#1 ·
Has anyone else checked out this phenomenal movie? Honestly, for me, the whole thing was just pure, beautiful chaos.👍 😁
Willard: The rat boy movie
Started by Brian Gonzalez7 · · 👁 3 views · 7 replies
Participants
#3 ·
So, I just checked out this relatively new flick about this guy who didn't really have the heart to kill a mouse, but then it turns into this massive obsession... he actually starts living with rats, and they basically start listening to him and doing his dirty work. But then things get messy when a huge rivalry breaks out between Big Ben (these absolutely massive rats) and Socrates (that little white mouse he found first and is totally obsessed with)... honestly, I think the movie is super interesting👍
#4 ·
So, here’s a few random tidbits about the movie... honestly, I was a little bummed out that almost nobody seemed to be showing any interest in this one, which is kind of a bummer, haha. 😢 )
'Willard' & Ben reunite: some ratty entertainment!
Willard
So, I finally sat down to watch this one! It’s affectionately written and directed by Glen Morgan, and honestly? Such a vibe. It stars Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey, and Laura Elena Harring—talk about a stacked cast. It clocks in at about an hour and 40 minutes, which is a pretty solid length if you're looking for something to sink into. Just a heads up though, it's rated PG-13, mostly because of some colorful language and, uh, some pretty intense big rat attacks. Definitely a trip!
So, what’s hitting the theaters this week? Honestly, I'm feeling a little indecisive, haha. My watchlist is a total mess right now. Just staring at the listings like... ugh, help me out here! Any hidden gems I should be looking for, or am I better off just staying in with some popcorn and Netflix? Let me know what you guys are vibing with!
I feel like kids today really don't get it. They have no idea just how weird and wonderfully out-there movies used to get back in the '70s. It was a different era, man. You could actually sit in a theater and watch a story where a rat becomes a kid's absolute best friend—and not just once, either, but twice! Just wild stuff.
Back when "Willard" first hit theaters in 1971, the whole vibe was pretty heavy. You had the main kid, Willard Stiles, just being this super lonely, introverted guy who lived under his mom's thumb—basically a punching bag for everyone else in the world. But then you have the rat, Ben, who was basically his polar opposite... just a total little extrovert.
When Boy and rodent crossed paths, this whole crazy alliance was born—kind of like a little slice of heaven.
Look, I'll be the first to admit it—"Willard" wasn't exactly a cinematic masterpiece or anything. But man, it somehow turned into this weird little sleeper hit at the box office just because it was so bizarrely unique. It’s got those mid-level rat attack scenes that you can't look away from, including that one strangely satisfying moment where you watch Ernest Borgnine get absolutely devoured by a swarm of rodents. Just wild stuff.
Back in '72, things went from weird to straight-up bizarre with the sequel "Ben." It’s basically where that conflicted little rat from "Willard" decides to become the local muscle for this sickly, bullied 11-year-old kid. Honestly, if you can picture "The Yearling" but swap the deer for a massive rodent with huge teeth—and then throw in a totally unhinged Michael Jackson theme song to wrap the whole thing up—you’ve pretty much nailed what "Ben" is all about (though, hey, Jackson did have that massive No. 1 hit during the summer of '72).
So, I’ve gotta say, I'm pretty stoked to report that this new "Willard" remake—you know, the one affectionately written and directed by Glen Morgan—totally nails it. It keeps that essential, heavy dose of '70s weirdness alive, and honestly, without that specific vibe, the whole thing just wouldn't work.
Even though the quirky, pale Bruce Davison did a solid job stepping into the shoes of the original Willard Stiles, this remake gives us something even better: we finally get to see the ultimate icon of cinematic oddity, Crispin Glover, officially taking center stage as The star.
Man, he really never misses. Always delivers.
Since Morgan maneuvers Glover's bag of tics and mannerisms through The surprisingly faithful reprise, you really get those full-strength hits of everything that made the original so iconic. It’s all there—everything from how Willard's " Psycho relationship with his creepy mother plays out, right down to him stumbling upon an army of ready-to-be-marshaled rats living in The basement of their Old dark house , effectively Shot in a stylish gothic patina of decay and shadows. It's pretty wild how much of that DNA they managed to keep intact.
To keep that connection between the original and the remake feeling totally intact, Davison makes a quasi-cameo appearance in the film by way of a series of framed photographs hung around The house, depicting him as Willard's late father.
So, after he stumbles upon those rats and basically forms this weird psychic connection with them—especially with that little duo, Socrates and Ben—Willard finally finds a cure for all that loneliness and isolation. Honestly, it’s handled in a way that only an actor as fearless as Crispin Glover could possibly explicati.
And honestly, don't let anyone tell you those rats are all just CGI—it’s definitely not all digital like you'd think. You can actually see Glover proving it over and over again because he’s constantly touching and interacting with Socrates and Ben in person. Now, I will say, those massive swarm scenes? Yeah, those are totally computer-generated, but the close-ups feel real.
So, it’s the same setup as before: Willard's mom isn't going to be around much longer, which basically leaves him totally defenseless against his absolute nightmare of a boss. This time around, the part is played by R. Lee Ermey—who is basically a dead ringer for the guy who played it back in '71, Ernest Borgnine. You know, like seeing that intense Full Metal Jacket drill sergeant energy in full bloom. Just great.
R. Lee Ermey is just built different when he's playing a villain—it’s basically his calling card. And, honestly, it shouldn't be a shocker, but he also makes for the most satisfying target for some serious karma. (That one part where you see him sitting there at his desk, clicking away at his computer, only to realize his mouse has actually turned into... well, a literal, massive rodent? Absolutely gold. I can't stop thinking about it.)
So, after totally burning herself out playing that intense role in David Lynch’s *Mulholland Drive*, Laura Elena Harring takes on this pretty thankless part as Willard's sweet coworker. It’s one of those roles where she’s just trying to be kind, starting off with a gesture that involves gifting him a massive, fluffy cat.
Look, I’m not about to ruin the absolute highlight of the flick for anyone, but let’s just say it features that poor cat stuck in a house crawling with rats.
So, while this tabby is busy dodging a literal plague of rodents, it somehow bumps the remote for the digital TV. The remote kicks on some light rock station, and suddenly, out of nowhere, you get Michael Jackson’s version of "Ben" blasting through the speakers.
And there you go: perfect dinner music.
'Willard' & Ben reunite: some ratty entertainment!
Willard
So, I finally sat down to watch this one! It’s affectionately written and directed by Glen Morgan, and honestly? Such a vibe. It stars Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey, and Laura Elena Harring—talk about a stacked cast. It clocks in at about an hour and 40 minutes, which is a pretty solid length if you're looking for something to sink into. Just a heads up though, it's rated PG-13, mostly because of some colorful language and, uh, some pretty intense big rat attacks. Definitely a trip!
So, what’s hitting the theaters this week? Honestly, I'm feeling a little indecisive, haha. My watchlist is a total mess right now. Just staring at the listings like... ugh, help me out here! Any hidden gems I should be looking for, or am I better off just staying in with some popcorn and Netflix? Let me know what you guys are vibing with!
I feel like kids today really don't get it. They have no idea just how weird and wonderfully out-there movies used to get back in the '70s. It was a different era, man. You could actually sit in a theater and watch a story where a rat becomes a kid's absolute best friend—and not just once, either, but twice! Just wild stuff.
Back when "Willard" first hit theaters in 1971, the whole vibe was pretty heavy. You had the main kid, Willard Stiles, just being this super lonely, introverted guy who lived under his mom's thumb—basically a punching bag for everyone else in the world. But then you have the rat, Ben, who was basically his polar opposite... just a total little extrovert.
When Boy and rodent crossed paths, this whole crazy alliance was born—kind of like a little slice of heaven.
Look, I'll be the first to admit it—"Willard" wasn't exactly a cinematic masterpiece or anything. But man, it somehow turned into this weird little sleeper hit at the box office just because it was so bizarrely unique. It’s got those mid-level rat attack scenes that you can't look away from, including that one strangely satisfying moment where you watch Ernest Borgnine get absolutely devoured by a swarm of rodents. Just wild stuff.
Back in '72, things went from weird to straight-up bizarre with the sequel "Ben." It’s basically where that conflicted little rat from "Willard" decides to become the local muscle for this sickly, bullied 11-year-old kid. Honestly, if you can picture "The Yearling" but swap the deer for a massive rodent with huge teeth—and then throw in a totally unhinged Michael Jackson theme song to wrap the whole thing up—you’ve pretty much nailed what "Ben" is all about (though, hey, Jackson did have that massive No. 1 hit during the summer of '72).
So, I’ve gotta say, I'm pretty stoked to report that this new "Willard" remake—you know, the one affectionately written and directed by Glen Morgan—totally nails it. It keeps that essential, heavy dose of '70s weirdness alive, and honestly, without that specific vibe, the whole thing just wouldn't work.
Even though the quirky, pale Bruce Davison did a solid job stepping into the shoes of the original Willard Stiles, this remake gives us something even better: we finally get to see the ultimate icon of cinematic oddity, Crispin Glover, officially taking center stage as The star.
Man, he really never misses. Always delivers.
Since Morgan maneuvers Glover's bag of tics and mannerisms through The surprisingly faithful reprise, you really get those full-strength hits of everything that made the original so iconic. It’s all there—everything from how Willard's " Psycho relationship with his creepy mother plays out, right down to him stumbling upon an army of ready-to-be-marshaled rats living in The basement of their Old dark house , effectively Shot in a stylish gothic patina of decay and shadows. It's pretty wild how much of that DNA they managed to keep intact.
To keep that connection between the original and the remake feeling totally intact, Davison makes a quasi-cameo appearance in the film by way of a series of framed photographs hung around The house, depicting him as Willard's late father.
So, after he stumbles upon those rats and basically forms this weird psychic connection with them—especially with that little duo, Socrates and Ben—Willard finally finds a cure for all that loneliness and isolation. Honestly, it’s handled in a way that only an actor as fearless as Crispin Glover could possibly explicati.
And honestly, don't let anyone tell you those rats are all just CGI—it’s definitely not all digital like you'd think. You can actually see Glover proving it over and over again because he’s constantly touching and interacting with Socrates and Ben in person. Now, I will say, those massive swarm scenes? Yeah, those are totally computer-generated, but the close-ups feel real.
So, it’s the same setup as before: Willard's mom isn't going to be around much longer, which basically leaves him totally defenseless against his absolute nightmare of a boss. This time around, the part is played by R. Lee Ermey—who is basically a dead ringer for the guy who played it back in '71, Ernest Borgnine. You know, like seeing that intense Full Metal Jacket drill sergeant energy in full bloom. Just great.
R. Lee Ermey is just built different when he's playing a villain—it’s basically his calling card. And, honestly, it shouldn't be a shocker, but he also makes for the most satisfying target for some serious karma. (That one part where you see him sitting there at his desk, clicking away at his computer, only to realize his mouse has actually turned into... well, a literal, massive rodent? Absolutely gold. I can't stop thinking about it.)
So, after totally burning herself out playing that intense role in David Lynch’s *Mulholland Drive*, Laura Elena Harring takes on this pretty thankless part as Willard's sweet coworker. It’s one of those roles where she’s just trying to be kind, starting off with a gesture that involves gifting him a massive, fluffy cat.
Look, I’m not about to ruin the absolute highlight of the flick for anyone, but let’s just say it features that poor cat stuck in a house crawling with rats.
So, while this tabby is busy dodging a literal plague of rodents, it somehow bumps the remote for the digital TV. The remote kicks on some light rock station, and suddenly, out of nowhere, you get Michael Jackson’s version of "Ben" blasting through the speakers.
And there you go: perfect dinner music.
#5 ·
amberorca192 said:What kind of movie even is this?
Is it something new or old?
haha
😁 😁
amberorca192
you the rat-boy??
😂
😁 😁
😉
#6 ·
Just finished watching this movie.
No,
I'm not feeling it.
👎
It's claustrophobic and bleak... honestly, a bit of a slog at times.
It isn't even really a horror movie; it feels more like the private journal of a madman.
No,
I'm not feeling it.
👎
It's claustrophobic and bleak... honestly, a bit of a slog at times.
It isn't even really a horror movie; it feels more like the private journal of a madman.
#7 ·
cro Fag said:I just finished watching this movie.
Nah,
it didn't do it for me.
👎
Claustrophobic and bleak... honestly, a bit tedious at times.
It’s hardly even a horror film; it feels more like the journal of a madman.
DAMN, then it must be *incredible*!
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