Willard(1971)

A truly memorable 1971 thriller that has became a bit of an underground classic.

Handsom, shy Willard Stiles doesn’t have an ideal life. He lives with his domineering widowed mother, is bullied by his boss, and doesn’t have any friends. That is, until he befriends the rats in his garden and learns that he can make them do his bidding!

Highlighted by a touching and sympathetic performance from Davison, Willard is a different kind of "nature-strikes-back" film. It’s a rare occasion where the human characters, rather than the animals, drive the film to its intense climax. There’s plenty of twists and turns to be had, as well as a few moments of skin-crawl, especially for those who aren’t fond of rodents! The movie also has a bit of a darkly humorous side to it.

Bruce Davidson, Ernest Borgnine, Elsa Lancaster Sondra Locke

1971, colour, 95 minutes