PopHorror Let's Get Scared
On February 12, 1992, a dead fetus bent on vengeance was unleashed upon the world in Francis Teri’s The Suckling.
Early in my horror fandom, I stayed within the borders of mainstream horror. I never ventured out too far, but when I got older, I began to explore more obscure films. One of those movies was The Suckling. Some horror friends would always recommend it and say that it was a must-see flick. I finally got around to seeing it and was horrified by what I saw… but horrified in a good way.
It’s been thirty years since this trashy horror masterpiece was released, and in my opinion, it’s one of the best horror films about the dangers of back-alley abortion clinics. Seriously though, if you haven’t been fortunate enough to see The Suckling, then you need to rectify that right now. You won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
A pregnant woman reluctantly goes to an illegal abortion clinic, which also doubles as a brothel, only to have her aborted mutated fetus attack everyone at the clinic.
The Suckling was directed and written by Francis Teri (Head Games) and stars Frank Rivera (High Voltage), Marie Michaels, Gerald Preger, Janet Sovey (Flesh-Eating Mothers), Tim Martin Crouse (Redemption), Susan Brodsky (I Was on Mars), and Michael Gingold (Fear of the Dark, Sins of the Father) as The Suckling.
What I Love About The Suckling
I love everything about this movie, but what I love most are the one-liners. The best line is when Candy says, “All men want to do is ejaculate on my face… I guess everyone has it hard these days.” If you’re offended by that line, then you might not want to watch this film. When I think of movies that have the so-bad-it’s-good description, one of the first movies I think about is The Suckling.
Along with the one-liners, I also love the toxic-filled, dead fetus creature. Even though this is just a trashy B-movie, I have to give props to the FX team. They did a really good job with the creature’s look, and Michael Gingold did an awesome job playing the now grown dead fetus.
I also love some of the kill scenes. That’s one thing about these B-movies I’ve always enjoy is the gore. I also love how the creature gets bigger and wraps itself around the entire building that contains the illegal abortion clinic. I even love the bad acting that is essential in any B-flick. This film contains all the essential ingredients you need for an evening of trashy entertainment.
I’ll be honest, never thought I would write up an article where I would use the description “dead fetus” to describe a movie. As I’m writing this retro, I can feel the toxic trash of The Suckling slowly enveloping me. Sad thing is….I’m starting to like the trash that is being heaped on me.
The Suckling As A Pro-life Film
Okay, I’m not going to go deep or attempt to philosophize the meaning of this film. I just find it humorous to imagine a Christian Church showing The Suckling as a warning about the sins of abortion. I’m really surprised by how many articles I found online that attempt to bring out some deep meaning in this trashy B-movie. Come on guys, seriously?
Closing Thoughts
What else can I say about this wonderful flick? It’s trashy from start to finish and will provide you with plenty of laughs and WTF moments. It’s a great movie to share with like-minded friends who love a good,trashy horror movie. I’m so glad I discovered this film. If you’ve yet to discover The Suckling, then why not check it out on its thirtieth anniversary?
