By Melissa Antoinette Garza
“I’m your mother. You can’t hurt me.” – Lucy (Joan Collins)
I decided to go through the Netflix horror films to see if there was anything I haven’t seen. I came across this movie and under the website it’s listed as The Devil Within Her. Other places show the title I Don’t Want to Be Born or Sharon’s Baby. Sharon’s Baby makes the least sense as no one in the movie is named Sharon.
Prior to watching, I looked up a few reviews and all were relatively bad. It was called everything from a Rosermary’s Baby ripoff to an unintentionally hilarious bad movie. Ultimately, I disagreed on both counts. I actually thought that it was an original piece that though not horrifying was successful at creating atmosphere and suspense. Though slow in some areas, it had a solid plot and a fun premise.
I love Joan Collins. I’ve loved her since I was a little girl. She always had this unique ability to be both dignified and flashy. She portrays Lucy a new mother who undergoes a difficult birth only to have her baby commit unspeakable acts of horror.
Collins was perfect for the role. She encompassed both a seductress and a concerned mother. Without question she was a victim but her secretive ways also made her a bit of a villainess though she never lost the sympathy of the audience. I grew up on soap operas and I remember watching Collins on Dynasty and thinking, “I want to be her.” I loved that she wasn’t a blonde yet possessed so much attention. As a kid in the 80s, blondes were typically the stars that were idolized. As a brunette, it embittered me a bit. When I was around 8, I would always play with the Hawaiian Barbie Miko and have her beat the living hell out the blonde. I had a whole scenario I’d play out. Miko was dating Rio Pacheco (Jem & The Holograms fans should recognize the name). They would go to a dance and Miko would go to get something to drink and then catch Barbie trying to get with him. So, like any strong woman would do, Miko would pull the bitch’s hair and knock her out. Then, Miko and Rio would end up dancing and Barbie would stay laid out on the floor for the remaining of my playtime. Needless to say, I was a messed up kid that was raised on soap operas.
Anyways, Joan Collins was marvelous in the role. She’s a great actress and I only wish she was in more horror productions. Her performance in Tales From the Crypt was just as effective. She has such presence and this was certainly no exception. Her beauty is undeniable and she uses it to her advantage in every role while never simply becoming another pretty face.
In the film after Lucy (Collins) goes through the very rough birth, she makes notice that the baby is unusually large. Immediately upon holding the child, Lucy is scratched by this demon baby. Strange events continue to occur. For example, as Lucy is sitting downstairs having tea with a friend, a large bang comes from the baby’s room. They go to investigate and not only does the place look ransacked but a clown toy has its head ripped off.
Finally, Lucy admits that she had a curse placed upon her. Years ago, she was an exotic dancer at a night club. There, Hercules (George Claydon) an evil dwarf she worked with stood waiting for her. After her act, she offered him a drink and they both went into the dressing room. He had other things on his mind and began molesting her. He placed his hands on her breasts and held onto her tightly making it impossible for her to move. She screamed for help and her boyfriend/club owner ordered the little person out. This angered Hercules and he cursed her stating that she would have the devil’s baby that was as large as he was small. She didn’t pay much attention to the threat until she gave birth to the evil bastard.
It was a bit strange seeing Claydon as a rapist in this particular role as I immediately recognized him for his portrayal in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as an Oompa Loompa. I was hoping the other Oompa Loompas would show up and sing a song called “What do you get when you try to rape Joan Collins?” Alas, this did not happen. Instead, all it did was depress me as I went as an Oompa Loompa for Halloween one year. I expected more from Claydon.
In all honesty, Claydon had an awesome career. He was actually in The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. Who could ask for more than working with John, Paul, George and Ringo?
Sadly, Claydon died in 1993 but his performances certainly live on. He was a fantastic actor that brought so much to his roles. Though, he was typically cast as characters that were stereotypical in nature, his personality and talent shined through and brought life to something that would have otherwise just been forgettable supporting performances.
Another notable actor that had a smaller role is the late great Donald Pleasence. Any true horror fan should have Pleasence on the top of their list as icons of the genre. Best known for his role as Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween, Pleasence is an actor who can sell anything. One of the great tragedies of horror film history is that his final performance in the Halloween series, was butchered by the director Joe Chapelle because he found Pleasence “boring.” To put this in perspective, Chapelle, the director of Phantoms, in his infinite wisdom (note sarcasm) edited out crucial scenes of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers,because he, the director of Skulls II, thought that screen legend Donald Pleasence was ‘boring.’
Chapelle should never be allowed near movies again. He shouldn’t even be able to watch them never mind direct them. Pleasence has more charisma and more of the IT factor than any actor today. He had the ability to capture the audience’s attention with a word that if spoken by anyone else wouldn’t matter. If Chapelle couldn’t grasp the absolute brilliance of Pleasence, he needs a different career, or I’m sure he could find a job with Michael Bay’s production company – the place where acting doesn’t matter.
Thankfully, for fans of horror a bootleg of Halloween 6 with Pleasence’s scenes restored is available online or at horror conventions. It usually goes by Halloween 666, Halloween 6: The Producers Cut or Halloween 6: The Origin of Michael Myers. I’ve seen copies of all three and they are all identical. For those who haven’t seen the real version, it is a million times better than the theatrical and I highly recommend it.
As one can tell Donald Pleasence and the legacy he left behind means a lot to me. I still get chills when he utters, “I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply…evil.” (Halloween, 1978)
He was amazing in Alone in the Dark, The Monster Club, From Beyond the Grave…the list goes on and on. If Pleasence was part of the production, at the very least one knew they were getting great acting. Such is the case with The Devil Within Her He plays the doctor that at first believes nothing is wrong with the child. He looks into tests suspecting perhaps autism or epilepsy. When he sees how worried Lucy is he works hard to discover if she is just overreacting or if there is something seriously wrong.
Those who need gore to enjoy a film will not enjoy this production. Most is left to the imagination of the viewer. For me that’s always more unsettling. When we know that a death has occurred but little is shown, the mind creates what the eyes do not see. When done properly and when an atmosphere is present, the absence of gore is more disturbing than if dismembered corpses were used as visuals.
Admittedly, it isn’t a perfect movie. The pace hurts it quite a bit. Still, it was interesting to see a movie where the baby looks normal but is evil. It reminded me of The Children (1980).
In The Children, a bunch of kids go through a nuclear plant leak and become killing machines. Their fingernails which all turned black was the only clue that they were among the transformed. Like, The Devil Within Her, it too is slow moving, but it is still worth the watch. Though, The Children, has a more satisfying conclusion, I definitely suggest horror fans to check out this film. If for nothing else, the great selection of actors make it a must-see.
Scared Stiff Rating: 6.5/10
