Getting plastic surgery can be a stressful experience. There's the recovery period, the swelling, the possibility that something might go wrong, and the occasional regret when you realize your new nose looks like it belongs on somebody else's face. But what if your cosmetic procedure left you with a strange appendage growing out of your armpit that feeds on human blood and spreads a deadly infection? Welcome to Rabid (1977), David Cronenberg's second feature film, which makes a convincing argument for avoiding experimental surgery performed at questionable medical facilities.
Starring Marilyn Chambers, best known at the time for her work in adult films, Rabid follows Rose, a young woman involved in a motorcycle accident who receives emergency treatment at a remote plastic surgery clinic. Dr. Dan Keloid, played by Howard Ryshpan, performs an experimental procedure using radical techniques to repair her injuries. Unfortunately, the operation produces an unexpected side effect. Rose develops a strange biological growth beneath her arm, complete with a needle-like appendage that allows her to feed on human blood.
Rather than simply developing an unusual dietary preference, Rose becomes an unwitting carrier of a deadly virus that transforms her victims into violent, rabid attackers. Before long, the infection begins spreading throughout Montreal, turning ordinary citizens into bloodthirsty maniacs and creating a public health emergency that makes the average flu season look like a minor inconvenience.
Rose herself isn't exactly having a wonderful time. She spends much of the movie trying to understand what's happening to her while struggling with an uncontrollable hunger that makes maintaining normal relationships somewhat difficult. It's hard to enjoy a romantic evening when your body has developed a biological syringe and your dinner date might end up dead.
Marilyn Chambers delivers an interesting performance as Rose, portraying her as a tragic figure rather than a conventional horror villain. She's not deliberately trying to destroy civilization. She's simply dealing with an increasingly horrifying medical condition that nobody seems capable of fixing. Her transformation from ordinary woman into an accidental disease carrier provides the movie with its unsettling emotional center.
Cronenberg's direction is particularly effective in creating an atmosphere of growing public panic. The film doesn't rely entirely on monsters jumping out of dark corners. Instead, it shows how quickly an ordinary city can descend into chaos when people stop trusting one another. Police officers, medical professionals, and government authorities struggle to contain the outbreak, while infected individuals wander around creating problems for absolutely everyone.
The practical effects are another highlight. The bizarre growth beneath Rose's arm is wonderfully disgusting, and the scenes involving infected victims provide plenty of bloody moments. Cronenberg clearly enjoys exploring the unpleasant possibilities of human biology, and Rabid gives him plenty of opportunities to make audiences uncomfortable.
The movie does have some pacing problems, and certain supporting characters aren't particularly memorable. The final act also becomes increasingly chaotic, but that arguably fits the subject matter. When an epidemic spreads through an entire city, things aren't supposed to remain orderly.
What makes Rabid especially interesting is its underlying commentary on medical experimentation, disease transmission, and society's ability to respond to an unexpected health crisis. Beneath all the blood and bodily horror, there's a genuinely unsettling story about how fragile normal life can be.
Final Verdict: Rabid is a disturbing, occasionally gruesome, and highly entertaining example of early Cronenberg body horror. Marilyn Chambers is effective in the lead role, the practical effects are suitably disgusting, and the premise is wonderfully twisted.
It's not quite a medical advertisement for the benefits of modern surgery. In fact, after watching this movie, you might decide that wrinkles aren't such a terrible thing after all. At least they don't require you to feed on your neighbors.
Starring Marilyn Chambers, best known at the time for her work in adult films, Rabid follows Rose, a young woman involved in a motorcycle accident who receives emergency treatment at a remote plastic surgery clinic. Dr. Dan Keloid, played by Howard Ryshpan, performs an experimental procedure using radical techniques to repair her injuries. Unfortunately, the operation produces an unexpected side effect. Rose develops a strange biological growth beneath her arm, complete with a needle-like appendage that allows her to feed on human blood.
Rather than simply developing an unusual dietary preference, Rose becomes an unwitting carrier of a deadly virus that transforms her victims into violent, rabid attackers. Before long, the infection begins spreading throughout Montreal, turning ordinary citizens into bloodthirsty maniacs and creating a public health emergency that makes the average flu season look like a minor inconvenience.
Rose herself isn't exactly having a wonderful time. She spends much of the movie trying to understand what's happening to her while struggling with an uncontrollable hunger that makes maintaining normal relationships somewhat difficult. It's hard to enjoy a romantic evening when your body has developed a biological syringe and your dinner date might end up dead.
Marilyn Chambers delivers an interesting performance as Rose, portraying her as a tragic figure rather than a conventional horror villain. She's not deliberately trying to destroy civilization. She's simply dealing with an increasingly horrifying medical condition that nobody seems capable of fixing. Her transformation from ordinary woman into an accidental disease carrier provides the movie with its unsettling emotional center.
Cronenberg's direction is particularly effective in creating an atmosphere of growing public panic. The film doesn't rely entirely on monsters jumping out of dark corners. Instead, it shows how quickly an ordinary city can descend into chaos when people stop trusting one another. Police officers, medical professionals, and government authorities struggle to contain the outbreak, while infected individuals wander around creating problems for absolutely everyone.
The practical effects are another highlight. The bizarre growth beneath Rose's arm is wonderfully disgusting, and the scenes involving infected victims provide plenty of bloody moments. Cronenberg clearly enjoys exploring the unpleasant possibilities of human biology, and Rabid gives him plenty of opportunities to make audiences uncomfortable.
The movie does have some pacing problems, and certain supporting characters aren't particularly memorable. The final act also becomes increasingly chaotic, but that arguably fits the subject matter. When an epidemic spreads through an entire city, things aren't supposed to remain orderly.
What makes Rabid especially interesting is its underlying commentary on medical experimentation, disease transmission, and society's ability to respond to an unexpected health crisis. Beneath all the blood and bodily horror, there's a genuinely unsettling story about how fragile normal life can be.
Final Verdict: Rabid is a disturbing, occasionally gruesome, and highly entertaining example of early Cronenberg body horror. Marilyn Chambers is effective in the lead role, the practical effects are suitably disgusting, and the premise is wonderfully twisted.
It's not quite a medical advertisement for the benefits of modern surgery. In fact, after watching this movie, you might decide that wrinkles aren't such a terrible thing after all. At least they don't require you to feed on your neighbors.
Review posted
October 30, 2026