Appearance
Rabid
Written and directed by David Cronenberg, Rabid (1977) is a cornerstone of the "body horror" genre. The film stars adult film actress Marilyn Chambers as Rose, a young woman who undergoes an experimental plastic surgery procedure after being hideously injured in a motorcycle accident. The surgery has an unforeseen side effect: Rose develops a phallic stinger in her armpit that she uses to feed on human blood.
As Rose wanders through Montreal and the surrounding countryside, her victims transform into rabid, foam-at-the-mouth zombies who spread a viral plague across the city. The film explores Cronenberg's signature themes of biological mutation, medical ethics, and the breakdown of social order, culminating in a grim vision of a city under martial law and the horrific cost of scientific hubris.
Location(s)
Rabid was filmed entirely on location in and around Montreal, Quebec, utilizing the city's brutalist architecture and chilly winter atmosphere to heighten the film's clinical and unsettling tone.
The Cavendish Mall, Côte Saint-Luc
The film features a memorable and tense sequence where a "rabid" victim goes on a rampage inside a shopping mall. This was filmed at the Cavendish Mall in the Montreal suburb of Côte Saint-Luc. The production used the real shoppers as extras to capture an authentic sense of panic. Map Location
Montreal Metro (Sherbrooke Station)
Several scenes involving the spread of the infection and the growing chaos in the city were filmed within the Montreal Metro system. The stark, concrete design of the stations provided a perfect backdrop for the film’s claustrophobic and modern horror. Map Location
Victoria Bridge, Montreal
The motorcycle accident that sets the plot in motion was filmed on the roads near the Victoria Bridge. The industrial surroundings and the bridge's looming presence help establish the cold, mechanical world that Cronenberg's characters inhabit. Map Location
Director
David Cronenberg
Cast
Marilyn Chambers
Frank Moore
Joe Silver
IMDB
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