Of Unknown Origin (1983)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

George P. Cosmatos

Writers:

Chauncey G. Parker III (novel)
Brian Taggert (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 November 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The terrifying last word in home invasion from the director of "Tombstone" and "Cobra."

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Rat | New York | House | Psychological Drama | Giant Rat

Cast

Peter Weller	...	Bart Hughes
Jennifer Dale	...	Lorrie Wells
Lawrence Dane	...	Eliot Riverton
Kenneth Welsh	...	James Hall
Louis Del Grande	...	Clete
Shannon Tweed	...	Meg Hughes
Keith Knight	...	Hardware salesman
Maury Chaykin	...	Dan Errol
Leif Anderson	...	Peter Hughes
Jimmy Tapp	...	Meg's father
Gayle Garfinkle	...	Janis Wycoff
Earl Pennington	...	Mr. Thompson
Jacklin Webb	...	Newspaper Vendor
Bronwen Mantel	...	Florence Riverton
Monik Nantel	...	Secretary
Aimée Castle	...	Birthday Party Child (as Aimee Castle)
Jesse Grasis	...	Birthday Party Child
Tara O'Donnell	...	Birthday Party Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amber T. Chase	...	Dan Errol's Wife (uncredited)

Directed by
George P. Cosmatos

Writing credits
Chauncey G. Parker III		(novel "The Visitor")
Brian Taggert		(screenplay)

Produced by
Pierre David	....	executive producer
Claude Héroux	....	producer

Original Music by
Kenneth Wannberg		(as Ken Wannberg)

Cinematography by
René Verzier

Film Editing by
Roberto Silvi

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen
Ginette D'Amico

Production Design by
Anne Pritchard

Art Direction by
Rose Marie McSherry		(as Rosemarie McSherry)

Set Decoration by
Serge Bureau

Costume Design by
Paul-André Guérin

Makeup Department
Michèle Dion	....	makeup artist
Chantal Ethier	....	makeup artist
Martin Ménard	....	hair stylist
Constant Natale	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Roger Héroux	....	production supervisor
François Ouimet	....	unit manager (as Francois Ouimet)
Bill Wiggins	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Fretz	....	first assistant director
Frank Ruszczynski	....	assistant director

Art Department
Tina Boden	....	art department coordinator
Peter Borowski	....	sculptor (as Peter Borowsky)
Jacques Chamberland	....	property master
Tom Coulter	....	set dresser
Michael Devine	....	construction crew
Frank DiGiacomo	....	construction crew
Peter Dowker	....	sculptor
Jean-Vincent Fournier	....	assistant set props (as Jean Vincent Fournier)
Denis Hamel	....	set dresser
Larry Lamont	....	construction crew
Jak Oliver	....	construction crew
Marc Rainville	....	construction crew
Barbara Shrier	....	set dresser
Jean-Baptiste Tard	....	set dresser (as Jean Baptiste Tard)
Harold Thrasher	....	construction coordinator
Maurice Tremblay	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Peter Burgess	....	sound effects editor
Terry Burke	....	foley artist
Paul Coombe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary Daprato	....	assistant sound editor
Leslie Hodgson	....	supervising sound editor
Mike Hoogenboom	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael Hoogenboom)
Kerry Kohler	....	assistant sound editor
Dick Lewzey	....	sound recording engineer
Alban Streeter	....	dialogue editor (as Al Streeter)
Haydn Streeter	....	assistant sound editor
Eric Zimmer	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Louis Craig	....	special effects
Stephan Dupuis	....	special effects makeup
Jacques Godbout	....	special effects

Stunts
Jean Lysight	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Claude Alarie	....	best boy
Peter Benison	....	camera operator
Claude Brasseur	....	electrician
Marc Charlebois	....	electrician
Jean Courteau	....	electrician
Jean-Maurice de Ernsted	....	grip
Marc de Ernsted	....	key grip
Gilles Fortier	....	electrician
Jacques Fortier	....	gaffer
Denis Gingras	....	focus puller
Paul Gravel	....	focus puller
Serge Ladouceur	....	camera operator
Glen MacPherson	....	focus puller
Piroska Mihalka	....	still photographer
Patti Morein	....	loader
Christine Pelletier	....	loader
Jean-François Pouliot	....	loader (as Jean Francois Pouliot)
Jean Trudeau	....	electrician
René Verzier	....	camera operator (as Rene Verzier)
Normand Viau	....	electrician
Serge Ladouceur	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rosina Bucci	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Drew	....	wardrobe
Louise Gagne	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Chantal Bowen	....	assistant editor
Teresa De Luca	....	assistant editor

Music Department
David Franco	....	music supervisor
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator

Other crew
France Boudreau	....	continuity
Maurice Boyer	....	production assistant
Patricia Cahill	....	production secretary
Pierre David	....	presenter
Linda Ekdahl	....	production assistant
Pierre Guevremont	....	production accountant
Nathalie Laporte	....	assistant accountant
Gilles Léonard	....	production accountant (as Gilles Leonard)
Marilyn Majerczyk	....	production assistant
Serge Major	....	administrator
Monik Nantel	....	assistant to executive producer

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC) (with the participation of)
• Famous Players Limited (with the participation of)
• Les Productions Mutuelles Ltée

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Groupe Film Opticals
• Intrigue (special effects)

Other Companies

• Film House  mixing facilities
• Groupe Film Opticals  opticals
• National Geographic  our appreciation to
• Paratel  publicity
• Wall Street Journal  our appreciation to

Runtime:

Sweden:89 min | USA:88 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Quotes:

Meg Hughes: [Meg sees the house is a wreck] Oh, my God! Bart, what happened?
Bart Hughes: I had a party.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in WildCat (2007) (V)

Humour and irony make it good

Frankly, I was surprised to know that this movie was directed by George Cosmatos, the creator of such action films as Rambo-2 and Cobra. `Of Unknown Origin' is an absolutely different one. I found it interesting and amusing. It has everything that every good horror film should have – the spirit of suspense. Of course, Peter Weller acts very convincing. I think the movie wouldn't have its strange and surrealistic atmosphere without his talent of acting. The most remarkable episodes include one with Weller talking about the problem of rats in the US during the dinner with his boss. But as a whole I would say that what makes `Of Unknown Origin' a good movie is humour and irony, which one can easily trace from the beginning till the end. I would recommend this film for those who like horror movies not only because of special effects.