Directed by Ted Post
Starring Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, Marianna Hill, Suzanne Zenor, and David Manzy
Written by Abe Polsky
Music by Gerald Fried
Released by Arrow USA in July 2018
Opening Thoughts: Ok a premise so "Weird!" for a film that just says stop everything you are doing put down the remote and watch this film. Why is an adult acting like a Baby? Is the family messed up in the head? Why does the Baby have an ax in his hand? Should make for an interesting watch at least with Arrow's label on it. I do like Ted Post films like Magnum Force, but even for Post this is tossing everything I know about him to the side can he do horror?
Plot: Ann Gentry (Anjanette Comer) is a social worker who takes special interest into the Agency's weirdest case aka Baby. Baby (David Manzy) is a 21 year old man with the mind of an infant. Baby lives in a home with his crazy "Mama" Wadsworth (Ruth Roman) and his twisted sisters who seem on the onset not allowing Baby to progess. But why is the question.
Ann is determined to find out no matter what the cost. Whether that means getting the state involved to get him placed in special institute, fighting Mama for custody, or giving her life. One thing is for don't mess with a Lioness and her cubs because this Mama is prepared to kill at any cost to keep her Baby.
Review: Woooohhhh!!!!!! I am not sure what to think altogether after watching this film. From over the top acting to who is more evil to the unexpected throw you through the ringer ending to why Baby is Baby is just messed up on so many levels that makes you want to turn off the film, but you can't. The story keeps you interested because of the mystery.
Ruth Roman as Mama is unforgettable she rules over her Children with an iron fist, in what one could say as serious yet comical kind of way that I can only compare to Faye Dunaway's performance in Mommie Dearest. The rules are designed to keep her children each designated position.
The reason for Baby staying Baby is just because Mama doesn't want to lose another man. So she punishes Baby to keep him in that state and uses her daughers to enforce that punishment. What is clear Baby wants to grow up, but is afraid Baby acts one way with Mama around and differently then when she is not.
Yet then there is Anjanette Comer in the film as Ann Gentry who seems to have the best for Baby in mind, but there are flashes of sequences that makes you think she is in a mental institution herself recalling her experiences with Baby. So as a viewer those scenes leave you guessing as to what could of happened to Ann.
That tension build up leaves you the viewer on the edge of your seat. For an ending, that most people would never be able to guess.
I absolutely love it. There is nothing for me to complain at even the scenes where Baby feels the need to relieve sexual tension.
Video Quality: For this transfer Arrow gave the option of watching this film in a 1:78:1 or a 1:37:1 aspect ratio. While this film may have screened in the theaters im a widescreen format, you should be watching this film in a 1:37:1 format.
I made my conclusion by watching both formats. The 1:37:1 format is oddly the right ratio to watch the film in. What happened probably is one of two things the film was initially intended to be a made for TV movie and the filmmakers realized they had something bigger on their hand after filming and decided a theatrical release was warranted or the filmmakers didn't know how how to film in 1:78:1 so they cropped the bottom and top for a theatrical release. Either way the 1:37:1 contains more screen.
The 1:37:1 has nice colors and decent grain ratio. I didn't see any fallout, but the 1:78:1 had some faded looking colors. Being that the 1:37:1 is the right ratio I am not going to complain especially since the film looks great and that it belongs from that time period.
Final Thoughts: The Baby should be in every horror fans' collection. Quite honestly the film is unique to where there is not much available to compare the film against. Basket Case maybe? I'm not sure. One thing is for sure you will be appalled, laughing, and shocked all at the same time. It's definitely a film just because of its ending, I will never forget.
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