Smash Cut

Time: the near future. Place: America. Situation: Politicians and the nation’s elite harbor a secret, isolated compound where human clones are bred so that their organs can be harvested and used by those possessing the power and wealth to do so, thus prolonging their lives and maintaining the status quo.

Sound far-fetched? Too absurd to be true, even with seemingly zombie-like geriatrics running for office? Yeah, it probably is, but that doesn’t mean that 1979’s Parts: The Clonus Horror (a.k.a Clonus) isn’t without its subversive charm or B-movie merits. Wait, did you think I was talking about a more recent effort, like Michael Bay’s noisy 2005 sci-fi thriller The Island, with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson? Well, that latter work does mirror Clonus in lots of ways, and the makers of the 1979 feature sued the Bay production and DreamWorks for copyright infringement, leading to a settlement between the two. So, I leave the “rip-off” notions at that.

Anyway, with a beautifully-presented DVD available from Mondo Macabro, and current election campaigns in full swing, I think it’s a good time for those with a taste for the cinematically obscure to have a peek at this movie. Okay, it’s marred by some stilted acting for certain (although I’m not one to immediately equate “stars” with “talented thespians,” even I can’t say that the performances by the relatively no-name cast are particularly good here). And its pacing isn’t as frenetic as that of Michael Bay’s pic (and that’s a good thing, in my book). But the ideas and social critique are both potent and pointed. The way that the clones are conned into believing that a new, rich life awaits them in a fictitious, candy-coated “America;” the manner in which the “normal” people of society generally refuse to question authority; or the way that those blessed by the benefits of class — without realizing it — will prove complacent with the status quo when push comes to shove, even if they’ve believed themselves to be fair and just citizens for all of their lives.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 famously parodied this movie on one of their episodes, and believe me, there certainly are a lot of laughs that can be had at its expense. But there are also a lot of rewards to be found — certainly more than offered by bigger-budget, mainstream trash like The Island — and if you can get past those aforementioned stumbling blocks, you may find Clonus to be a bit of an underrated genre gem. The DVD offers a lot of bonuses, like a commentary and video interview with director Robert S. Fiveson, a theatrical trailer, and a stills gallery. The best feature, however, is the fact that the disc sports a new transfer of the film made directly from the original negative. It’s amazingly pristine.

And if I haven’t swayed your interest, check out the rave review from The New York Times here.