It Lives Again
A socially charged 1970s horror sequel turns an epidemic of murderous mutant babies into a paranoid allegory about family, pollution, and institutional power.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- paranoid
- disturbing
- campy
- cult horror night
- 1970s genre marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film silly and underdeveloped, while acknowledging its suspense, performances, and occasional effective action.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The epidemic of monster babies and the suggestion that mutants are nature's response to a polluted world make reproduction the film's central speculative anxiety.
The plot and critical discussion explicitly address corporate abuse of public trust and government omnipotence through the response to the mutant epidemic.
Eugene and Jody Scott confront the monster-baby crisis through the pressures placed on their family and American family life.
The film combines growling, slashing attacks by monster babies with commentary on abortion, social mores, and institutional authority.
Films like It Lives Again, and why
The Brood
shared mutant-infant horror, social allegory, and confrontational genre filmmaking
Rosemary's Baby
shared body horror, reproductive anxiety, and paranoid science fiction atmosphere
The Omen
shared 1970s horror, ordinary-family disruption, and socially charged supernatural threat
Movie Details
- Director
- Larry Cohen
- Release Date
- 1978-05-10
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (86)
Cast
- Frederic Forrest
- Kathleen Lloyd
- John P. Ryan
- John Marley
- Eddie Constantine
- Andrew Duggan
- James Dixon
- Dennis O'Flaherty
- Jill Gatsby
- Bobby Ramsen
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is It Lives Again about?
- A socially charged 1970s horror sequel turns an epidemic of murderous mutant babies into a paranoid allegory about family, pollution, and institutional power.
- What is It Lives Again like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of It Lives Again as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is It Lives Again violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in It Lives Again as moderate.
- What did critics think of It Lives Again?
- Critics generally found the film silly and underdeveloped, while acknowledging its suspense, performances, and occasional effective action.
- Which films are like It Lives Again?
- Films with a similar feel include The Brood, Rosemary's Baby, and The Omen.
- How long is It Lives Again?
- It Lives Again runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch It Lives Again?
- In United States, It Lives Again is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
