Night Of The Lepus: Movie and related 📔book:

[Ent]

I just read in another post about animals not being hurt in films, and our illustrious @Elthir noting he was.

It brought to my mind The Night Of The Lepus, an old 'horror' film widely held to be very poorly done.

I've always been (self)-convinced the movie actually harmed some bunnies in its making. Some of the scenes of bunnies burning, being electrocuted, shot, etc. just seem a bit too 'realistic' to me, especially for the age in which the film was made.

A little research this morning indicates "technically, some animals were harmed in the making of the movie." Not sure wheat that means, and haven't been able to confirm more closely.

Anyway, in the course of research, I discovered one article sharing the film was "based on the book The Year Of The Angry Rabbit" by Russell Brandon, 1965, calling it a 'must read book'.

I find I can obtain a hardback copy of it for a mere $126.45 at present, a paperback for just $99.xx. Somehow I think I'll pass.

Anyway, anybody else familiar with and have any impressions of this movie?

What about the book it's stated to be based on?

Add-on: A note of good news - the book can be 'borrowed' from the Internet Archive. I'll give it a read.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

I just read in another post about animals not being hurt in films, and our illustrious @Elthir noting he was.

It brought to my mind The Night Of The Lepus, an old 'horror' film widely held to be very poorly done.

I've always been (self)-convinced the movie actually harmed some bunnies in its making. Some of the scenes of bunnies burning, being electrocuted, shot, etc. just seem a bit too 'realistic' to me, especially for the age in which the film was made.

A little research this morning indicates "technically, some animals were harmed in the making of the movie." Not sure wheat that means, and haven't been able to confirm more closely.

Anyway, in the course of research, I discovered one article sharing the film was "based on the book The Year Of The Angry Rabbit" by Russell Brandon, 1965, calling it a 'must read book'.

I find I can obtain a hardback copy of it for a mere $126.45 at present, a paperback for just $99.xx. Somehow I think I'll pass.

Anyway, anybody else familiar with and have any impressions of this movie?

What about the book it's stated to be based on?

Add-on: A note of good news - the book can be 'borrowed' from the Internet Archive. I'll give it a read.

I think I’ve seen the movie, I don’t think it was very memorable though I’m sure it holds a place in film history. I definitely love old horror movies like this and would try to watch them at least once, no matter how good or bad they are. I had no idea it was based off of a book. Just to check, I searched the Carnegie (Pittsburgh) library system and Philadelphia since I have memberships in both and neither has a copy of the book.

 

[Ent]

Yeah, it's an old one with DeForest Kelly and other 'Western Film" actors the Producer had worked with before.
It was the Producer's first - and only - foray into that genre of movie. It was not widely appreciated..!! As is often the case, it became more so later, for various reasons.

The biggest complaint: "you just can't make bunnies terrifying or threatening, no matter what you do."
unfortunately, I found them rather terrifying myself... given the times and the 'stars' I thought they did pretty well making them feel 'dangerous.'

I've watched it several times - mostly because of those scenes I wonder about and whether they're really depicting bunnies being burned or electrocuted.

Besides that, I don't see it as any worse than some of the others - "Them", and "Attack of the Crab Monsters", and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", and "Kaltiki the Immortal Monster", and "Brain from the Planet Arous", and others of such ilk from those times.

All quite fun stuff in my view.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Yeah, it's an old one with DeForest Kelly and other 'Western Film" actors the Producer had worked with before.
It was the Producer's first - and only - foray into that genre of movie. It was not widely appreciated..!! As is often the case, it became more so later, for various reasons.

The biggest complaint: "you just can't make bunnies terrifying or threatening, no matter what you do."
unfortunately, I found them rather terrifying myself... given the times and the 'stars' I thought they did pretty well making them feel 'dangerous.'

I've watched it several times - mostly because of those scenes I wonder about and whether they're really depicting bunnies being burned or electrocuted.

Besides that, I don't see it as any worse than some of the others - "Them", and "Attack of the Crab Monsters", and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", and "Kaltiki the Immortal Monster", and "Brain from the Planet Arous", and others of such ilk from those times.

All quite fun stuff in my view.

Them! is the one with the giant ants, right? I’m pretty sure that’s one of the first B movies I ever watched as a kid. If you want to watch a real “gem” though lol The Beast of Yucca Flats is…something

 

[Ent]

The Beast of Yucca Flats is…something

Thank you - I confess i've never seen The Beast of Yucca Flats. Something to look forward to..!!

Yes, 'Them' is the giant ants. Starred 80 people, including James Arness, Fess Parker, Leonard Nimoy, and a few others who later had larger roles. (Edmund Gwenn, the Santa in Miracle on 34th Street for example.)

Note: the trailer looks... umnhhh... yeah.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Yes, 'Them' is the giant ants. Starred 80 people, including James Arness, Fess Parker, Leonard Nimoy, and a few others who later had larger roles. (Edmund Gwenn, the Santa in Miracle on 34th Street for example.)

See, I haven't seen it in so long, I didn't realize Leonard Nimoy was in it. Guess I'll have to watch it again.

Note: the trailer looks... umnhhh... yeah.

That's putting it nicely 🤣. The basic premise is a scientist (Tor Johnson, a wrestler turned "actor"), accidentally gets hit by a nuclear bomb and it turns him into a zombie wandering the dessert. Definitely the definition of a Z movie that makes Ed Wood's movies look like masterpieces 🤣.

Had to look it up but Mystery Science Theater did an episode on it (so you KNOW it's good!), season 6 episode 21. That may make it a bit more bearable.

 

[Ent]

Tor Johnson, a wrestler turned "actor"

Yeah, I noticed Tor was in some other Wood 1960s 'Z' movies, too... one of which got the accolades of 'worst movie of all time.' May watch them just to follow Tor's short-lived movie career.

He was in his late 50s & 60s when he did them - and died before he reached 70.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Yeah, I noticed Tor was in some other Wood 1960s 'Z' movies, too... one of which got the accolades of 'worst movie of all time.' May watch them just to follow Tor's short-lived movie career.

Yes, they were good friends. His acting ability was on par with Ed Wood's directing so they made a good pair.