Parts: The Clonus Horror
Encyclopedia
Parts: The Clonus Horror, also known as Clonus, is a 1979 science fiction
horror film
about an isolated community in a remote desert area, where clones are bred to serve as a source of replacement organs for the wealthy and powerful. It was produced by Walter Fiveson and Myrl Schreibman, directed by Robert Fiveson, and stars Dick Sargent
as the laboratory director and Peter Graves
as a corrupt politician. The production cost of the movie was $257,000.
-elect Jeffrey Knight (Peter Graves
). The clones are kept isolated from the real world by workers of the colony, but are promised to be "accepted" to move to "America
" after they have completed some type of physical training. After a group of clones is chosen to go to "America", they are given a party and a farewell celebration
with their fellow clones. The chosen clones are then taken to a lab where they are sedated and placed in an airtight plastic bag, and their bodies are frozen in order to preserve their organs for harvest. The story surrounds one clone (Tim Donnelly
) who begins to question the circumstances of his existence and eventually escapes the colony. Pursued by compound guards, the clone enters a nearby city. He is found by a retired journalist (Keenan Wynn
) who takes him to his sponsor, who happens to be the brother of Jeffrey Knight. Knight's brother, Richard (David Hooks), and his son (James Mantell), argue over what to do with the clone (who turns out to be the clone made for Richard himself). Richard's son returns the clone to the colony to reunite with his newly developed love interest (Paulette Breen), only to find a trap waiting for him; the clone is subsequently killed and frozen. Meanwhile, Knight, along with hired thugs of the Clonus project, arrive to interrogate Richard and his son, and both are murdered (along with the journalist who first discovered the clone) as part of Clonus' cover-up. Knight is seemingly killed in the ensuing struggle with his brother, but reappears the next day at a press conference, where he is stunned to find that the late journalist had managed to disseminate a secret tape to the news media, exposing the Clonus project.
. Director Robert Fiveson said that he felt "honored" that the film made it onto the show. The DVD release of the MST3K episode includes an interview with Fiveson, who discusses the production of Clonus and the Island lawsuit.
production The Island
, also about a colony that breeds clones to harvest organs for the elite, mirrors Clonus in a number of ways. The makers of Clonus filed suit, claiming copyright infringement.
On August 25, 2006, the court presiding over this case ruled that it could proceed to trial.
According to a 2007 interview with Clonus screenwriter Bob Sullivan
, DreamWorks and Clonus Associates reached a settlement, the specific terms of which are sealed.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
about an isolated community in a remote desert area, where clones are bred to serve as a source of replacement organs for the wealthy and powerful. It was produced by Walter Fiveson and Myrl Schreibman, directed by Robert Fiveson, and stars Dick Sargent
Dick Sargent
Richard Stanford Cox , known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor, notable as the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on the television series Bewitched...
as the laboratory director and Peter Graves
Peter Graves (actor)
Peter Aurness , known professionally as Peter Graves, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for his starring role in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973...
as a corrupt politician. The production cost of the movie was $257,000.
Plot summary
The film takes place in an isolated desert compound called Clonus, where clones are bred to be used as replacement parts for the elite, including a soon to be presidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
-elect Jeffrey Knight (Peter Graves
Peter Graves (actor)
Peter Aurness , known professionally as Peter Graves, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for his starring role in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973...
). The clones are kept isolated from the real world by workers of the colony, but are promised to be "accepted" to move to "America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
" after they have completed some type of physical training. After a group of clones is chosen to go to "America", they are given a party and a farewell celebration
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
with their fellow clones. The chosen clones are then taken to a lab where they are sedated and placed in an airtight plastic bag, and their bodies are frozen in order to preserve their organs for harvest. The story surrounds one clone (Tim Donnelly
Tim Donnelly
Timothy David Donnelly , not to be confused with California Republican politician Tim Donnelly, is an American actor and director, and is the younger brother of Jack Webb stock director Dennis Donnelly....
) who begins to question the circumstances of his existence and eventually escapes the colony. Pursued by compound guards, the clone enters a nearby city. He is found by a retired journalist (Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
) who takes him to his sponsor, who happens to be the brother of Jeffrey Knight. Knight's brother, Richard (David Hooks), and his son (James Mantell), argue over what to do with the clone (who turns out to be the clone made for Richard himself). Richard's son returns the clone to the colony to reunite with his newly developed love interest (Paulette Breen), only to find a trap waiting for him; the clone is subsequently killed and frozen. Meanwhile, Knight, along with hired thugs of the Clonus project, arrive to interrogate Richard and his son, and both are murdered (along with the journalist who first discovered the clone) as part of Clonus' cover-up. Knight is seemingly killed in the ensuing struggle with his brother, but reappears the next day at a press conference, where he is stunned to find that the late journalist had managed to disseminate a secret tape to the news media, exposing the Clonus project.
Appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000
In June 1997, Parts: The Clonus Horror was featured as an episode of the movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. Director Robert Fiveson said that he felt "honored" that the film made it onto the show. The DVD release of the MST3K episode includes an interview with Fiveson, who discusses the production of Clonus and the Island lawsuit.
Controversy
The big-budget 2005 DreamWorksDreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
production The Island
The Island (2005 film)
The Island is a 2005 American science fiction/thriller film directed by Michael Bay and starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. It was released on July 22, 2005 in the United States, and was nominated for three awards including the Teen Choice Award....
, also about a colony that breeds clones to harvest organs for the elite, mirrors Clonus in a number of ways. The makers of Clonus filed suit, claiming copyright infringement.
On August 25, 2006, the court presiding over this case ruled that it could proceed to trial.
According to a 2007 interview with Clonus screenwriter Bob Sullivan
Bob Sullivan (screenplay writer)
Bob Sullivan is an American writer who was a major contributor to The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture and When Falls the Coliseum, editor of the literary magazine Helicon, and a film reviewer for the Los Angeles Free Press. He currently writes a for the website...
, DreamWorks and Clonus Associates reached a settlement, the specific terms of which are sealed.
Similarities with The Island
- There is a secret community of clones who are being grown so that their organs can be harvested in order to extend the lives of people who are wealthy enough to afford it.
- When a clone needs to be harvested they get "randomly" chosen to go to the non-existent utopiaUtopiaUtopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
that they have been told about: "America" in Clonus, "The Island" in The IslandThe Island (2005 film)The Island is a 2005 American science fiction/thriller film directed by Michael Bay and starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. It was released on July 22, 2005 in the United States, and was nominated for three awards including the Teen Choice Award....
. - The community of clones is closely monitored by video surveillance and uniformed guards, who closely observe the actions of the clones.
- The main character is an inquisitive clone living in the community who finds clues about the outside world, and eventually escapes the community.
- A woman which the community staff try to keep the main character from getting too close to and who becomes the love interest for the protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, urges the protagonist to return to the facility after escaping. - The project director sends assassinsAssassinationTo carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
after the character. - The main character gets betrayed by a genetic parent/sponsor he seeks and contacts in the outside world.
- The President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in The Island is known to have a clone, as is a leading candidate for President in Clonus. - The cloning program is exposed at the end of the film.
Similarities with The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
- Undifferentiated clones are injected with the DNA of rich and powerful clients in order to harvest their organs for transplant.
- A secret desert complex (similar to the Clonus Horror) where dying clients are taken for 'treatment'.
DVD releases
- The film has been released by Mondo Macabro under the title Clonus.
- The Mystery Science Theater 3000Mystery Science Theater 3000Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
version of the film has been released by Rhino Home VideoRhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
as part of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Volume 12 DVD set. The set features an exclusive interview with director Robert Fiveson.