This drive-in B-movie classic has Tony Rivers (a young Michael Landon), a dysfunctional teenage student at Rockdale High, attending hypnotherapy sessions to cure him of his antisocial tendencies – although he is brilliant in his studies, he is moody, temperamental, hypersensitive and fights at the drop of a hat.
At the combined suggestion of his school principal (Louise Lewis) and kindly detective Sergeant Donovan (Barney Phillips) – who feels that unless Tony can learn to adjust he will inevitably be in trouble with the law – Tony consents to accept medical assistance from Dr Alfred Brandon (Whit Bissell), an analyst who has volunteered to work with police and school authorities to aid maladjusted students.
But instead of helping Tony, Dr Brandon uses him as the subject of an experiment in regression therapy. After a few sessions under the influence of hypnosis, diabolically implanted auto-suggestion and an injection of a secret drug, he succeeds in taking Tony back to a primitive, animal period in his evolution and sends him on a lycanthropic rampage.
He kills a friend in the woods, a girl in a gymnasium and finally his doctor before being rounded up and shot.
Tony Rivers
Michael Landon Arlene Logan
Yvonne Lime Dr Alfred Brandon
Whit Bissell Jimmy
Tony Marshall Theresa
Dawn Richard Detective Donovan
Barney Phillips Vic
Ken Miller Principal Ferguson
Louise Lewis Pearl
Cindy Robbins Frank
Michael Rougas Police Chief P.F. Baker
Robert Griffin Dr Hugo Wagner
Joseph Mell Charles Rivers
Malcolm Atterbury Doyle
Eddie Marr Pepe the Janitor
Vladimir Sokoloff Bill Logan
John Launer Officer Chris Stanley
Guy Williams Mrs Mary Logan
Dorothy Crehan
Director Gene Fowler Jr
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At the combined suggestion of his school principal (Louise Lewis) and kindly detective Sergeant Donovan (Barney Phillips) – who feels that unless Tony can learn to adjust he will inevitably be in trouble with the law – Tony consents to accept medical assistance from Dr Alfred Brandon (Whit Bissell), an analyst who has volunteered to work with police and school authorities to aid maladjusted students.
