Studio:     
Starring: John P. Ryan, Sharon Farrell
Directed by: Larry Cohen
Rated: PG
Running Time: 91 minutes

Synopsis: Mutated baby wreaks havoc on the streets of Los Angeles.

John Miller

REVIEW First off allow me to openly admit that as a child this movie scared the living day lights out of me. Flipping through the TV dial was always an adventure when It's Alive, It Lives Again or It's Alive lll: Island Of The Alive were showing on one of the movie channels. I'd watch briefly, then look away, terrified that I'd eventually get caught off guard by a glimpse of the baby. Thankfully a decade later and now a seasoned monster fan in my mid-twenties I am able to revisit this Larry Cohen classic through different eyes and appreciate it on a whole different level. The film starts out simple enough, a typical well to do family is on their way to the hospital to give birth to a new child. Fast forward through conversations about chemical mutations and whatnot and where you wind up is neck deep in one of horrors most memorable moments. The baby, It's Alive, unfortunately the same can not be said for the doctors and nurses in the delivery room who have just been torn to pieces by a psychotic monster baby. Like everything else Larry Cohen has ever made, his raw skill behind the camera is the only thing that keeps this movie from being utter trash. Even more impressive is that Cohen made this while simultaneously working on another classic Hell Up In Harlem, the sequel to Black Caesar. Also adding to the quality of this film is the performance of character actor John P. Ryan who I felt was stellar in the role of Frank Davies. Not to mention a unforgettable score by Bernard Herrmann (Taxi Diver) and notable early effects work by the great Rick Baker. For my money, It's Alive accomplishes more thrills in 91 minutes of quick edits and off camera kill scenes then the entire Saw series can produce with 50 million stupid sequels. Almost a decade after squirming like a little sissy girl I'm happy to announce that finally facing down the It's Alive baby wasn't half as scary as I originally believed. In fact I sort of sympathized with the little tyke for a moment or two. Though one thing continued to bug me throughout the film, how the hell was this baby so damn smart? I mean, he knows the underground tunnels of Los Angeles like the back of his hand and he is fresh out of the womb. Maybe Cohen wrote this as a tribute to Homeward Bound or something, who knows and who cares, just check this movie out pronto if you haven't already.