Marc Lawrence was a very prolific character actor who had been working in the industry since the 1930s. Unfortunately, his career was hit during the McCarthy era, when he was forced to give the names of supposed Communists. During this time, he moved to Europe where he continued getting work until the McCarthy era ended in the 1970s. Upon his return, he decided that he would try being a filmmaker, having studied the many directors he worked with. He settled on making a horror film since it’s the cheapest to produce and the easiest to make money on. On a relatively low budget, he cast his daughter, actress Toni Lawrence, in the lead role for a 10-day shoot. Originally released in 1973, the film was re-released with various titles, including Daddy’s Deadly Darling and The Strange Love Exorcist. With that backstory covered, let’s talk about Marc Lawrence’s Pigs.
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Synopsis
A mysterious woman named Lynn Hart (Toni Lawrence) is driving through the desert when stumbles upon a ramshackle motel/diner. There, she meets the owner Zambrini (Marc Lawrence), a former circus performer, and he decides to offer her a job. She works as a waitress at his diner while also staying at the motel rent-free. One night, she ends up killing a lecherous local, and after finding out, Zambrini feeds the body to his pigs. Turns out Zambrini’s pigs have acquired a taste for human flesh, so he has to keep feeding them dead bodies. The sudden disappearance catches the attention of Sheriff Dan Cole (Jesse Vint), who starts wondering where Lynn came from. Jess Winter (Jim Antonio), a private investigator, arrives to look into Lynn’s history, but they find more than initially thought. Just who is this mystery woman, and who will be the next meal for the pigs?
Review
Like many low-budget 1970s drive-in flicks, Pigs is very rough around the edges and not the most professionally made. However, its low-budget nature adds to the homegrown charm of the production, especially given that this was a family affair. Directing-wise, Marc Lawrence won’t be considered a “master of horror”, but his direction is competent and adds some tension. There are tons of harsh zooms and uncomfortable close-ups that add a general sense of unease to the film. Acting-wise, Marc Lawrence gives a solid performance as a man who clearly has his own personal demons to deal with. Though he’s feeding corpses to his pigs, it comes across that he doesn’t like doing it and feels somewhat ashamed. Lawrence was always known for playing a background heavy, so this was a chance for him to branch out. In that sense, he mostly succeeds at portraying a somewhat sympathetic character.
Toni Lawrence, though cast because her father was the director, really shines as the beautiful yet deadly Lynn Hart. Like her father, she does a good job playing a character struggling with her demons and a troubled past. It helps that you don’t know what her story is, what her motives are, and what led her to this. Admittedly, the title’s a bit of a misnomer in that while there are pigs, it’s not a killer pig movie. It’s more of a character study that explores mental illness if left unchecked, and how past traumas can affect us. The rest of the cast is serviceable if forgettable, although Jesse Vint and Jim Antonio stand out in their roles. Also, Charles Bernstein’s minimalist score adds to the tension, and his theme song gives a sense of despair. Overall, Pigs isn’t what you think it is, but it’s worth a watch.
Buy Pigs from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eJJOkC
