Watch The Monster

The Monster is a 1975 British horror film directed by Peter Sasdy and starring Joan Collins, Eileen Atkins, Ralph Bates, and Donald Pleasence. The movie takes place in the early 20th century and revolves around a deformed and mentally unstable young man named David. David is the heir to an affluent British family and lives in a secluded castle with his mother, Lady Estelle (Collins). Lady Estelle is a highly controlling and manipulative mother who keeps David isolated from the outside world. She is also fearful of what others might think of David's deformity and keeps him hidden from the public eye.

As the story unfolds, we learn that David's father was a scientist who experimented with hybrid plants and animals, adopting the idea that the perfect being could be created through combining various life forms. His experiments took a strange turn when he impregnated a gorilla, resulting in the birth of David.

Despite his deformity, David's father saw him as the epitome of what he had been striving to create and loved him despite his appearance. Lady Estelle, on the other hand, sees David's deformity as a disgrace and has spent his entire life hiding him away.

Things take a turn for the worse when a series of murders start happening in the nearby town. Each victim is found brutally mutilated, and rumors start to circulate of a monster roaming the countryside. When Lady Estelle's brother, Charles (Bates), comes to visit, he becomes suspicious of David's true identity and starts to investigate the family's past.

As the body count rises, suspicion falls on David as the possible killer. Still, Lady Estelle is desperate to protect her son and will stop at nothing to ensure his safety. Aided by a loyal servant, Lady Alicia (Atkins), Lady Estelle tries to conceal the family's dark past and protect David's true identity.

Meanwhile, Donald Pleasence plays a police inspector investigating the murders, and his eventual run-in with Lady Estelle leads to a dramatic climax and revelation of the true identity of the monster.

Overall, The Monster is a compelling blend of horror, suspense, family drama, and science fiction. It explores themes of isolation, deformity, parent-child relationships, and the consequences of playing God. With strong performances from its lead cast, effective direction, and atmospheric cinematography, The Monster is an enjoyable horror film that's worth checking out.

The Monster is a 1975 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.1.