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The Beast Within

Play trailer Poster for The Beast Within R Released Feb 12, 1982 1h 38m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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18% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 34% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Driving near a small Mississippi town in 1964, newlyweds Eli (Ronny Cox) and Caroline (Bibi Besch) experience car trouble. When Eli goes off to look for help, Caroline gets raped and is made pregnant by a horrible creature. Years later the child, now teenager Michael (Paul Clemens), finds himself undergoing an inexplicable physical change that compels him to return to that area in Mississippi. Soon dead bodies start piling up while his desperate parents struggle to understand what's happening.

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The Beast Within

Critics Reviews

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Bruce McCabe Boston Globe The beast within "The Beast Within" is a busy, riotous and confusing scenario that makes it seem as if the film is taking too long to make its point. Apr 27, 2018 Full Review Jason Shawhan Nashville Scene One of the most disturbing films made in Mississippi, The Beast Within is a dark fable with all the drama of Tennessee Williams and all the grand guignol cruelties one could hope for. Sep 10, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins An unconvincing love story, an unexplained connection to cicadas, and an overwrought musical score can't quite dull the impressiveness of the makeup effects at the climax. Rated: 5/10 Aug 31, 2020 Full Review Larry Vitacco Philadelphia Gay News The Beast Within is a real loser and not worth mentioning except to say don't waste your money. Rated: 1/4 May 26, 2020 Full Review Heather Wixson Daily Dead Because Mora doesn't go the usual route for The Beast Within, the film ends up being a bit of an oddball creature feature that often stumbles a bit tonally and suffers from some pacing issues around the midway point. Rated: 3/5 Jan 8, 2016 Full Review John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) A movie that suggests that not just the chickens but the locust-monsters inevitably will come home to roost in a postbellum South -- a 'Heart of Dixie' -- haunted by its violent, bigoted past. Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 16, 2013 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aisha B Classic that should be in every 80s rotation Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/25 Full Review Tyler B Wishing the story focused more on the growing pain concept, and less on finding his father. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/21/25 Full Review Logan D Seventeen years after giving birth to their son, parents (Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch) return to the area where the wife was raped. Hicks attempt to hide the truth. I was wondering who was playing the father. Oh! Lt. Andrew Bogomil ("The supercop story was working!") in Beverly Hills Cop. I had no idea he was also the guitar player in Deliverance! The film also features RG Armstrong, Don Gordon, LQ Jones, Meshach Taylor and others. Unfortunately, such a lineup doesn't result in a good film. It's bogged down by a lot of dull investigation into the mystery of the son's father. The police allow the father to help dig up bodies at a crime scene and even allow him to go first into a basement that might be dangerous. The redeeming feature of the film is an exceptional sequence of practical effects and makeup near the end. I'm thinking second only to An American Werewolf in London. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/26/24 Full Review Pat R This classic features the Who’s Who of 60s and 70s familiar B faces! Great story! Disgusting monster! Great lines! Great soundtrack! Genuinely scared the poop out of me when I first saw the theater! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/10/24 Full Review Audience Member /// No Spoilers here /// Worth a watch if you like psychological thrillers, the acting is great, the atmosphere can create some quite scary moments. It is funny though that every bad thing that happens can be seen as a direct result of the mother Imogen's incompetence. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/09/24 Full Review Audience Member I'm extremely surprised at the low rating! This movie is really good! If you like scary, intense, stuff this is it! The music in the beginning of the movie says it all. It has a great story great character, great timing and tempo. Definitely a must see! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Beast Within

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Cast & Crew

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Philippe Mora

Director

Ronny Cox

Eli MacCleary

Bibi Besch

Caroline MacCleary

Paul Clemens

Michael MacCleary

Don Gordon

Judge Curwin

R. G. Armstrong

Doc Schoonmaker

Movie Clips

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The Beast Within

The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Beast Emerges The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Beast Emerges 2:36 The Beast Within: Official Clip - A Taste for Blood The Beast Within: Official Clip - A Taste for Blood 2:20 The Beast Within: Official Clip - A Murderer Running Loose The Beast Within: Official Clip - A Murderer Running Loose 2:11 The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Judge Confesses The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Judge Confesses 2:16 The Beast Within: Official Clip - Kill Me! The Beast Within: Official Clip - Kill Me! 1:49 The Beast Within: Official Clip - Fresh Meat The Beast Within: Official Clip - Fresh Meat 1:52 The Beast Within: Official Clip - I Warned You The Beast Within: Official Clip - I Warned You 1:58 The Beast Within: Official Clip - So Much Blood The Beast Within: Official Clip - So Much Blood 1:35 The Beast Within: Official Clip - I Came Back The Beast Within: Official Clip - I Came Back 2:07 The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Dog Finds a Hand The Beast Within: Official Clip - The Dog Finds a Hand 1:55 View more videos

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The Beast Within

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Movie Info

Synopsis Driving near a small Mississippi town in 1964, newlyweds Eli (Ronny Cox) and Caroline (Bibi Besch) experience car trouble. When Eli goes off to look for help, Caroline gets raped and is made pregnant by a horrible creature. Years later the child, now teenager Michael (Paul Clemens), finds himself undergoing an inexplicable physical change that compels him to return to that area in Mississippi. Soon dead bodies start piling up while his desperate parents struggle to understand what's happening.
Director
Philippe Mora
Producer
Harvey Bernhard, Gabriel Katzka
Screenwriter
Tom Holland
Production Co
Katzka
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1982, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Surround
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