The Beast Within (1982) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - March 11, 1982

I had torn through, and enjoyed, Edward Levy's fast paced source novel, so I walked into a 1983 screening of The Beast Within with some degree of high expectations. I also knew/recognized actor-turned Poe scholar Paul Clemens from his reoccurring role on Quincy, M.E., where he effectively (at least as I recall it) played a young man that suffering from the misunderstand and misrepresented condition known as Tourette's Syndrome. Which just so happened to have captured the attention of both online discourse and, inevitably, outrage from reasons that have nothing to do with the condition and everything to do with the spectacle.

Actor turned screenwriter Tom Holland, who would go on to pen the better than it has any right being Psycho II, as well as writing and directing Fright Night, among others, struggles to craft a coherent and understandable cinematic story from Levy's multi-viewpoint and multi-generation novel. It almost works, and might have worked, if director Philippe Mora had handled the material with a more serious attitude and less tongue in cheek contempt.

Although it falls short of being impactful as a straight horror film, it still has an energetic and atmospheric vibe that will keep the more forgiving viewer(s) entertained and somewhat engaged.

It also has a terrific score by the late, great Les Baxter.