Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Of Unknown Origin Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 19, 2018

What’s great about 1983’s “Of Unknown Origin” is its simplicity. It’s a story about a man’s battle with the rat that’s infiltrated his house, and rarely does the picture stray from the central conflict. It’s a B-movie with slightly higher thematic aspirations, and director George P. Cosmatos keeps his eyes on the prize with the feature, which delivers a fair amount of thrills and grotesqueries, staying true to the domestic war as it escalates from something seemingly harmless to a full-body psychological breakdown. “Of Unknown Origin” doesn’t contain many surprises, it retains speed, delivering an entertaining, intentionally repulsive viewing experience guided well by star Peter Weller (in his first lead role).

A business world wizard on the rise in his company, Bart (Peter Weller) is preparing to take on a new client while wishing wife Meg (Shannon Tweed, making her film debut) and his young son well on their week-long trip to visit family, leaving the hard worker alone to deal with his growing responsibilities. Unfortunately, a rat has infiltrated his New York City home, working almost deliberately to disrupt his concentration, inspiring Bart to seek help from handyman Clete (Louis Del Grande) to catch the invader. When trapping efforts fail, Bart declares war on the rat, putting his sanity at risk as he grows consumed with destroying the rodent, trying to bring some sense of peace to his ruined dwelling as his life spirals out of control.

“Of Unknown Origin” is an adaptation of a Chauncey G. Parker III novel, giving screenwriter Brian Taggart (“Visiting Hours”) something to work with as he tries to create a suitable clash of animals for the screen. Introductory moments with Meg are included, along with details from Bart’s day job, supported by secretary Lorrie (Jennifer Dale), but the primary sweep of “Of Unknown Origin” concentrates on the domestic wrestling match between Bart and the rat. A man who personally worked on the remodel of his home, Bart is a particular man, and one who’s not going to permit a rodent to barge in and destroy everything he’s built for his family. Taggart is careful to underline a subtle affront to the character’s masculinity if a professional exterminator is called in, keeping focus on Bart’s homegrown ways of capture, guided by Clete, a basement dweller who’s surprised to learn how resilient the pest is as it chews up traps and avoids poison.

Inspiration for “Of Unknown Origin” is underlined throughout the movie. Bart is viewed reading “Moby Dick” in bed and watching “The Old Man and the Sea” on television, with Cosmatos playing up the battle between man and rodent as a vicious war of wills. The mission to murder the rat also takes its toll on Bart’s professional life, with the story periodically breaking away to deal with his slow shirking of responsibilities, giving the material something else to do besides follow the creature around the house as it figures out ways to shred Bart’s nerves. Not every aside works, most notably a brief moment of flirtation between the married man and Lorrie late one night (casting Tweed as Meg all but guarantees Bart’s fidelity), but some fresh air is welcome, with “Of Unknown Origin” moving back to the home often to showcase the rat’s ability to escape all danger, while Bart begins a slow decent into madness, experiencing failure with every new plan of attack.

Of Unknown Origin Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a "New 2K scan from the interpositive." The results bring out the basics of the "Of Unknown Origins" viewing experience, providing a fulfilling reach of fine detail that accentuates rodent close-ups, which keep greasy hairs and yellowed teeth in full view. More human displays are defined as well, with household decoration easy to study, costuming fibrous and periodically sheer, and subtle facial reactions coming through as intended. Softness is there, but clarity wins in the end, feeling out cinematographic limitations. Colors are secure, with defined primaries and colder urban hues for New York City travels. Tweed's outfits add some punch, and bloodshed maintains a vivid red. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable, handling limited lighting adequately. No major stretches of damage are detected.

Of Unknown Origin Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers the essentials of "Of Unknown Origin," focusing on the torment the rat causes Bart. Sound effects are nicely defined here, with scratches and chewing handed a proper volume to maximize unease. Household warfare is also compelling, hearing the finer points of rodent scurrying and Bart's destructive meltdown. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and clean, securing vocal intensity when panic sets in, while softer asides from a fatigued Bart are preserved. Scoring is supportive without being remarkable, but instrumentation is acceptable. Mild hiss is detected during the listening experience.

Of Unknown Origin Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features actor Peter Weller and director George P. Cosmatos.

• Interview (17:56) with screenwriter Brian Taggart charts his rise as a playwright into the world of films, finding early success with his work on "Visiting Hours." Receiving another horror project to develop, Taggart took a crack at adapting Chauncey G. Parker III's novel, looking for a way to give the material a larger sense of menace and allegorical meaning, while the character of Bart was based on his own stepfather. The writer discusses casting and working with Cosmatos, also sharing praise for Weller's turn in the picture, giving the words some on- screen lift. There's talk of rat research, and Taggart is candid about the domestic box office performance of "Of Unknown Origin," which bombed in the U.S. but collected mostly positive reviews, giving the writer something to savor after being savaged by the press on "Visiting Hours."

• Interview (14:10, HD) with producer Pierre David discusses production origins for the movie and initial casting awkwardness for the film, with a Warner Brothers executive assuming David was sleeping with Shannon Tweed when he requested to put her in the picture. David praises work from the stars and describes how the creative team managed to sell the visual of a rampaging rat (at one point using a costumed possum). After labeling "Of Unknown Origin" a happy shoot, David goes on to share his disappointment with the film's tanking in America, clinging to positive reviews and the collection of a few awards in Paris.

• Interview (14:10, HD) with Louis Del Grande is a scattered, jokey conversation with the actor about many things, just not much about "Of Unknown Origin." Perhaps of most value to viewers is a chance to watch Del Grande go off about his iconic role in "Scanners" (he was the guy whose head explodes), watching the moment replayed everywhere for decades while he only collected a small fee for his work.

• And Theatrical Trailer #1 (1:17, HD) and Theatrical Trailer #2 (1:39, HD) are included.

Of Unknown Origin Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Of Unknown Origin" isn't a monster movie, and while the intruder is large, it's not outrageously so, keeping the contest manageable between Bart and the rat. There are several freak-out scenes and shock turns of fate to goose suspense, and Bart's disconnect from reality is wonderfully played by Weller, who works with his be-bop thespian timing to create a character realistically melting down due to stress (a classic scene involves Bart aggressively reciting rat facts at an office dinner party). The straightforwardness of "Of Unknown Origin" is its greatest asset, taking the central crisis seriously, with Cosmatos serving up eerie stalking sequences and tense confrontations, keeping the effort approachable and periodically chilling. All there really is here is Peter Weller preparing to do battle with a rat, and that's all there needs to be.