Plot: A scientist at a Florida university inadvertently creates a rage virus while performing experiments intended to restore dead brain tissue in baboons. When a journalist for the college paper breaks into the campus lab, he’s bitten by one of the infected baboons; the virus soon spreads to a trio of rapists and a valley girl, all of whom go on killing sprees.

KBZ’s Take: If the plot to this film sounds familiar, it’s because Primal Rage’s virus is exactly the same type of ‘rage’ virus featured in 28 Days Later (2002). Unfortunately, that’s where the similarities between the two films end.

While 28 Days Later would go on to become a classic film in multiple subgenres, Primal Rage is best remembered as a watchable, low budget Italian Splatter & Gore Film of the late 80’s.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3q2QX7D

Plot: After a new cannery introduces scientifically augmented salmon to a seaside town in the Pacific Northwest, a species of mysterious, mutated sea creatures begins killing the men and raping the women.

KBZ’s Take: The 80’s featured quite a few Eco-Horror Films, but Humanoids from the Deep was one of a few that featured genetic mutations. In this case its growth hormones fed to salmon that result in grotesque and horny sea monsters.

It’s mostly a forgotten film of the early 1980’s that veers into exploitation film territory but, it’s still a decent subgenre-themed horror film worth checking out – especially for the mutated creature designs and the festival scene where all hell breaks loose.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3KfYHtN

Plot: A nerdy teenage scientist discovers a formula for invisibility and uses it to take revenge on all those who have wronged him – and also to spy on the girls’ shower room.

KBZ’s Take: Genetic engineering comedies wouldn’t start appearing more frequently within the subgenre until the 1990’s. In the 1980’s, subgenre comedy was relegated to the Stoner Comedy & Sex Comedy spoof of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again (1982), the forgettable Steve Guttenberg Invisible Man comedy The Man Who Wasn’t There (1983) and this film.

Though we would also suggest checking out Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again, The Invisible Kid is more specific to subgenre themes and has some expectant, yet funny, comedy based on what a teenager would do if they could suddenly turn invisible. Though it’s PG-rated, it’s very similar in tone and style to Zapped! (1982), so if you enjoyed that film, you should definitely check out The Invisible Kid’s exploits.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://youtu.be/BQ5Vh19WO1M

Plot: A scientist is experimenting with teenagers and turning them into murderers.

KBZ’s Take: Not to be confused with the very similar and ‘inspired by’ Disturbing Behavior (1998), Strange Behavior (aka Dead Kids) was the original tale of nefarious genetic experiments to control unruly teenagers. Though the ‘teen mind control’ theme has been featured in countless teen movies over the years, many of those themes originated in this film and it’s interesting to see how they’ve evolved over the years from their origins in this film.

While the film also plays as a weak Slasher Film, it’s much more interesting when it deals with the group behind the experiments and their motivations. It’s a forgotten film of the 1980’s but one fans and completists of the subgenre should check out.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Q9dMBb

Plot: Martin Brundle, born of the human/fly, is adopted by his father’s place of employment (Bartok Inc.) while the employees simply wait for his mutant chromosomes to come out of their dormant state.

KBZ’s Take: We’ll be the first to admit that we didn’t really care for this film when it was first released. It didn’t measure up to its classic predecessor, The Fly (1986), and the film took a much different route by turning into a ‘monster revenge’ film in its third act.

However, after viewing it again recently, there are some positive merits to the film we overlooked the first time. Eric Stoltz is very good in the film as the son who slowly comes to terms with the time-bomb mutation ticking away in his body. We glossed over this the first time, but his performance provides an added dimension to Brundle’s son.

Second, though the film is slow during the first two acts, we didn’t mind it as much the second time around by focusing on Stoltz’s character. Admittedly, we knew what was to come in the third act, but the pacing and reveals aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be.

Overall, we would say give this film another shot even if it left a sour taste in your mouth upon initial viewing. And for those who haven’t seen any of The Fly films yet, we would start with the 1986 classic, then this film and then the 1958 classic.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44OcWOU

Plot: A scientist’s son (David Allen Brooks) inherits the slimy and deadly results of her misguided genetic experiments.

KBZ’s Take: For those of you looking for the best and grossest genetic mutations of the 1980’s, we present to you The Kindred. This is a film that barely has a plot, has almost no suspense and almost all of the budget seems to have gone against the creature designs and effects. But that is why we’re recommending it – for the creature designs alone.

This isn’t a film that will make a lot of sense, but specific to this subgenre, there are some wild genetic mutations and transformations. It’s also a film rooted in genetic manipulation gone wrong so should be an interesting watch for fans of the subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Kh2JlL

Plot: On the verge of a breakthrough in his quest to wipe out world hunger, altruistic botanist Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise) is placed under the protection of special government agent Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau). Mad outlaw scientist Anton Arcane (Louis Jourdan) wants to steal Holland’s research for his own nefarious ends, but an unforeseen accident during the heist turns Holland into the Swamp Thing, an enormous plant-like creature that fights back against Arcane’s henchmen to save Cable.

KBZ’s Take: In the early 1980’s, Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) were the only decent Superhero Films to watch. Apart from those two films, there were horrible versions of The Amazing Spider-Man (1977), Dr. Strange (1978) and Captain America (1979). When Swamp Thing was released, it was a breath of fresh air for the Superhero subgenre.

Directed by Wes Craven, the film was a darker Superhero tale based on genetic experiments and a resulting disaster. It’s achieved cult classic status over time with its weird combination of camp and horror. But for those of you who have not seen this yet, we would recommend the film if only for the third act which features a battle between genetic mutations.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3rMMsP5

Plot: Athlete Allan (Jason Beghe) becomes quadriplegic after a horrific traffic accident. His friend Geoffrey (John Pankow), who is conducting experiments with monkeys, offers Allan a well-trained monkey named Ella to keep him company and raise his spirits. But the initially healthy bond, which even enables Allan to form a romantic relationship with Melanie (Kate McNeil), gradually disintegrates once Ella begins to channel Allan’s underlying rage and takes it out on his loved ones.

KBZ’s Take: This is one of George A. Romero’s lesser-known films but it’s one of his best. On its surface, it’s a Slasher Film when the genetically altered monkey bonds with her wheelchair bound ‘master’ and acts on his rage. However, its underlying message is about animal cruelty and experimentation gone wrong.

It’s a very engaging and suspenseful thriller, especially once you get past the setup of the first two acts and highly recommended for fans of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Sci-Fi Biotechnology Films You Haven’t Seen #3, Top Animals Attack Films You Haven’t Seen #1

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3VnUxn6

Plot: On the planet Gandahar where peace reigns and poverty is unknown, this utopian lifestyle is upset by reports of people at the outlying frontiers being turned to stone. Sylvain is sent to investigate this mysterious threat.

KBZ’s Take: This animated French film from 1987 meshes together multiple sci-fi subgenres including Time Travel, Utopian Futures, Genetic Engineering and Robots for a very entertaining film.

The genetic engineering themes involve The Deformed which are genetic experiments gone wrong that are regulated to an area outside of the capital city of Jasper. There’s also another layer of genetic engineering we can’t get into as it would ruin a major portion of the film.

There film was also released in an English language dub called Light Years, but it seems to have faded into the annals of history. But we have provided a link below for the French version of the film and highly recommended this obscure film that’s one of the better films of the subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://archive.org/details/gandahar_202112

Plot: A research scientist uses sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic mixtures to ‘devolve’ into a primal state.

KBZ’s Take: This film was quite popular in the early 1980’s but has become forgotten over time. It’s still one of the best films of the Sci-Fi Biotechnology Film subgenre and has intriguing philosophical concepts that are debated in the film and still relevant today.

Though the film also has themes of Body Horror, it’s mostly about genetic engineering – but not in the way that’s shown by most films in the subgenre. It’s an interesting take on genetic code found in humans, how it has evolved and if past evolutionary code can be accessed.

As Ken Russell directed the film, weirdness abounds, and it is a mind trip during many of the hallucinatory states of Edward Jessup (William Hurt). With that said, it’s still a film primarily based on genetic engineering and one of the best films of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Body Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s #2, Top Sci-Fi Biotechnology Films You Haven’t Seen #2

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Y2T0F1