The Kindred

A superior follow-up to The Dorm that Dripped Blood from directors Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen W. Carpenter, this campy, slime-covered monster movie centers around a dark secret kept in the basement catacombs of an ailing geneticist (Kim Hunter), which turns out to be the bizarre end product of a gene-splicing experiment combining genetic material from her son with the DNA of an aquatic creature. The little guy — dubbed “Anthony” by its creator — breaks free to stalk Hunter’s son John (David Allen Brooks) and his obnoxious friends before facing off with another loony scientist (Rod Steiger, in an absolutely hideous hairpiece). Filled with creepy surprises, audacious makeup effects and buckets of goo, this film’s high point is provided by lovely Amanda Pays as Steiger’s assistant, who proves late in the film why she kisses like a fish., A doctor (David Allen Brooks) tries to fulfill the deathbed wish of his mother (Kim Hunter)—to destroy the genetic mutation she created. Dr. Lloyd: Rod Steiger. Melissa: Amanda Pays. Sharon: Talia Balsam. Hart: Timothy Gibbs.