"There's only ONE thing wrong with the Davis baby..."
The unforgettable ad copy for "It's Alive."

Larry Cohen's most popular foray into the horror genre, "It's Alive" has, not surprisingly, lost much of its shock value in the 30 years since its original release. The real shock in viewing its long-overdue digital birth is just how effective Cohen's narrative remains. An absorbing drama and a pointed social satire; "It's Alive" is a powerful piece of low-budget cinema that is arguably even more relevant today than its release in '74.

John P. Ryan and Sharon Farrell play Frank and Lenore Davis, a couple who are expecting their (unplanned) second child. All seems normal when Lenore begins contractions in the middle of the night. After dropping their young son off at a friends house, the happy, anxious couple make their way to the hospital. Before she gives birth, an emotional Lenore seeks reassurance from Frank that it was the right decision for them to have the child. He offers comfort then waits with the other expectant fathers in the waiting room. During her delivery complications arise. The fetus turns out to be larger than expected and the doctors begin to have some difficulty with the birth... As Frank stands outside the maternity ward watching some angelic newborns sleeping, a bloody surgeon stumbles out into the hallway and collapses. Frank follows a distant screaming and rushes into his wife's operating room. There he finds a hysterical Lenore strapped to the table; surrounded by the dead surgical team lying on the floor. It's a great moment in exploitation cinema as Farrell screams for her baby while Frank is forcefully escorted out of the delivery room. It seems that there is most definitely something wrong with the Davis baby... a mutation (with claws) that violently attacks when threatened. The baby manages to escape the hospital and begins to slaughter the local population. Slowly making its way back to the Davis home for the inevitable family reunion.

What is most striking when watching "It's Alive" unfold is the solid drama Cohen delivers in spite of the absurd premise and miniscule budget. The literate script by the director and the strong performances from the leads ground the fantastic narrative. Though well respected as a writer, Cohen has never been given much credit for his directing skills. Visually his films are somewhat flat; often recalling television productions from the period. Which might explain why his contemporaries in the genre, such as Carpenter and Romero, are more highly regarded. ("It's Alive" is shot in workman-like fashion by the late Fenton Hamilton, a long-time Cohen collaborator.) The real thrill (of his auteur work) doesn't come from his mise-en-scene or tightly crafted suspense scenes, but the tension created by seasoned actors playing real people in often-horrific situations. His New York-based productions including "God Told Me To," and "Q" are driven by solid, often mesmerizing, performances.

Ryan gives a strong, nuanced turn as the caring father and husband. His guilt-ridden emotional journey hits all of the right notes; angry and frightened, embarrassed and remorseful, disgusted and ultimately sympathetic regarding his mutant killer offspring. He gets great support from Farrell as his fragile wife Lenore. The two of them share an intimate, complex chemistry that adds a layer of Greek tragedy to the proceedings. James Dixon is also convincing in his supporting role as the chief investigator on the case (he would go on to reprise his character of Lt. Perkins in both of the sequels).

Like many horror films in the '70's, "It's Alive" is filled with clever social commentary. Abortion, pharmaceutical side effects and the deterioration of the nuclear family are subjects that give the script a rich subtext and a timeliness that even recent horror films can't claim. The script is also filled with sharp, human dialogue that remains believable throughout. The film is at its weakest, ironically enough, in the horror department. Although "It's Alive" has a memorable opening set piece, the rest of the film never quite lives up to that disturbing first few minutes. The wonderful mutant baby, created by Rick Baker, is intentionally left in the shadows for most of the film. When it is actually given some screen time, it is often awkwardly introduced; almost as if Cohen is reluctant to show it at all. Many of the attack scenes are edited poorly; making it difficult to tell exactly what is happening. Horror fans looking for lots of killer baby action will be greatly disappointed, but those who appreciate the complexities of character and nuance will find much to like here.

"It's Alive" also contains one of the last scores composed by the legendary Bernard Herrmann (he of the "Psycho" strings). Though rather antiquated (even for its time), it's a rich, ominous orchestral score that gives the proceedings a sophisticated edge. Herrmann was originally set to write the music for Cohen's next film, "God Told Me To," but he died just after watching the rough cut. His last contribution to film, and one of his best, was "Taxi Driver" for which he won a posthumous Oscar in 1977.

This Warner's DVD release offers a great remastered, letterboxed print of the film. The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is the best mix of the soundtrack ever produced. It's a nice surprise that Warner's would give the title such a thoughtful digital pressing, especially considering their poor original VHS release. Included in the special features is a commentary with the director. Cohen always provides insightful, engaging commentaries on his work and this one is no exception. It's rather telling how he goes into great detail about his cast; something the more technical minded directors always seem to slight. His participation in this disc is worth the price alone. Also included are trailers for all three films in the "Alive" trilogy. Specifically the theatrical trailer for the first movie and brief teasers for the sequels; interesting to see how they were originally marketed by the studio. By no means a "special edition," (interviews with the original cast would have been nice) this release is great news for fans of the film and the underrated Cohen.