Search

Endangered Species

1982, Movie, R, 97 mins

starstarstarstar
A forgotten entry in the Alan Rudolph directorial filmography (which includes WELCOME TO LA; CHOOSE ME; TROUBLE IN MIND; and THE MODERNS), this is a strange conspiracy thriller starring Robert Urich as a New York detective on vacation in Wyoming with his daughter, Marin Kanter. While there he learns of a mysterious series of cattle mutilations in which the animals organs seem to have been surgically removed. Teamed up with female sheriff JoBeth Williams, Urich uncovers a secret germ-warfare research project sponsored by a clandestine group of right-wing reactionaries within the American government. Distinguished by Rudolph's usual flair for offbeat characterizations and visual panache, ENDANGERED SPECIES died at the box office because of indifferent distribution by MGM. Fortunately, the film is available on home video, and it has found a new audience. Urich and Williams make a great screen team, and the supporting cast, including Peter Coyote, Paul Dooley, Hoyt Axton, Dan Hedaya, and Harry Carey, Jr., is excellent. The sight of low-flying helicopters snatching cows from their pastures in the dead of night is a vision one does not soon forget. leave a comment
Advertisement

Advertisement