Rabid (1977 film)

Rabid
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDavid Cronenberg
Written byDavid Cronenberg
Produced byJohn Dunning
Starring
CinematographyRené Verzier
Edited byJean LaFleur
Production
companies
  • Cinema Entertainment Enterprises
  • DAL Productions
  • The Dibar Syndicate
Distributed by
Release date
  • April 8, 1977 (1977-04-08)
Running time
91 minutes
CountriesCanada
United States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetCAD$500,000
Box office$1 million (Canada) or $2.2 million

Rabid is a 1977 independent body horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. An international co-production of Canada and the United States, the film stars Marilyn Chambers in the lead role, supported by Frank Moore, Joe Silver, and Howard Ryshpan. Chambers plays a woman who, after being injured in a motorcycle accident and undergoing a surgical operation, develops an orifice under one of her armpits that hides a phallic/clitoral stinger she uses to feed on people's blood. Those she bites become infected, and then feed upon others, spreading the disease exponentially. The result is massive chaos, starting in the Quebec countryside, and ending up in Montreal. Rabid made $1 million in Canada, making it one of the highest-grossing Canadian films of all time. A remake of the same name, directed by Jen and Sylvia Soska, was released in 2019.