''Bug'' is a 1975 American science fiction horror film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and written by William Castle and Thomas Page, from Page's novel ''The Hephaestus Plague'' (1973). Shot in

Panavision Panavision Inc. is an American motion picture equipment company (law), company founded in 1954 specializing in cameras and photographic lens, lenses, based in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk a ...

, it was the last film Castle was involved in before his death in 1977. The film starred Bradford Dillman, Joanna Miles and Richard Gilliland. The film initially depicts a new insect species, which faces extinction. Professor James Parmiter, a widowed scientist crossbreeds the species with

cockroach Cockroaches (or roaches) are insects belonging to the Order (biology), order Blattodea (Blattaria). About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known Pest (organism), pests. Modern cockro ...

es, creating a sentient hybrid species of insects.

Plot

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

releases a species of previously unknown insect which can create fires by rubbing their legs together. Eventually however, most of the bugs die because they cannot survive in the low air pressure on the Earth's surface. After his wife Carrie dies when one of the insects crawls in her hair, Professor James Parmiter keeps one alive in a pressure chamber. He becomes obsessed with the insect and successfully breeds the new species with a modern cockroach, creating a breed of intelligent, flying super-cockroaches. Parmiter goes into seclusion at a farm after seeing his creation and gaining the ability to communicate with the bugs.

Cast

* Bradford Dillman as Professor James Parmiter * Joanna Miles as Carrie Parmiter * Richard Gilliland as Gerald Metbaum * Jamie Smith-Jackson as Norma Tacker * Alan Fudge as Professor Mark Ross * Jesse Vint as Tom Tacker * Patty McCormack as Sylvia Ross * Brendan Dillon as Charlie * Frederic Downs as Henry Tacker * James Greene as Reverend Kern * Jim Poyner as Kenny Tacker

Production

''Bug'' was writer and producer William Castle's last film, released some two years before his death.

Reception

However, the sci-fi review site ''Moria'' was kinder to the movie, calling it Jeannot Szwarc's best film. It noted that the movie was better than expected, and the first part of the movie at least maintains scientific credibility. They also praised the lead actor's performance. '' Variety'' found the film static and lacking interest.

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

liked the music and found the technical credits good, but overall found the movie mediocre.''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' gave the film a C, while Leonard Maltin in his movie guide gave the movie two stars. The ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' found the movie "sickening" and felt it deserved a harsher rating than PG. The film made just over eight million dollars worldwide.

References

External links