maarck6 Storywise, this is a two tiered tale. The first dealing with Rod Steiger as a (very) mad scientist who is performing unholy genetic experiments with humans who have been kidnapped from automobile accidents, turning them into mad half-people half-something else (watch the movie and find out what). Meanwhile, John is a young doctor who is informed by his girlfriend that his mother has just come out of a three year coma after a heart attack.Unfortunately, she is also a mad scientist, but, having found her conscious, wants her son to go out to her house and destroy all her research and notes. Steiger, of course, takes umbrage to this, and wants to put the skids on this destruction. To help him, he plants Melissa, who is a spy, in John's camp.John takes Melissa, his girlfriend, and some friends up to his mom's house, and it is here that strange things start happening, including a dog's bloody death and a woman being attacked by a creature possessed watermelon (!), and the pacing starts to pick up from there to a truly exciting climax.This is an old-fashioned monster romp, full of icky monsters, monster attacks, a mad scientists, mad scientists experiments, people running amok in panic, cute babes, and a solid pacing. There's suspense and humor, although this film never devolves into comedy. The special effects are totally icky, but in a fun way. The story is full of plot holes to be sure, something that comes from a script that was written by five people, including Stephen Carpenter (who created Grimm), Joseph Stefano (Psycho), and Earl Ghaffari (music editor for such movies as Frozen, Zootopia, and Wreck-It Ralph). But it also moves at a quick pace, and all seem to be having a wacky time making it. Including the cast, which includes such journeymen actors like Kim Hunter, Rod Steiger, who just chews up the scenery, Talia Balsam, Peter Frechette (Profiler), and the yummy Amanda Pays (Max Headroom, and both versions of The Flash) as the subversive Melissa.The best way to describe this movie is as if Frankenstein and The Island of Doctor Moreau were written by H. P. Lovecraft and filmed by a less coked out Stuart Gordon. No nudity, no real gore, good make-up, so it's fun for everybody and don't forget to bring the kids.

loomis78-815-989034 A young doctor named John Hollis (Brooks) is asked by his dying mother (Kim Hunter) to go to her country house and destroy her experiments. She also mentions a brother who is at the house named Anthony that he knows nothing about. Hollis brings along a team of scientists, including his girlfriend Sharon (Balsam). Once at the house, Hollis is too intrigued by his mothers' experiments to end them like she asked. Using John's genes, mother has made a hybrid which has mutated into a gooey monster hiding in the basement and under the house. It doesn't take long for the monster to attack and the effects are great for the low budget involved here. Director's Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen Carpenter deliver a much better horror film here than their two previous efforts, "The Dorm That Dripped Blood" and "The Power". The Kindred is basically an old fashioned monster movie told with modern effects. The simple story of people in a secluded house facing an unknown monster is turned loose and much fun is to be had. The characters are likable and the cast is quite good at making the somewhat silly premise work. Obrow and Carpenter wisely keep the monster in the shadows for the first half of the film showing a tentacle peeking through a crack in the floor etc. The design of the monster is great and once the effects start they keep coming. One great scene has a girl driving by herself when a watermelon in the back seat opens up and she is attacked by tentacles that slide into every opening the girl has. The style is that of an old 1950's monster movie with a quicker pace. Tons of gooey slime hit the cast from all directions and poor Amanda Pays character turns into a fish with gills before the audience's eyes! Rod Steiger is the villain who steals the scientist's secrets. His over the top acting brings the movie down a little, but the rest of the cast is certainly a high point. It would be hard to not have a good time with this scary and fun monster movie.

udar55 For the demographic demanding to see Rod Steiger covered in slime, this movie is for you! THE KINDRED is actually a fun little monster flick. Dr. John Hollins (David Allen Brooks) heads to the home of his scientist mother (Kim Hunter) with some friends to clean up her work after she has a heart attack. While he isn't quite sure what she was working on, she demands he destroy it all. Oh, she also reveals he has a brother named Anthony. What is Anthony? A mutant hybrid of John's genes and some aquamarine life. Of course an evil scientist (Steiger) is also out to get his hands on Anthony. The film does have a few problems (most notably the slow first half hour and low body count) but this is still an enjoyable monster mash with good acting. Titular creature Anthony is an original looking design and the rest of the effects work is very good. In addition, the film has a great score by David Newman. Co-directors Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow are also responsible for THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, THE POWER and SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT.

roy-nicholas33 I first watched Kindred in 1987 along with another movie called devouring waves. I remember back then i hated them both and i have never really bothered to watch them again.However i have recently started a crusade to collect as many 80's horror titles in their original boxed form, That have been deleted for some time. I have got myself quite a proud collection with many more titles on my list!The Kindred although i have not as yet got a copy is high priority as all the old movies i didn't like back then, I now own and have now re-watched and think they are brilliant and the bits i do remember of the Kindred are now driving me to want to get hold of a copy A.S.A.P.Hurray for the 80's and long live horror!