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Embryo (1976)

Created to Kill


Cast:

Rock "No Doris Day in this movie?" Hudson is Dr. Paul Holliston
Barbara "Never Say Never Again that I met Condorman?!" Carrera is Victoria Spencer
Diane "When I'm not creating killer Carnosaurs..." Ladd is Martha Douglas
Roddy "Charleton Heston thinks I'm a dirty ape..." McDowall is Frank Riley
Anne Schedeen is Helen Holliston


What the box says:

A research scientist is experimenting with human DNA in an attempt to create the perfect human being. His work has made it to the point where he can take a human fetus and accelerate its growth to that of an adult within a few days. His latest creation is a beautiful woman, but side effects from the process turn the woman into a deranged killer.


Plot:

Dr. Paul Holister is driving home in a rainy night and accidentally hits a dog. He takes it home to operate on it. Unfortunately, he's not able to save it but some of the puppies she was carrying. Paul tries one of his experimental procedure to rapidly mature the pups to an age enough to save them. Let his medical log ensue of how he's managed to age the pups to an age of about 1 year. Well, the good doctor has decided one experiment on dogs is enough to try to test with human embryoes.

Paul gets ahold of a suicided pregnant teen girl for the fetus. Let the medical log narration ensue of the fetus and its development and researching to slow the physical growth to a normal age. He starts her subconscious education. Victoria explores the house and starts talking with Paul who explains about her parents, etc... She's about physically in her mid-20s.

Paul trains Victoria to cover as his research assistant. He wants her to be able to trick Gordon (Paul's son), Helen (Gordon's-wife), and Martha (Paul's sister-in-law). Martha returns after several weeks. She is chased by the dog.

At a party, Victoria is introduced to everyone. Martha has an strange feeling about Paul's assistant.

Afterwards, Victoria checks her medical notes. She starts to get afraid of going to some lab and starts taking some experimental drug. Delving into research, she realizes that she needs the pituitary gland of a 6-month old fetus for a better drug. Unfortunately, Helen is expecting at almost the 6 month term...

Martha demands that Paul choose between her and Victoria. Well, Victoria overhears Martha and later that night injects her with something to cause a heart attack. Paul takes Martha's body cross-country for the funeral.

Victoria stays home and starts researching on performing c-sections. She finds a pregnant hooker and is about to start the procedure when Helen stops by the place.

Paul learns that Martha's heart attack was drug-induced. He calls Gordon and learns that Helen is at home. They rush to Paul's lab.

Victoria has Helen in the lab. She is positive the pituitary gland from Helen's baby will complete the antidote to prevent the accelerated-aging. She stabs Gordon and runs out. The ambulance arrives as Paul chases after Victoria who is aging faster. Her car crashes and explodes. Paul tries drowning the elderly Victoria who is dying from old age. The arriving crew keep Paul from choking her. Victoria is giving birth. The sound of the crying new-born is heard as the credits roll.


What I say:

The usual type of scientist is the typical mad-scientist tampering in fields of medicine best left alone like Dr. Frankenstein or Dr. Herbert West from Re-Animator. This movie has another type of the mad-scientist. The scientist driven by tragedy. The distraught Dr. Rock Hudson is in shambles after the loss of his wife. As soon as he gets his process working for 1 puppy out of a lot, he wants to immediately work on humans.

The doctor wanting to create perfection always seems to be a bit lacking. Frankenstein has been in that category for decades of movies: Frankenstein and the Monster of Hell, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, and Lady Frankenstein . However, Embryo is a bit more to Bride of Frankenstein and the Bride. A scientist creates what he thinks is the perfect woman, but she seems to be missing condition of the human soul and devolves into killing for her own needs.

If test subjects have been physically aged, they will cinematically turn evil. The dog ages to the point of a Doberman of maturity that looks aggressive enough to scare some of the characters and to toss around the stunt stuffed animal it used. Barbara Carrera starts out as having a totally fresh outlook on the world but eventually turns into a killer to save herself.

This is 1970s sci-fi that has so many of the medical narration scenes to escape from actually doing anything. The narratation is just used to keep from having to have scenes that actually do anything. Yes, the medical sci-fi is more narrative than action-oriented. Why have scenes with sci-fi when the lab is in the basement? Why can the doctor change operating from animal to human without any difficulties?

Part of what is supposed to be the bane of Dr. Rock Hudson is that his wife died when he was driving. Can't remember if it is implied that he had been drinking. Martha, the sister-in-law, stayed around to help him after the wreck. She immediately had a bad feeling of Victoria. It is sort of implied she thinks that Victoria was after the good doctor for material gain. However, one can't get the idea that Martha wanted the good doctor for herself, either...

How did Embryo fall into public domain? Missing copyright information has gotten it on about half of those 50, 100 movie DVD sets. Most people know of Rock Hudson from his numerous romantic-comedy movies with Doris Day. I can't think of many Rock Hudson sci-fi or horror movies. If he wasn't starring in this movie, it would probably be totally forgotten.

Call this the random movie thought for Embryo. Does the movie, Requiem For a Heavyweight, sound familiar? If familiar, the idea is Ralph Nelson. It's director also directed this movie. 6 degrees of movie director ammo.



2 1/2 NINJAS

Quotable Dialogue

"Get me some canine plasma from the refrigerator and an IV, too..."
"I am for the first time optimistic."
"It's your baby, too!"


Morals of the Story

Movies need to have "Special guest appearances."
Easily to learn chess books will enable you to beat chess grandmasters.
Dogs can easily be taught to open doors.
1970s sci-fi movies always need car chases.


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