Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11350 in VHS
• Released on: 1989-05-11
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1

Customer Reviews

Tear 'Em Up!
I remember sitting in a dark theater back in '71, gobbling popcorn, slurping coke, and seeing how many Milk Duds could fit in my mouth, when suddenly, "Willard" began! I was 9 and nothing could have prepared me for the treat I was about to see! "Willard" is the story of a social outcast who has a crazy mother, a total creep of a boss, and no friends. He finds some rats and becomes close to them instead. Ben and Socrates (the white rat) are the standouts. Willard (Bruce Davidson) befriends his furry pals and teaches them lots of tricks. Everything's great until Willard takes Ben and Socrates to work with him. He hides them, but they are discovered. Willard's creepy boss (Ernest Borgnine) kills Socrates. That's when things get ugly! Willard unleashes his rodent horde on his boss, telling them to "Tear him up!". It's all downhill from there, as Willard goes increasingly insane, and Ben rises to turn the rats against him. The end is great and spawned the sequel "Ben". A classic...

A boys best friend are his rats: The original "Willard"
"Willard" is not so much a great horror film as it is a [crude] film. If you are talking about a great horror film where masses of creatures attack humans than go check out Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." With this 1971 film from director Daniel Man we are talking [scaring one with] a whole bunch of rats. The twist here is that these rats have their own Pied Piper in the person of social misfit, Willard Stiles (Bruce Davidson). The only friends poor Willard has in this world are his four-legged little friends, including his two favorites, Ben and Socrates, who he starts training to obey his every whim. Eventually he decides that his boss, Al Martin (Ernest Borgnine), needs to be taught a lesson in what ends up being one of the more memorable scenes by the former Academy Award winning actor. Willard even finds love in the figure of Joan (Sondra Locke). Unfortunately, his rat friends do not like being neglected.

This is an old fashioned film, which means these rats were actually trained by Moe and Nora Di Sesso to do thinks like walk planks and chew on someone's face. No computer generated effects for this film. But then just the idea of a horde of rats descending on a human being should be enough to send you cowering. Final Notes: Willard's mom is played by Elsa Lanchester, the original "Bride of Frankenstein." "Willard" was followed by the sequel "Ben," with its infamous title song sung by Michael Jackson. A remake of "Willard" is coming out soon and it will be interesting to see if a slick production of this story manages to take it to a new level beyond what this dark little film achieved by the strategic placement of cheese...

"YOU MADE ME HATE MYSELF!" WHERE IS THE DVD FOR THIS SOB!
My memories of 'Willard' are far better than the movie itself. Growing up in the 70's who could forget the great poster from the movie,(which I am lucky enough to own)the creepy trailer(which is scarier than the film) and an incredible performance by Bruce Davidson, which is too good for this lovable but, sub-par film. If not for Davidson and the rats this movie would be a bad TV movie of the week! I would like to see this released on DVD! I would buy it and I know I'm not alone.