Ratboy
{{short description|1986 film by Sondra Locke}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{for-multi|the musician|Rat Boy|other uses}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ratboy
| image = Poster of the movie Ratboy.jpg
| caption = Cover of VHS release
| producer = Fritz Manes
| director = Sondra Locke
| writer = Rob Thompson
| starring = Sondra Locke
Robert Townsend
Christopher Hewett
Bill Maher
Larry Hankin
Sydney Lassick
Gerrit Graham
Louie Anderson
Sharon Baird
John Witherspoon
| music = Lennie Niehaus
| cinematography = Bruce Surtees
| editing = Joel Cox
| studio = Malpaso Productions
| distributor = Warner Bros.
| released = {{Film date|1986|10|17|U.S.}}
| runtime = 104 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Ratboy is a 1986 American comedy-drama film directed by and starring Sondra Locke.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/87719/ratboy#credits|title=Ratboy|work=Turner Classic Movies|location=Atlanta|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner)|access-date=July 10, 2016}} The make-up effects were designed by Rick Baker. The film's scenario is at times comic or serious, and one of its peculiarities is that there never is any explanation for Ratboy's origin and existence as a human-rat hybrid.
Principal photography started on September 6, 1985, and ended in October 1985. Ratboy had a troubled production{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-19-ca-17164-story.html|title=LOCKE EXERCISES CONTROL OVER 'RATBOY,' HER CAREER|date= August 19, 1986|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date= November 18, 2021}} and was both a critical and commercial failure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ratboy|title=Ratboy|access-date=18 November 2021|website=Rottentomatoes.com}}
Synopsis
A former window dresser named Nikki overhears mention of a mysterious "Ratboy" named Eugene while dumpster diving at a dump. After finding and befriending him, Nikki makes several attempts at marketing his uniqueness to the public. At the same time, Eugene wishes to avoid public attention.
Cast
- Sondra Locke as Nikki Morrison
- Sharon Baird as Eugene / Ratboy (credited as S.L. Baird)
- Gordon Anderson as the voice of Eugene / Ratboy
- Robert Townsend as Manny
- Christopher Hewett as Acting Coach
- Larry Hankin as Robert Jewell
- Sydney Lassick as Lee "Dial-A-Prayer"
- Gerrit Graham as Billy Morrison
- Louie Anderson as Omer Morrison
- Billie Bird as Psychic
- John Witherspoon as "Heavy"
- Charles Bartlett as Catullus Cop
- Tim Thomerson as Alan Reynolds (uncredited)
Marketing
The Los Angeles Times shaved six years off Sondra Locke's age in an article to promote the film.
Release
The film was given a limited opening in only two cities, Los Angeles and New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-15-ca-3253-story.html|title= ‘RATBOY’: SNARED IN THE STUDIO TRAP |date=February 15, 1987 |work=Los Angeles Times}}
Reception
The film has a 'rotten' rating of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it two out of four stars, calling the film 'perplexing' and criticizing the film's unique premise devolving into a more standard narrative.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ratboy-1986|title=Ratboy movie review & film summary (1986) | Roger Ebert|first=Roger|last=Ebert|website=Rogerebert.com|access-date=18 November 2021}} Janet Maslin of The New York Times called the film 'disorganized', criticizing the script and directing choices of Locke.{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Ratboy (1986) SCREEN: 'RATBOY'|authorlink=Janet Maslin|author=Maslin, Janet|date=October 17, 1986|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A0DE2DB143CF934A25753C1A960948260|access-date=July 10, 2016|location=New York City}} On the opposite end, Michael Wilmington of The Los Angeles Times was more positive, calling the film, 'Grimm Brothers-style, mixing wonder with rough edges, undertones of pain beneath the fantasy.'{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-20-ca-8045-story.html|title=MOVIE REVIEW : 'RATBOY' SWIMS AGAINST MAINSTREAM|date=20 March 1987|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=18 November 2021}}
=Awards=
Sondra Locke received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0091827}}
- {{rotten-tomatoes|ratboy}}
Category:Films directed by Sondra Locke
Category:Malpaso Productions films
Category:Films scored by Lennie Niehaus
Category:1986 directorial debut films
Category:1980s English-language films
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{{1980s-US-film-stub}}