Night of the Lepus (1972)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1972
Running Times: 88 mins
Format: Metrocolor
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents
Producer: A.C. Lyles
Unit Production Manager: John Wilson

SCRIPT
Script: Don Holliday, Gene R. Kearney
Novel: The Year of the Angry Rabbit by Russell Braddon

DIRECTION
Director: William F. Claxton
2nd Unit Director: Stan Jolley
Assistant Director: Ted Schilz

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ted Voigtlander

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: John McSweeney

MUSIC
Music: Jimmie Haskell

SOUND
Sound: Jerry Jost, Hal Watkins

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Wes Dawn
Hair: Alma Johnson
Wardrobe: Norman Burza

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: Howard A. Anderson Company

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Stan Jolley
Set Decorator: William Calvert

MISCELLANEOUS
Animal Trainers: Lou Schumacher, Henry Cowl

LOCATIONS
Locations: Old Tucson, Arizona, USA

CAST
Stuart Whitman (Roy Bennett)
Janet Leigh (Gerry Bennett)
Rory Calhoun (Cole Hillman)
DeForest Kelley (Elgin Clark)
Paul Fix (Sheriff Cody)
Melanie Fullerton (Amanda Bennett)
Chris Morrell (Jackie Hillman)
Chuck Hayward (Jud)
Henry Wills (Frank)
Francesca Jarvis (Mildred)
William Elliott (Dr Leopold)
Robert Hardy (Professor Dirkson)
Richard Jacome (Deputy Jason)
Inez Perez (housekeeper)
G. Leroy Gaintner (Walker)
Evans Thornton (Major White)
I. Stanford Jolley (dispatcher)
Robert Gooden (Leslie)
Walter Kelley (truck driver)
Frank Kennedy (doctor)
Don Starr (Cutler)
Peter O'Crotty (Arlen)
Phillip Avenetti (Officer Lopez)
Russell Morrell (priest)
Donna Gelgur (wife in car)
Stephen deFrance (husband in car)
Sherry Hummer, Rick Hummer (children in car)
Jerry Dunphy (television newscaster)

When his Arizona ranch is overrun by rabbits, Cole Hillman calls in college president Elgin Clark and zoologist Roy Bennett to help. But Bennett's method of disposal, involving hormone injections, creates a race of giant, carnivorous rabbits that go on the rampage eating anything and everything they come across.

The legendary giant-killer-rabbit atrocity isn't quite as engaging as its reputation might suggest. The sight of the rampaging bunnies is admittedly hilarious but there's an awful lot of tedious padding to wade through to get to the laughs. Certainly worth watching though if only for its inane central idea and the sight of Janet Leigh slumming it opposite an enthusiastic if unconvincing Stuart Whitman and DeForest Kelley.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: MGM

USA
Rating: PG

1972
October
Day Unknown: USA - theatrical release

1980
August
9: UK - television broadcast (on BBC)

How many eyes does horror have? How many times will terror strike?

Rabbits - working title
La notte della lunga paura - Italian title

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
The Matrix (1999)
Natural Born Killers (1994)

MAGAZINES

L'ecran fantastique no.5 (1978) pp.30-31 (France)
review

Filmfacts vol.15 no.21 (1972) pp.509 - 510 (USA)
reprinted reviews

Hollywood Reporter vol.222 no.1 (3 July 1972) p.3 (USA)
credits, review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.40 no.470 (March 1973) p.55 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Variety 5 July 1972 p.16 (USA)
credits, review

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.261
credits, review

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.335
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

book into film, genetic engineering, hormones, scientists, zoologists, rabbits, mutations

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009