Robert Urich is a retired cop from New York City on vacation with his daughter. While traveling on vacation, a flat tire enables him to get involved investigating a series of mysterious cattle mutilations. JoBeth Williams is the local sheriff having trouble convincing authorities of her ideas about the cause of the killings. Gailard Sartain plays an anxious mayor. Visuals are not so graphic, but the suspense keeps you interested. Providing fine support are: Hoyt Axton, Peter Coyote and Harry Carey, Jr.
16 Reviews
80's paranoia
univibe6 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
It's almost impossible to find this movie nowadays. Too bad. Not because it's good but because it's one rare occurrence where you get a different explanation for the mysterious events than the standard " alien from outer space did it". For 1982, it's not bad. We are treated to cool silent helicopters, biological warfare and a Satanic cover-up in the making. Sure, all the soap opera with the NY cop in ranch country is quite lame but still, there is something fascinating here for the conspiracy buff. The all electronic score is weird too. The script relies on these typically 80's beliefs and scares: Abandoned Nike missile bases, cattle mutilations, secrets government (or else) paramilitary teams (looking south American) doing god knows what and for what purpose? Like some UFO buff once remarked: Why don't they make a deal with some slaugtherhouse to get the animals. In my opinion it is worth a look and is one good candidate for a modern remake. Be warned, the ending is a major disappointment.
Well-Made Sci-Fi Film
nicholas123abc14 September 2003
Robert Urich and Jobeth Williams star in this fairly competant issue. Urich plays a single dad who while on vacation with his daughter starts to investigate a series of cattle mutilations. Good beginning and middle but ending could have been better.
The late night TV elusive species
jalstroemeria1 April 2004
I recall seeing Endangered Species on a late night movie channel when I was very young. Actually, it seemed to come on late night movie channels quite frequently from about 1985-1987. I remembered the film being mysterious, dark, and a little bit unsettling. I remembered strange parts of the film, especially the scene where germ warfare is put on a man's toothbrush, and the gruesome effects afterwards. Just recently I was remembering this film and could not recall the title. I asked numerous friends and co-workers and they offered no help. So, I spent about 2 hours, just for the sake of completion, trying to recall the name of this movie! I really had nothing to go on, because I could not remember any of the actors who were in it. Finally, thanks to the IMDB, I was able to do a complex search and eventually found the title to this elusive film. Of course I had to see it again. Trying to find this film to rent or buy was nearly impossible. I DID find a local video store who had an ancient copy. I rented it and was a little less than impressed. Still, Endangered Species seemed to retain its mysterious and disturbing effect on me. I think I over-hyped my expectations due to all the research I conducted. Anyway, The acting is sub-par, and the film quality is pretty bad. Robert Urich plays up his part pretty well, but comes off as a male chauvinist pig. Hey, this is the early 80's, they didn't give a S#*! about being "PC" then. Peter Coyote (from E.T. fame) is also in this movie. His plays a sneaky, sinister para-military type character. Endangered Species definitely conjures up some X-Files type conspiracy theories. The pacing is good, and it really does have a suspense ridden feel throughout. Supposedly Endangered Species is loosely based on real events. I kind of feel that I have wasted my time researching and re-watching this film. But like I said earlier, I just wanted to remember the title! I didn't think I would go so far as watching it again. Ah, well. At least now I can put it out of my head.
Well, look what the dead cow dragged in!
Coventry22 August 2010
A mate of mine and myself combined this film with a viewing of "The Return" and referred to it as our cattle mutilation double-feature, simply because it's a common recurring element in both films and there generally aren't that many Sci-Fi/horror flicks that are dealing with rotting cow carcasses. That's actually kind of surprising because it's such a clichéd trademark in terms of alien invasion movies. "Endangered Species" definitely was the better movie of the two, and also the most ambitious and surprising one, since it featured many more intriguing and unsettling Sci-Fi themes than we initially suspected. Simply put, and without ruining too much of the plot, the film continuously keeps you guessing what or who the protagonists are up against. Through a uniquely enigmatic narrative structure and very atypical character drawings, director & co-writer Alan Rudolph delivers an oddly fascinating hybrid between Sci-Fi and Cold War conspiracy thriller that is far more profound than 'yet another alien invasion' movie. Fatigue and ex- alcoholic New York copper Ruben Castle is driving through a little Colorado town with his rebellious teenage daughter, on their way to a long vacation. The brand new female sheriff of the little town struggles with a huge problem, however, as numerous of heavily mutilated cow carcasses – the area's biggest source of income – have been discovered lying around rotting in the fields. The two law officers reluctantly join forces to investigate and discover that not a whole lot of things are kosher around town. There's more to be said about the plot, but it would really be a shame to spoil anything. "Endangered Species" is a hidden gem of early 80's cult cinema, that's for sure. The film admirably alters sequences of genuine suspense (the helicopter chase!) with moments of gross horror (the stomach-explosion!). The cattle mutilation is also very competently handled. The make-up effects on the carcasses are truly unsettling and the sight of a dead cow cadaver getting dropped from above and into a river is strangely disturbing. There's also a very impressive sequence with a bull that is actually on fire! I reckon that would have been a really difficult scene to shoot. Also, and as mentioned before already, "Endangered Species" distinguishes itself from the majority of early 80's genre films because of its exceptional characters and their overall awkward interactions. The love-hate connection between a rough NY copper and the delicate small town sheriff are plausible. The late Robert Urich and exquisite JoBeth Williams form a supreme on screen couple. The supportive roles are terrific as well, like Castle's obnoxious teenage daughter and Hoyt Axton as the unofficial spokesperson of the entire town.
good movie
dmanddm12 December 2006
They filmed the part of the missile silos in Longmont. Colo and I got to go there and watch them film the segment where the father (Urich( and his daughter ran down this hallway. It took them all day to do it and in the movie the segment only took a few seconds.
I was pretty disappointed but I did get to shake hands with Jobeth Williams and Robert Urich and he gave me an Oreo cookie for a snack. Of course I kept it. ha ha
I liked the movie just because of this event in my life. I especially liked the part of the effects of the toothbrush. I would like to know where to get a copy of this movie.
I was pretty disappointed but I did get to shake hands with Jobeth Williams and Robert Urich and he gave me an Oreo cookie for a snack. Of course I kept it. ha ha
I liked the movie just because of this event in my life. I especially liked the part of the effects of the toothbrush. I would like to know where to get a copy of this movie.
TV-movie feel-spoilers ahead
DrSatan23 December 2002
Warning: Spoilers
This film has a typical early-80's "crisis" TV-movie feel-the sort of TV-movie that ordinarily would deal with toxic waste dumping and a conspiracy to cover it up. Here its cattle mutilations and secret para-military biological weapons programs. Yep, that's right, a splinter group of right wing mercenaries is developing biological weapons and testing them on cows (only slight reasons are given as to why they don't just buy cows and use them on their own land). Robert Urich is the big city cop with domestic problems and a "cute" alcohol habit whom is the only one who can solve these mutilations-don't expect Jo-Beth Williams relatively competent country cop to pull it off. Its pretty by the numbers, and you can guess 90% of the plot from the opening on screen blurb about the Congress mandated end of biological and chemical weapons tests in 1969. The film has a good supporting cast-Hoyt Axton, Harrey Carrey Jr., Paul Dooley, and hey, even the leads do a good job of acting-too bad this is just a glorified tv-movie. Look for the evil trucks that have a soundtrack cue that sounds like it was stolen from Jon Carpenter.
fair conspiracy theory movie
SnoopyStyle17 February 2015
Ruben Castle (Robert Urich) is a rough alcoholic ex-NYC cop who quited under some suspicions. His delinquent daughter Mackenzie is released to him as they travel to Colorado. Mackenzie gets arrested for running into Harriet Purdue (JoBeth Williams). Harriet is the new sheriff in the small Colorado town. She's investigating suspicious cattle mutilation deaths. Ruben's friend Joe Hiatt (Paul Dooley) runs the local paper and has a conspiracy theory about the cattle. Cattle rancher Ben Morgan (Hoyt Axton) is the local big wig. There is a secret base out in an abandoned nuclear silo.
It take awhile before the movie settles down to its subject matter. Purdue should be much more of the lead character instead of Castle. That way the movie is solidly about the cattle mutilations. Instead it's too much about Castle's drinking and his failing father daughter relationship. The movie wants to hint at UFOs. The investigation feels like it's put on the backburner too much early on. The investigation has good spooky vibes at times and works well especially with the electronic music. The sound effects works well in opposition to the open space hinterland. The major drawback for me is that it never really explains everything to my satisfaction. It explains just enough for me to give it a pass.
It take awhile before the movie settles down to its subject matter. Purdue should be much more of the lead character instead of Castle. That way the movie is solidly about the cattle mutilations. Instead it's too much about Castle's drinking and his failing father daughter relationship. The movie wants to hint at UFOs. The investigation feels like it's put on the backburner too much early on. The investigation has good spooky vibes at times and works well especially with the electronic music. The sound effects works well in opposition to the open space hinterland. The major drawback for me is that it never really explains everything to my satisfaction. It explains just enough for me to give it a pass.
Jon Liebling SHINES in this otherwise unremarkable film
jason-15376 January 2007
Though this film is ultimately forgettable, the saving grace is a savory morsel in the form of a cameo appearance by Jon Craig Liebling. In his role as the steward in a scene featuring a commuter airplane, Liebling delivers another of his subtle - yet, scintillating - tour de force performances. His understated and nuanced interpretation of this complex character contributes a level of patois to the scene that is memorable long after the credits roll. If you haven't done so already, be sure to seek out Liebling's contributions to the Jill Clayburgh film, "I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can", as well. Once heralded as one of Hollywood's premier talents, Liebling (in both his acting and writing modes) was a dynamic presence who embodied a wide spectrum and depth of expertise that transcended his young age. From Clooney to Crowe, Ben Stiller to Jude Law, today's "A list" of Hollywood talent have all taken colors from Liebling's paintbox of cinematic artistry. When Liebling chose to leave California for a quiet, yet idyllic, life in Vermont, filmdom lost one of it's most treasured - yet inexplicably under-appreciated - players. Rumor has it, however, that Liebling now crafts short films for the exclusive enjoyment of friends and family. What lucky people they are, indeed!
So-so movie about cattle mutilations
lightninboy9 April 2005
This used to play on WTBS. It's nice to have a movie set in ranch country about ranching. Unfortunately, this movie goes downhill from there. It is pretty far-fetched and unlikely, and you might not even catch the point of it. If there are the evil trucks going down the road, why don't the locals know who they belong to and what they're hauling? The acting is okay. I Remember Peter Coyote as being a deputy involved with Urich's daughter, but it's been a while since I've seen this movie. I have read in The Edge of Evil (Word Publishing, 1989) by Jerry Johnston that some cattle mutilations really are caused by organized Satan worshipers using high-tech equipment. Naturally I remembered this movie when I read that. You have to just enjoy this movie and not use your brain too much.
MGM went from great classics and musicals to moronic trash like this
SimonJack23 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"Endangered Species" of 1982 is a mystery drama and so-called thriller, that claims not be sci-fi. One might wonder why it would do that, when it then has the aura and tries to imply that it may be aliens snatching cattle to remove their organs. My guess is that the makers knew how terrible the plot was for this film. So, they tried to hype its implications to lure more of an audience. After all, sci-fi with aliens appeals to many people. Well, it didn't work and this film really bombed at the box office.
After I bought a cheap DVD from a store bin recently, I realize that I must have heard how bad it was in 1982 so I didn't go see it then. The acting and directing are poor to hokey in places. The technical production is weak to deficient. The sound and background music are bad. And the blurred night sky scenes to cover up the helicopter, with the equally hokey background music, is very amateurish. It was obviously to try to get audiences to think "UFO." The filming and editing overall were quite bad. The film jumps back and forth often, with holes in the continuity.
But what really sinks this film is the hokey, far-out plot and screenplay. An alcoholic police lieutenant from the Big Apple gets out of treatment and wants to turn over a new leaf. So, he takes his neglected, street-wise, juvenile delinquent, tomboy 16-year-old daughter, buys a house trailer and Cadillac and heads for Colorado. He has a friend there who has a small town paper. It's the county seat of fictional Bannon County. But this is the populous Front Range of the Colorado Rockies north of Denver and Boulder. One scene has the hero driving at night and a road sign gives the distances to Lafayette as 13 miles, and Denver as 38 miles. And the town can't be too small from the looks of the main drag and number of sheriff's deputies and police officers seen in the film.
Robert Urich plays the New York cop, Ruben Castle. JoBeth Williams plays Harriet Purdue, the newly-elected sheriff in Bannon County. Hoyt Axton, Harry Carey Jr. And Peter Coyote are the rest of the familiar cast. The actress who plays Ruben's daughter made just five films and quit acting. Ruben hits the bottle again and goes to Harriet's apartment, for a cold shower. We get a quick glimpse of full male nudity from a side view, then he tries to seduce Harriet when she brings him some towels. She handily rebuffs him with some judo fisticuffs to the groin and gut. From there on, the film goes downhill even faster. Later they will return to the shower for some love-making, aka, sex. The scenes leading up to the end of the film are daytime soap opera, except that many of them are in the outdoors.
Now, it should be noted that this film has a prologue that reads, "In 1969 the United States Congress banned any further testing of chemical and germ warfare. This is a dramatization based upon available facts and evidence." Facts and evidence of what, one might ask. In the whole course of this film, several dead cattle are found with their organs removed, no blood around them, and no tracks to follow. A doctor on the scene says it looked like surgery. So, one is supposed to think that aliens might be removing the organs of cattle - for the purpose of biological or germ warfare? A few times in the film, we get a glimpse of something flying at night with lights. A red laser beam shines on a steer and it goes down. Then, strange mechanical arms lift it into the air.
Cutting through all this, the good guys discover that all of the cattle dissections have been the work of some nefarious group that operates out of an abandoned missile silo. The U. S. had many missile sites in the early years of the Cold War. After the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972, most were abandoned, and the land turned back to the original owners. It's never clear exactly who the bad guys are here - except that it's not the U. S. government. The characters on the site look mostly like a bunch of thugs. They seem to be an international criminal outfit similar to Spectre in the James Bond films.
The hokeyness builds when this group of misfits has scientists in space-age protective suits inside moving semi-trucks. After the stealth helicopter snatches a steer, it lowers the animal through the truck's open roof onto an operating table. Then the "scientists" go to work to remove the organs. Then the chopper lifts the carcass back out and drops it somewhere on the land. This group is so smart that they never would think to dig a pit in the missile site enclosure to dispose of the cattle. They'd rather draw attention by dropping the hollowed out animals in open fields where ranchers will come across them. But then, of course, how else would this hokey story develop? The cattle organs are then taken to the underground silo, presumably for biological and germ warfare research. One of the bad guys refers to a world market for such products.
Well, the bad guys get away at the end, and an epilogue on the screen reads, "Since the 1969 Congressional ban on chemical and germ warfare testing, there have been an estimated 10,000 recorded cattle mutilations...." Of course, it doesn't say the average of 750 per year were surgically mutilated like those portrayed in this film. Maybe the bigger question should be about what happens to all the cattle that are lost every year. The U. S. Department of Agriculture reported 3.9 million head of cattle losses in 2015 - predator and non-predator. That was from 78 million adult cattle (over 500 pounds) and 34 million calves.
After I bought a cheap DVD from a store bin recently, I realize that I must have heard how bad it was in 1982 so I didn't go see it then. The acting and directing are poor to hokey in places. The technical production is weak to deficient. The sound and background music are bad. And the blurred night sky scenes to cover up the helicopter, with the equally hokey background music, is very amateurish. It was obviously to try to get audiences to think "UFO." The filming and editing overall were quite bad. The film jumps back and forth often, with holes in the continuity.
But what really sinks this film is the hokey, far-out plot and screenplay. An alcoholic police lieutenant from the Big Apple gets out of treatment and wants to turn over a new leaf. So, he takes his neglected, street-wise, juvenile delinquent, tomboy 16-year-old daughter, buys a house trailer and Cadillac and heads for Colorado. He has a friend there who has a small town paper. It's the county seat of fictional Bannon County. But this is the populous Front Range of the Colorado Rockies north of Denver and Boulder. One scene has the hero driving at night and a road sign gives the distances to Lafayette as 13 miles, and Denver as 38 miles. And the town can't be too small from the looks of the main drag and number of sheriff's deputies and police officers seen in the film.
Robert Urich plays the New York cop, Ruben Castle. JoBeth Williams plays Harriet Purdue, the newly-elected sheriff in Bannon County. Hoyt Axton, Harry Carey Jr. And Peter Coyote are the rest of the familiar cast. The actress who plays Ruben's daughter made just five films and quit acting. Ruben hits the bottle again and goes to Harriet's apartment, for a cold shower. We get a quick glimpse of full male nudity from a side view, then he tries to seduce Harriet when she brings him some towels. She handily rebuffs him with some judo fisticuffs to the groin and gut. From there on, the film goes downhill even faster. Later they will return to the shower for some love-making, aka, sex. The scenes leading up to the end of the film are daytime soap opera, except that many of them are in the outdoors.
Now, it should be noted that this film has a prologue that reads, "In 1969 the United States Congress banned any further testing of chemical and germ warfare. This is a dramatization based upon available facts and evidence." Facts and evidence of what, one might ask. In the whole course of this film, several dead cattle are found with their organs removed, no blood around them, and no tracks to follow. A doctor on the scene says it looked like surgery. So, one is supposed to think that aliens might be removing the organs of cattle - for the purpose of biological or germ warfare? A few times in the film, we get a glimpse of something flying at night with lights. A red laser beam shines on a steer and it goes down. Then, strange mechanical arms lift it into the air.
Cutting through all this, the good guys discover that all of the cattle dissections have been the work of some nefarious group that operates out of an abandoned missile silo. The U. S. had many missile sites in the early years of the Cold War. After the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972, most were abandoned, and the land turned back to the original owners. It's never clear exactly who the bad guys are here - except that it's not the U. S. government. The characters on the site look mostly like a bunch of thugs. They seem to be an international criminal outfit similar to Spectre in the James Bond films.
The hokeyness builds when this group of misfits has scientists in space-age protective suits inside moving semi-trucks. After the stealth helicopter snatches a steer, it lowers the animal through the truck's open roof onto an operating table. Then the "scientists" go to work to remove the organs. Then the chopper lifts the carcass back out and drops it somewhere on the land. This group is so smart that they never would think to dig a pit in the missile site enclosure to dispose of the cattle. They'd rather draw attention by dropping the hollowed out animals in open fields where ranchers will come across them. But then, of course, how else would this hokey story develop? The cattle organs are then taken to the underground silo, presumably for biological and germ warfare research. One of the bad guys refers to a world market for such products.
Well, the bad guys get away at the end, and an epilogue on the screen reads, "Since the 1969 Congressional ban on chemical and germ warfare testing, there have been an estimated 10,000 recorded cattle mutilations...." Of course, it doesn't say the average of 750 per year were surgically mutilated like those portrayed in this film. Maybe the bigger question should be about what happens to all the cattle that are lost every year. The U. S. Department of Agriculture reported 3.9 million head of cattle losses in 2015 - predator and non-predator. That was from 78 million adult cattle (over 500 pounds) and 34 million calves.
excellent and unorthodox film about conspiracy theory-type stuff
tbyrne416 February 2011
this is a fascinating film. I remember it vividly as my father took me to see it when I was about 12. Come to think of it, my parents took me to see some really odd films when I was growing up in the early 80s. Before I was even thirteen my parents took me to see such films as "Heavy Metal", "Eating Raoul", and "Blow Out". What the hell were they thinking? lol.
Anyways, this film is about cattle mutilation and delves into the world of conspiracy theories involving black helicopters, satanic underground networks, and all that other stuff people were starting to get worked up about in the early 80s.
Robert Urich plays an investigator from the big city who comes to the rural town where the mutilations are happening. With him is his delinquent teenage daughter (who is quite good. whatever happened to that young actress??). Urich also becomes romantically entangled with the local female sheriff played by JoBeth Williams.
I have to give special mention to a couple of things. This film (in my opinion) is easily the best that Alan Rudolph has ever done. He's always been somewhat of a cult director but I never found his films very impressive. But "Endangered Species" is just superb. If you're going to create a film about conspiracy theories, this is the way to do it, folks. By NOT spelling everything out for the audience. But suggesting a great deal. By NOT treating the audience as though they are idiots. The cinematography is also very impressive, as is the droning, disturbing score. A definite winner! I used to have a copy of this on VHS and I gave it away a few years back. I'm still kicking myself for doing that!
Anyways, this film is about cattle mutilation and delves into the world of conspiracy theories involving black helicopters, satanic underground networks, and all that other stuff people were starting to get worked up about in the early 80s.
Robert Urich plays an investigator from the big city who comes to the rural town where the mutilations are happening. With him is his delinquent teenage daughter (who is quite good. whatever happened to that young actress??). Urich also becomes romantically entangled with the local female sheriff played by JoBeth Williams.
I have to give special mention to a couple of things. This film (in my opinion) is easily the best that Alan Rudolph has ever done. He's always been somewhat of a cult director but I never found his films very impressive. But "Endangered Species" is just superb. If you're going to create a film about conspiracy theories, this is the way to do it, folks. By NOT spelling everything out for the audience. But suggesting a great deal. By NOT treating the audience as though they are idiots. The cinematography is also very impressive, as is the droning, disturbing score. A definite winner! I used to have a copy of this on VHS and I gave it away a few years back. I'm still kicking myself for doing that!
Lesson number one: there are bad guys everywhere.
Hey_Sweden7 January 2024
Ruben Castle (Robert Urich, "The Ice Pirates") is a recovering alcoholic and burnt-out former NYC cop who relocates to a small community in Colorado, with his bratty, rebellious daughter (Marin Kanter, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains") in tow. With the help of the local sheriff (JoBeth Williams, "Poltergeist") and his old pal, newspaperman Joe Hiatt (Paul Dooley, "Breaking Away"), Ruben gets caught up in a bizarre local story: cattle are repeatedly, mysteriously being mutilated by some shadowy force. Could it be the work of human, or alien, perpetrators?
While this is no classic waiting to be re-discovered, or the debacle some people may lead you to believe it is, I found it to be a reasonably engrossing conspiracy thriller, decently directed by cult favorite Alan Rudolph ("Choose Me", "Trouble in Mind"). It is true that it's not all that suspenseful, or surprising, but I did like the story, and the nefarious, ruthless nature of the antagonists. I also liked the fact that our heroes didn't have a definitive plan of action for a while, given that they weren't sure HOW to proceed. The lovely Williams is engaging right from the start, but it takes a long time (until the second half) to warm up to Urichs' Castle character; he's a surly jerk who doesn't try very hard to stay on the wagon.
But the two of them ARE very well supported by a solid cast of familiar faces: Peter Coyote ("Jagged Edge"), Hoyt Axton ("Gremlins"), Gailard Sartain ("Mississippi Burning"), Dan Hedaya ("Blood Simple"), Harry Carey Jr. ("The Searchers"), John Considine (a regular in Rudolphs' films), Patrick Houser ("Hot Dog...The Movie"), etc. Actor turned softcore auteur / executive producer of this film Zalman King ("Wild Orchid") has a cameo at the outset, Urichs' wife Heather Menzies ("Piranha") has the small role of Susan, and Bill Moseley ("The Devils' Rejects") made his film debut here as a cabbie.
With an amusing electronic score by Gary Wright (yeah, the Gary Wright who did the song "Dream Weaver"), this entertains sufficiently, working its way towards a decent, atmospheric finale - albeit one that may not completely satisfy some viewers. Location shooting in Wyoming and Colorado is a definite asset.
Seven out of 10.
While this is no classic waiting to be re-discovered, or the debacle some people may lead you to believe it is, I found it to be a reasonably engrossing conspiracy thriller, decently directed by cult favorite Alan Rudolph ("Choose Me", "Trouble in Mind"). It is true that it's not all that suspenseful, or surprising, but I did like the story, and the nefarious, ruthless nature of the antagonists. I also liked the fact that our heroes didn't have a definitive plan of action for a while, given that they weren't sure HOW to proceed. The lovely Williams is engaging right from the start, but it takes a long time (until the second half) to warm up to Urichs' Castle character; he's a surly jerk who doesn't try very hard to stay on the wagon.
But the two of them ARE very well supported by a solid cast of familiar faces: Peter Coyote ("Jagged Edge"), Hoyt Axton ("Gremlins"), Gailard Sartain ("Mississippi Burning"), Dan Hedaya ("Blood Simple"), Harry Carey Jr. ("The Searchers"), John Considine (a regular in Rudolphs' films), Patrick Houser ("Hot Dog...The Movie"), etc. Actor turned softcore auteur / executive producer of this film Zalman King ("Wild Orchid") has a cameo at the outset, Urichs' wife Heather Menzies ("Piranha") has the small role of Susan, and Bill Moseley ("The Devils' Rejects") made his film debut here as a cabbie.
With an amusing electronic score by Gary Wright (yeah, the Gary Wright who did the song "Dream Weaver"), this entertains sufficiently, working its way towards a decent, atmospheric finale - albeit one that may not completely satisfy some viewers. Location shooting in Wyoming and Colorado is a definite asset.
Seven out of 10.
Alan Rudolph's thrilling, black-hatted conspiracy thriller remains a delight!
Weirdling_Wolf25 January 2021
At the time of the 'Endangered Species' initial 1982 release there had been 10,000 recorded cases of cattle mutilation, small change when compared to McDonald's daily apocalypse, but perhaps the macabre singularity of these bizarre, apparently random bovine evisceration's would prove to be more of a film-worthy premise for Alan Rudolph's enjoyably black-hatted conspiracy thriller,'Endangered Species'. Featuring two of the more resolutely 80s-looking movie stars; tall, rugged housewives favourite, Robert Urich and America's winsome sweetheart JoBeth Williams as the frisson-creating, diametrically opposed picture perfect couple, both drawn inexorably together by the magnetic movie magic of 'hooray for Hollywood' screenwriting!
The curve-balling, faintly spooky tale unfolds with creditable alacrity after the initially esoteric mysteries concerning these ominously precise livestock mutilations bring the vexed town's higher echelon into vociferous ferment. With anxious, newly elected sheriff Harriet Perdue (JoBeth Williams), stalwart newspaperman (Paul Dooley), boorish, appropriately bovine patriot Ben (Hoyt Axton) and fleet-fisted wild card ex-city cop Reuben (Urich) all discovering that the rapidly moving lights in the night sky, the inexplicably undisturbed earth around the meticulously gored cattle's ruinous remains, and the confounding post-mortem anomalies, mysteriously suggest the reality of a deeply corrupting conspiracy, perhaps, far stranger than any of them could have previously imagined!
Director Alan Rudolph has always been a class act, and being so fruitfully blessed with such a solid, chaff-free script and a uniformly excellent cast, 'Endangered Species' winningly remains an exciting, thought provoking, proto-X-Files 80s feature that still provides fun, attention-grabbing entertainment for avid Sci-thriller fans young and old! Seen today, 'Endangered Species' has the added boon of giving contemporary, conspiracy-hungry audiences a neat-o submersion into warmly fuzzy 80s genre movie nostalgia, zestfully charged with the energizing, neon-hazed synthesizer score by composer, Gary Wright which is a pleasurably pulse-pounding, adrenaline-spiking, Paul Hertzog-sounding dream!
The curve-balling, faintly spooky tale unfolds with creditable alacrity after the initially esoteric mysteries concerning these ominously precise livestock mutilations bring the vexed town's higher echelon into vociferous ferment. With anxious, newly elected sheriff Harriet Perdue (JoBeth Williams), stalwart newspaperman (Paul Dooley), boorish, appropriately bovine patriot Ben (Hoyt Axton) and fleet-fisted wild card ex-city cop Reuben (Urich) all discovering that the rapidly moving lights in the night sky, the inexplicably undisturbed earth around the meticulously gored cattle's ruinous remains, and the confounding post-mortem anomalies, mysteriously suggest the reality of a deeply corrupting conspiracy, perhaps, far stranger than any of them could have previously imagined!
Director Alan Rudolph has always been a class act, and being so fruitfully blessed with such a solid, chaff-free script and a uniformly excellent cast, 'Endangered Species' winningly remains an exciting, thought provoking, proto-X-Files 80s feature that still provides fun, attention-grabbing entertainment for avid Sci-thriller fans young and old! Seen today, 'Endangered Species' has the added boon of giving contemporary, conspiracy-hungry audiences a neat-o submersion into warmly fuzzy 80s genre movie nostalgia, zestfully charged with the energizing, neon-hazed synthesizer score by composer, Gary Wright which is a pleasurably pulse-pounding, adrenaline-spiking, Paul Hertzog-sounding dream!
Downright scary
midge5616 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is downright scary and well made. However, the main character could use some work, especially with the interaction between him and the female sheriff. Although the movie initially got off to a slow start and seemed like just another cattle mutilation story... it really took off and surprised you.
Once the real source of the mutilations is revealed, this movie really gets quite frightening. This is a quality movie which will give you nightmares. I would have given it a 10 if Urich's role had been written a little better and the beginning of the movie had gotten off to a better start.
But this isn't just any cattle mutilation movie... this is the gov't doing really frightening germ war experiments and killing people in the most gruesome ways. There's enough validity in the gov'ts role in this movie to compare with some real life issues ongoing in that region when this movie was made. They were actually doing germ warfare and chemical testing in that area and killing off livestock... so that was probably the catalyst to making this movie... which is why I said it would frighten you if you had sense about some of the terrible things they do without oversight.
Some of the effects in the latter part of the movie are downright graphic. The music and sound effects add so much scariness to the movie, it just rattles you to the bone. The background music and sound effects certainly earned a 10. That was the main key in the scary effects.
The care which went into choosing the gov't sites & vehicles was well thought out. It looked quite real and believable. Superb direction. Quality production. Excellent story. The latter third of the movie was fantastic. All fresh storyline. Once you got past the first third of the movie and slow beginning, it really took off and was great right to the end.
I've only had a couple other movies which were scary to me. This was one. The gov'ts biowarfare role in this movie will give you nightmares... even compared to current day films, this movie will stand up with the best of them.
Good direction. Excellent special effects. Believable props for the gov't sites and black helicopters. Someone really put some quality effort into this movie.
I found this movie while looking for "The Return" another cattle mutilation movie with Raymond Burr which was a totally different premise. It will surprise you and frighten you. It is available on DVD on Amazon.
I would not recommend this movie to children under 14 or anyone who scares easily. The cattle mutilations and character deaths are quite graphic. The cattle appeared to have been real and not props for the most part. I think some props were mixed in with the real cattle carcasses.
Once the real source of the mutilations is revealed, this movie really gets quite frightening. This is a quality movie which will give you nightmares. I would have given it a 10 if Urich's role had been written a little better and the beginning of the movie had gotten off to a better start.
But this isn't just any cattle mutilation movie... this is the gov't doing really frightening germ war experiments and killing people in the most gruesome ways. There's enough validity in the gov'ts role in this movie to compare with some real life issues ongoing in that region when this movie was made. They were actually doing germ warfare and chemical testing in that area and killing off livestock... so that was probably the catalyst to making this movie... which is why I said it would frighten you if you had sense about some of the terrible things they do without oversight.
Some of the effects in the latter part of the movie are downright graphic. The music and sound effects add so much scariness to the movie, it just rattles you to the bone. The background music and sound effects certainly earned a 10. That was the main key in the scary effects.
The care which went into choosing the gov't sites & vehicles was well thought out. It looked quite real and believable. Superb direction. Quality production. Excellent story. The latter third of the movie was fantastic. All fresh storyline. Once you got past the first third of the movie and slow beginning, it really took off and was great right to the end.
I've only had a couple other movies which were scary to me. This was one. The gov'ts biowarfare role in this movie will give you nightmares... even compared to current day films, this movie will stand up with the best of them.
Good direction. Excellent special effects. Believable props for the gov't sites and black helicopters. Someone really put some quality effort into this movie.
I found this movie while looking for "The Return" another cattle mutilation movie with Raymond Burr which was a totally different premise. It will surprise you and frighten you. It is available on DVD on Amazon.
I would not recommend this movie to children under 14 or anyone who scares easily. The cattle mutilations and character deaths are quite graphic. The cattle appeared to have been real and not props for the most part. I think some props were mixed in with the real cattle carcasses.
Paranoid sci-fi horror in the old west
drownsoda909 July 2023
"Endangered Species" follows a crestfallen New York City cop (Robert Urich) who decides to relocate to the west with his estranged teenage daughter and start a new life. The two end up landing in a small Wyoming town where a local sheriff (JoBeth Williams) is investigating a string of bizarre cattle mutilations. The two eventually team up to solve the incidents, leading to surprising revelations.
This quasi-sci-fi effort from Alan Rudolph is a mostly forgotten film, despite having a rather formidable cast headlined by Urich, Williams, and featuring supporting performances from Paul Dooley and Dan Hedaya. While it is at times light on thrills, what "Endangered Species" succeeds at is effectively capturing the rural small-town west in a way that feels authentic and, at times, foreboding. The rustic downtown and rural locations give the film a unique feel, a far cry from the typical metropolis-set police procedural, and the sense of extraordinary things happening in an ordinary place comes on strong.
Urich's portrayal of a struggling and detached alcoholic here is appropriately both aloof and vulnerable, while Williams is likable and naturalistic as the solo female sheriff; the two's dynamic rings truthful as NYPD city slicker vs. Small-town sheriff and local farm girl who never left her hometown. The film features some occasionally disturbing imagery involving the cattle mutilations, as well as dated sequences involving computer equipment being used to commit the crimes for potentially nefarious (and conspiratorial) reasons.
Though its pacing is at times sluggish in the first half, the film ramps up in its last half-hour, and descends into full-on government conspiracy territory; while it seems to be pointed in this direction all along, the unfolding of events manages to be no less engaging. Overall, "Endangered Species" is an enjoyable and atmospheric sci-fi horror effort that is light in both; it's more a psychological thriller with touches of sci-fi and horror, but a paranoid-feeling one all the same. 8/10.
This quasi-sci-fi effort from Alan Rudolph is a mostly forgotten film, despite having a rather formidable cast headlined by Urich, Williams, and featuring supporting performances from Paul Dooley and Dan Hedaya. While it is at times light on thrills, what "Endangered Species" succeeds at is effectively capturing the rural small-town west in a way that feels authentic and, at times, foreboding. The rustic downtown and rural locations give the film a unique feel, a far cry from the typical metropolis-set police procedural, and the sense of extraordinary things happening in an ordinary place comes on strong.
Urich's portrayal of a struggling and detached alcoholic here is appropriately both aloof and vulnerable, while Williams is likable and naturalistic as the solo female sheriff; the two's dynamic rings truthful as NYPD city slicker vs. Small-town sheriff and local farm girl who never left her hometown. The film features some occasionally disturbing imagery involving the cattle mutilations, as well as dated sequences involving computer equipment being used to commit the crimes for potentially nefarious (and conspiratorial) reasons.
Though its pacing is at times sluggish in the first half, the film ramps up in its last half-hour, and descends into full-on government conspiracy territory; while it seems to be pointed in this direction all along, the unfolding of events manages to be no less engaging. Overall, "Endangered Species" is an enjoyable and atmospheric sci-fi horror effort that is light in both; it's more a psychological thriller with touches of sci-fi and horror, but a paranoid-feeling one all the same. 8/10.
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