On B List of Movie Reviews
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Bug (1975)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
1/25
1/25:
Before William Friedkin made a movie called Bug starring Ashley Judd and Michael
Shannon, there was a 1975 film with the same title.
Both have nothing in common as far as the plot goes, but the latter does with Saul Bass'
Phase IV
which was made a year earlier. They focus on scientists trying to solve the insect problem before the world
will be overcome by it; eventually, the results are disastrous.
One can only wonder what was going on in James Parmiter's head when he set out to be Victor Frankenstein
of the newly formed flying firebugs. In short, it's safe to say he went insane. I can't believe he's
so stupid to leave the box unlocked and twice at that.
In real life, the insects are called Madagascar hissing cockroaches which can be kept as pets (if you can
believe that). They're harmless and don't scratch or bite. That being said, anyone who had them on their
bodies were okay with it. But still, they're gross-looking creatures.
The performances are fine, but it's pretty much Bradford Dillman's show. There are truly scary moments.
However, the storytelling sucks. There are scenes of places being burned down, people getting killed in
residential homes, and firebugs dominating the land where the fault line is, yet these incidents are never
followed up. Ditto for the odd remark made by Parmiter's colleague when he said that
he hadn't seen his wife for "weeks" given that she showed up like the day before.
I don't know how much contribution William Castle made to Bug, but whatever the answer is,
it's far better than the gimmicky films he used to produce during his heyday such as
House on Haunted Hill and
13 Ghosts. It would be the final work of his career before passing away in 1977.
All in all, Bug is a scary movie that's ultimately done in by the lousy plot.