Strange Behavior

Not quite the underrated masterpiece other people are talking about, I'm afraid. It begins well enough, with an atmospheric, out-of-this-world Tangerine Dream score and hypnotically slow direction, but the story tips its hand too early; the basics (if not the particulars) of its plot become rather obvious to us well before they do to the characters. Still, this is above average for an early-80s horror film. (**)

Galesberg, Illinois is a sleepy, small town where brutally strange murders are occurring. Sheriff John Brady believes it has something to with some secret experiments being performed on the local teenagers by a collage's psych department led by Dr Gwen Parkinson. Also unknowingly to John, his son Pete has signed up to the program in the hope the money he earns off it, would go a long way for him getting into his preferred collage.

Slashers hey. God love 'em! Well this was around the same time when the craze for it was huge in the horror genre. But that in mind, while I found the New Zealand/Australian co-production "Dead Kids" to follow the conventional methods and clichés. It still manages to hold its own within the sub-genre because of its quirky charm, realistic touch and overall edgy style that sets it apart from many rancid entries. There's something quite compelling about it all, even though the fractured story could have been far more fulfilling in its matter.

Mainly it comes off because the sterling performances are very convincing in setting up their characters, the story's progression is unforeseeable with a unique premise (that could be lifted right out of those early horror 30's and 40's features of mad scientists) and Michael Laughlin's pastel direction has a freshly polish tinge about it that comes off very well in some superbly choreographed scenes that are stylishly unusual (loved the inspired party scene with Lou Christie's "Lighting Strikes"), unnervingly creepy (the scarecrow scene) or just plain suspenseful. If there's one downer to Laughlin's direction though, it's that the most of the imaginatively nasty death/or attack scenes are executed rather sloppily and can look silly. At least they were grisly and had some splatter to spare, but in the long run it wasn't trying to be pointlessly gory or wanting to up the body count.

It's a moody atmosphere that slowly engages the viewer with its mysteriously offbeat vibe and nail biting jolts created from its wholesome reality. Streaming through the script is a welcome slice of humour that has the right sense towards its material. The production is that of low budget, but it doesn't show up prominently with many professional elements working in favour on the project. While the film is set in US, it was actually filmed in New Zealand with a mostly American cast. The picture-perfect setting authentically comes across and makes good of the atmosphere. Louis Horvath's wide scope Panavison cinematography is gorgeously framed with such hypnotic verve and the Tangerine Dream's effectively airy music score has that alienating awe to it.

Australian producer Antony I. Ginnane backed this one and has some other great films under his belt that he managed to get the screen, like "Turkey Shoot", "Patrick", "Harlequin" and "The Survivor". Michael Laughlin would go on to direct "Strange Invaders" and screenwriter Bill Condon would be recognised for penning and directing "Gods and Monsters (1998)". Though, he first kicked of his flair for direction with effectively minor southern Gothic shocker "Sister, Sister (1987)". The performances are particularly fine. Dan Shor is ideal as the Pete and Dey Young has a very appealing presence on screen. Michael Murphy holds it together with an admirably focused turn as sheriff Brady. Fiona Louis really eats it up as the icy Dr Parkinson. Making up the rest in bit parts are Marc McClure, Johnny Guitar, Charles Lane, Arthur Dignam and very warm-hearted Louise Fletcher.

A definite oddity that works a treat in what it sets out to do. Recommended.

dead kids is very well made and unusual addition to horror cinema. it is an australian/new zealend production, and was made with the intention to sell it to an american market. so you get a film that looks very much like an american film, is shot and crafted like an american film with american actors (who are often better than any australian actor that gets into this kind of film, neighbours and home and away are rarely good casting grounds) but the script has a definite australian feel to it. from the odd, sly humour, to the way it deals with the murders and the almost complete lack of morality in the film. not to say it is immoral, but themes of morality never come into it, which is not often seen in american horror.

for the most part, it is wonderfully directed, one that has to be seen in widescreen to appreciate. however, the murders are somewhat lacklustre, they are directed with very little bite. it is obvious that the director has no idea of hot to show "action". most of the time it does not drastically effect the overall film as this is not a typical slasher film. in a few scenes however, this "relaxed" view of violence heightens the horror, such as the final murder and the "human experiments" carried out on the main character. as mentioned above, the script is quite interesting and entertaining. however, there is a 2 minute ending tacked on after the final showdown which drastically decreases the power of the film.

while not being a classic, it is still one of the better and more interesting horror films of the 80s that deserves a far wider audience than it has recieved.

Overall, Strange Behaviour is a fairly lame sci-fi/horror hybrid with seemingly ordinary kids making a few bucks at a research facility and turning out a little bit...wrong. There are a few decent shocks here and there, but mostly it seems like there's just something missing - like the filmmakers lost part of the script on the way to the shoot and just went with it.

Cinematic ally, there's no real reason to watch it, but there's also no real reason not to.

However, our hero goes to a party (for no reason) and it's a costume party (for no reason) and eventually everyone breaks out into a synchronized dance to Lou Christie's "Lightning Strikes." That's quite possibly the greatest scene in a movie ever.

"Strange Behaviour" is a lot better than I'd expected it to be. It has some startling imagery, some genuinely frightening scenes, and finally manages a sense of atmosphere.

It is also an original twist on the slasher formula that was probably stale even in 1981 - at least if the parody film "Student Bodies", made that same year, is anything to go by. Seasoned horror junkies have seen hundreds of slashers at least. We all know the trope of the killer wearing a distinctive mask, which is often removed in the final moments to reveal the killer's identity. But in "Strange Behaviour", the movie has more than one killer, and in fact deals with the question of mind control. In this movie, any of the younger characters can kill at any time, so it's not a question of whodunit. It's more like who's going to go crazy next.

For its cool ideas, occasionally shocking imagery and at least one frightening scene, "Strange Behaviour" is a winner. Unfortunately it is held back by some narrative incoherence and charisma-less lead performances. I still say check it out.

Lastly, I want to say something about the movie's unusual pedigree. It's an American production that was meant to be filmed in Australia, but when the filmmakers couldn't find any cities in Aus that resembled the screenplay's setting in Illinois, they moved the production to New Zealand! How is NZ any more or less Midwestern USA than Australia? And, to top it all off, the movie is considered an "Ozploitation" flick?

No wonder the plotting is a little confusing. The cast and crew probably didn't know where the hell they were, or were supposed to be, or what they were actually making.