With the old bait and switch, CBS emphasized the salacious aspects in its advertising for The Darker Side of Terror (1979). Yes, what we see in TV Guide happens, but as only one interesting plot point in a film that offers an even more compelling science fiction story overall. Much about it is familiar, but in context of early movies revolving around the subject of cloning, it’s an entertaining achievement.
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Paul Corwin (Robert Forster) is a scientist guided by ethics who wants nothing to do with Prof. Meredith’s (Ray Milland) experiments in cloning, even when he learns that he’s the person being cloned. However, when his colleague, Prof. Hillstrom (David Sheiner), steals his work and a big promotion from him, Corwin surrenders to his darker side in order to assist Meredith.
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There’s the usual debate over what’s right and wrong, but driven by emotion, it’s presented in interesting ways. We witness Meredith’s arrogance (“I will not be shackled by timid men!”), Corwin’s anger (“Damn you, doctor, and everything you’ve done here.”), and Meredith’s truth (“That’s what people are afraid of -- creating a monster -- not in a castle, but right here in a university.”)
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While Corwin’s wife, Margaret (Adrienne Barbeua) whines a fair amount about her husband not spending enough time with her, she’s also an intelligent woman who’s familiar with his work, recognizes when it’s been stolen, and seems angrier about it than he is. As much as she’s been included in his work so far, it’s not surprising that she gets cranky when she’s suddenly excluded.
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It’s nothing that a day on the boardwalk with the clone whom she believes is Corwin won’t cure, though, especially when they spend the afternoon in a motel room. Hence, we get the advertising emphasizing one scene. It’s not a dumb turn of events when you think about it and it turns The Darker Side of Terror into the cousin of a body snatcher movie for a short time. The bulk, though, remains a Frankenstein story with a creation that’s not 100% healthy.
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We recognize this when one of the clone’s eyes rolls back into his head and he raises his hands to his face in pain. During these events, he surrenders to raw emotions that lead to murder. He’s a sympathetic creature, though; we almost believe him when he says he didn’t mean to do it. When Corwin learns that while he was away, his clone will play, we witness the inevitable scene of the two fighting each other.
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I’ll admit that the screenplay is no better or worse than the theatrical movie Al Ramrus and John Herman Shaner also wrote, The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977), but director Gus Trikonis (The Evil, 1978) turns their material into something that’s surprisingly effective and enjoyable. It’s not as good as another clone film released that year, The Boys from Brazil, but it’s better than the one released the year after, The Clonus Horror.
Visit the TV Terror Guide: 70's TV Movies playlist at ClassicHorrors.Club TV on YouTube to watch The Darker Side of Terror as well as all the great movies from this series.
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