters are uninvolved and look bored, and really, the only fun I gore from this movie was spotting British celebs with their silly faux pas American accents.Special effects are dire, they just consist people running around pretending to be scared of a mutant jelly baby or just over the top scenes of needless gore.It's a bad movie with little in the way of anything positive, but at least the hospital scene is okay.