Of Unknown Origin
Two forces have claimed the house. Only one will survive.
A man who recently completed rebuilding a townhouse becomes obsessed with a rat infestation until it becomes an interspecies duel.
Status
Released
Original Language
EN
Budget
$4,000,000
Revenue
—
Release Date
November 23, 1983
Popularity
1
Director
George P. Cosmatos
Writer
Brian Taggert
Producer
Claude Héroux
Where to Watch
Cast
Peter Weller
Bart Hughes
Jennifer Dale
Lorrie Wells
Lawrence Dane
Eliot Riverton
Kenneth Welsh
James Hall
Louis Del Grande
Clete
Shannon Tweed
Meg Hughes
Keith Knight
Hardware Salesman
Maury Chaykin
Dan Errol
Leif Anderson
Peter Hughes
Jimmy Tapp
Meg's Father
Gayle Garfinkle
Janis Wycoff
Earl Pennington
Mr. Thompson
Jacklin Webb
Newspaper Vendor
Bronwen Mantel
Florence Riverton
Aimée Castle
Birthday Party Child
Tara O'Donnell
Birthday Party Child
Gallery
Reviews
Wuchak
_**The Rat from Hell**_ A Manhattan executive (Peter Weller) deals with the rats on Wall Street while defending his brownstone ‘castle’ against a literal vermin. Jennifer Dale plays his secretary while Lawrence Dane and Kenneth Welsh are on hand as colleagues. "Of Unknown Origin" (1983) strikes me as a Stephen King yarn, which makes sense when you figure that this is one of the horror author’s favorite flicks. While the compare/contrast of the protagonist’s life in his home-castle with the rat maze at work is interesting, the premise is too light IMHO to carry a feature film: a man vs. a rat alone in his gothic abode. Weller works well as the resolute hero but, for me, the best thing about it is winsome Jennifer Dale (Cynthia Dale's older sister). Gene Simmon’s wife, Shannon Tweed, makes her feature film debut in a small role. The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Montreal. GRADE: C
