Movie Cosmos - Of Unknown Origin

Description:

A man who recently completed rebuilding a townhouse becomes obsessed with a rat infestation until it becomes an interspecies duel.

Top Cast >

Peter Weller

As Bart Hughes

Jennifer Dale

As Lorrie Wells

Lawrence Dane

As Eliot Riverton

Kenneth Welsh

As James Hall

Louis Del Grande

As Clete

Shannon Tweed

As Meg Hughes

Keith Knight

As Hardware Salesman

Maury Chaykin

As Dan Errol

Leif Anderson

As Peter Hughes

Jimmy Tapp

As Meg's Father

Gayle Garfinkle

As Janis Wycoff

Earl Pennington

As Mr. Thompson

Jacklin Webb

As Newspaper Vendor

Bronwen Mantel

As Florence Riverton

Aimée Castle

As Birthday Party Child

Tara O'Donnell

As Birthday Party Child

Top Crew >

George P. Cosmatos

Director

Brian Taggert

Screenplay

Kenneth Wannberg

Original Music Composer

Chauncey G. Parker III

Novel

Roberto Silvi

Editor

Claude Héroux

Producer

Anne Pritchard

Production Design

Pierre David

Executive Producer

René Verzier

Director of Photography

David Bailey

Production Assistant

Reviews:

Wuchak (5/10)

The Rat from Hell

A Manhattan executive (Peter Weller) deals with the rats on Wall Street while defending his brownstone ‘castle’ against a literal vermin. Jennifer Dale plays his secretary while Lawrence Dane and Kenneth Welsh are on hand as colleagues.

"Of Unknown Origin" (1983) strikes me as a Stephen King yarn, which makes sense when you figure that this is one of the horror author’s favorite flicks.

While the compare/contrast of the protagonist’s life in his home-castle with the rat maze at work is interesting, the premise is too light IMHO to carry a feature film: a man vs. a rat alone in his gothic abode. Weller works well as the resolute hero but, for me, the best thing about it is winsome Jennifer Dale (Cynthia Dale's older sister).

Gene Simmon’s wife, Shannon Tweed, makes her feature film debut in a small role.

The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Montreal.

GRADE: C

2022-04-08