Our mistakes can be quite embarrassing. We've all made them. Usually we discard them with no witnesses learning of our errors. Not always. When we fail in the laboratory and our genetic experiments turn into malignant creatures, the clean up is a bit more involved. In that instance, any witnesses...well...we've all done it...get fed to the failed creations. Hence 1987's "The Kindred." Fans of tentacled monsters, not just Japanese businessmen with fetishes, will love this one.
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| Nell's orifices invaded |
Dr. Lloyd (Rod Steiger) hires nefarious ambulance crews to bring him human subjects. Most of these subjects turn into grotesque fiends and Lloyd feeds them EMTs. He is trying to create a hybrid life form but not really having any luck. Fortune strikes! His rival has done it. Amanda Hollins (Kim Hunter), in her country home, has created a monster. On her death bed she implores her son John (David Allen Brooks) to go to her country lab, destroy Anthony and all her journals and notes. Who is Anthony? You'll see, but here is a clue...he's got bad temperament and has tentacles. Not knowing this, John heads up to the lab with his main squeeze Sharon (Talia Balsalm) and a team of young scientists.
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| The beautiful Melissa and her gills |
Uh oh, joining the team is Melissa (Amanda Pays). Melissa is a mysterious scientist who is very interested in Amanda's experiments. She is seductive, smart...and slowly turning into a jumbo shrimp. At first our team tries to make sense of the journals, but when the beautiful but annoying Nell (Bunky Jones) hops into her car with her favorite watermelon (don't ask), Anthony pops out of the watermelon and shoves tentacles into the lovely Nell's nose, ears, mouth, and who knows what other orifices? Anthony is now on the prowl and getting bigger. Its attacks grow in frequency and Melissa grows more gills. As great looking young scientists get grabbed by slimy tentacles, John must figure out what he is dealing with. Oh yes...Dr. Lloyd is on his way to steal his dead colleagues specimen...good luck on that one.
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| Sharon makes a friend |
The deaths are excruciating and the creature gets ickier and ickier with each kill. Exactly who...or what...is Anthony? Will Melissa finish her transition and become a sea creature before Anthony sets its tentacles on her? Will Dr. Lloyd bring a big enough jar to collect Anthony? You will want to tape all your orifices shut while you watch "The Kindred," but remember those slimy buggers always find a way in. Enjoy "The Kindred" and then have a nice dinner at The Red Lobster.
Amanda Pays.....yeah. She married my crush Corbin Bernsen way back when. Can't forgive her for that but I digress. Good review, Christopher. I saw this movie and it was okay for a schlocky B movie. You are right. When mutants are involved, the clean up is invariably messy.
ReplyDeleteI recently put this on a playlist as I intend to revisit during week as haven't seen in a few years. I remember it having one or two plot holes but overall was a nicely icky & splatty little Horror. Very nice review Christopher makes me want to bump it up sooner.
ReplyDeleteBest part of the movie is where the kindred gets the woman in the car.
ReplyDeleteFirst time I watched the kindred was back in 1988 really cool scene when the kindred comes out the a watermelon and the tentacles start waiting on her then she steps on one and gets attacked.the tentacles go in her and wrap around her.love the movie
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