The 1970s was an incredible decade for the genres of horror and sci-fi with thrillers being incorporated into both and plenty of crossovers, there were so many avenues to explore, as society was changing as did the norms in the movies. One of the key elements was apocalyptic concerns that extended to doomsday scenarios and even phobias were on the rise leading to paranoia, fearful places, friends, and family. That one aspect has extended through the 80s with the chilling films The Thing [1982] and The Day After (1983); which brings us to Chosen Survivors, taking influence from The Andromeda Strain [1971]
Often, this story that used claustrophobic and white sterile walls, is a forgotten Mexican-American movie by many, from director Sutton Roley (Satan’s Triangle [1975])) and screenwriters H.B. Cross (Witchcraft [1964]) and Joe Reb Moffly sought to place humanity, a select few, under a microscope and observe them working together, cast aside their differences for survival. The filmmakers worked with a minuscule budget and sacrificed where needed as they used mainly a television crew and cast, still effective, noting how Alfred Hitchcock did the same with Psycho [1960]. However, the film’s social experimentational strangely incorporated another highly popular subgenre of its time, animal attacks, with bats living inside a nuclear fallout shelter, once more they try their damnedest to frighten people, which sadly hadn’t even dated back The Devil’s Bat [1940].
Inside the Mountain
As a helicopter, touches down a group of strangers are hurried into an underground bunker by military personnel as they’re in the middle of the desert for a special purpose. The opening captures the viewers’ attention it is presented with dialogue-free raising the tension. The reason soon becomes clear a video from the office of the President they learn of the shocking news concerning a nuclear attack that’s decimated Earth, the strangers were selected for preservation due to special interests and education, while compound is dedicated to their safety for the next five years. Major Gordon (Richard Jaeckel (Grizzly [1976])) was working on the 18,000 foot compound now to serve maintenance engineer and information officer although his presence seems a tad too convenient.
Lincoln Kilpatrick realizes this was a bad plan
In the first act, the film starts the psychological journey of with some using different coping techniques to handle the stress and battling the immense sorrow, while others such as Raymond (Jackie Cooper) a wealthy man who wants out of the confines quickly showing is short-fuse and seeks to conquer Dr. Lenore (Barbara Babcock (Salem’s Lot [1979])). By the second act, Peter (Bradford Dillman (Piranha [1978])) as the scientist intends to record a diary to preserve for the future and it’s his narrative that will give the necessary background information on each character and perhaps why they’ve been selected though everything previous built through the suspense is cast aside as an infestation of vampire bats terrorize the survivor’s which unnerves them all with several options considered from capture to escape. It ensues as an Animals Attack movie with bats slaughtering birds trapped in the own jail-cag; a series of screams alerts all to the discovery of the remains are bloody corpses. As the story progresses, one can witness the plot breaking and reveals it’s twist early in the third act, with a heroic death, from Wood Russo (Lincoln Kilpatrick (The Stoneman [2002])), who was an Olympic gold medal winner, climbs up a 1,785-foot-high elevator to depress an emergency beacon for a rescue as he battles against swarming bats. A tough problem is trying to find a care to remember all these characters and their importance to plot for example entomologist Alana (Diana Muldaur (The Other [1972])), which is the study of insect to study cockroaches like the fire starters ones from Big [1975]. Rounding the team is novelist (Alex Cord) – honestly why was he even here and a hysterical Kristin (Christina Moreno). I’m likely missing someone but that only enforces the point, too many too care, let the bats frenzy feed to cut the human survivors if the government’s wonderful plan, when the cheapest bid built the facility.
Barbara Babcock, Jackie Cooper, Bradford Dillman, and Diana Muldaur
One of the biggest problems with the film is the character development some excel greatly others are thoroughly limited in their scope of personalities. As the movie progresses they’re just too many people to keep in the frame of reference. For example, Steven goes more philosophical about their new life versus the new beginning of society; or Raymond, who does not like being told no, might hide certain negative attitudes but is lecherous. The females’ characters been reduced in their contribution left more as sound effects screaming and prop devices such as Lenore who has Raymond prowl after before she relents to avoid rape although same thing and the scene is ridiculous. Then hideous special effects do not help in any manner fantasy videos that show less destruction and more cloud coverage and stock shoot exploding volcanoes a pitiful ruined bridge. By the third act the movie pivots again and appears as a pending prison escape trope, as if the filmmakers realized the bats were not bringing the fear. Sadly, some of the real bats were killed during the making of the film which led to changes in the filmmaking process for animals.
A Snack
The movie forgets so many of its core items, therefore, to recap, the tone of nuclear holocaust which leads into a provocative psychological concept, but the number of people and their ages prove quickly it is absent of projecting a living world afterwards. The next item is the incredible slow start, an attempt to make the audience confused and disoriented. Still some exposition should be given, especially when the script does not provide enough emotional depth, no one is mourning the loss of family and children with meaningful transference of grief and anger conveyed to viewers. Finally descending into a silly ordinary bat encounter movie, that budget does not handle well nor any creative tension building.
TAGLINES:
- 1,758 Feet Underground, A Perfect World Programmed For Man’s Survival, Except For…
- They Were Chosen To Live. But They Were Destined To Die!
- 6 men, 5 women on a journey into the ultimate horror… will they survive… will you?
- Not since “WILLARD” or “BEN” has there been anything so terrifying!
- Just a few chosen to survive a world holocaust…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071318/
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10
Baron’s Rating: 5.0/10