Willard

Willard (1971) is Daniel Mann's cult horror film, and you can watch online on iFILM. It's the story of a quiet outcast whose only real friends are the rats living in his basement.

Willard Stiles is worn down on two fronts: a domineering, ailing mother at home, and a job where his late father's company is now run by Martin, a bullying boss played by Ernest Borgnine. His refuge is a pair of tame rats, Socrates and Ben, that he raised by hand and taught to obey. The colony keeps growing, the animals respond to his commands, and slowly Willard grasps the size of the army he's bred. When the cruelty around him goes too far, he answers in a way no one sees coming.

Bruce Davison plays the slow slide into madness with a perfectly judged restraint, and the use of real, trained rats does what no CGI ever could. The film was a sizeable box-office hit, spawned the sequel Ben and a 2003 remake — but the original is the one to see. If you like old-school horror that skips the jump scares and lets the dread build, this fits perfectly. Stream Willard (1971) online on iFILM.