Willard ( Bruce Davison) is a 27 year old lonely, neurotic All-American boy. Mann paints the world with a colorful atmosphere, pacing it as a slow-burn daytime horror. Through Daniel Mann and Bing Crosby Productions, our ratman first graced the screen in 1971 with the newly christened name, Willard Stiles. The film adaptation was hatched three years later. Its success gained horror a reputability in the literary industry in the ’70s, which opened doors for Stephen King and James Herbert soon after. The first page kicks off with mystery: Gilbert explains that the original manuscript was provided anonymously by a shy, middle aged man (later revealed as Willard’s next of kin) who suggested these words be published. Stephen Gilbert’s Ratman’s Notebooks first piqued interest by presenting itself as a series of journal entries, even opting out of chapter breaks for an authentic feel. Despite the film’s influence, its legacy remains an underrated horror gem.īut before Willard was a film, it was a book… a diary, to be exact. It was a critical and box office success that inspired copycats Stanley (with rattlesnakes), and Kiss of the Tarantula (a woman with tarantulas), giving way to ’70s animal revenge films like Frogs, Killer Bees, Night of the Lepus and years later, Jaws. The original Willard celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2021. I wondered, “How do the Willard films stand the test of time?”

17 years later, I rediscovered the very same DVD amongst my collection. Intrigued by the premise of an outcast with a vengeful rat army, I purchased it on the spot and it was love at first viewing. As a teenager, I stumbled upon Willard by pawing through the discount DVD bin at Blockbuster.

Willard by Stephen Gilbert