A voyeur with a twisted past spirals into obsession and menace in this 1968 grindhouse shocker.

THE ANIMAL

He made her an animal... now all he needed was a leash

1968 · 01:28:00 · R · Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A voyeuristic, psychotic obscene telephone caller becomes obsessed with an attractive single mother.

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Quick Answer

What is The Animal about?

The Animal is a 1968 American thriller directed by Lee Frost about a voyeuristic, psychotic obscene telephone caller who becomes obsessed with an attractive single mother.

Key Facts

Director: Lee Frost
Writer: Bob Cresse
Release: 1968
Runtime: 1h 28m
Genres: Thriller

The SassyFlix Take

If your taste leans toward the seedier side of 1960s exploitation, The Animal delivers a potent cocktail of voyeurism, LSD, and roughie thrills. Lee Frost directs a sleazy spiral into obsession and perversion, complete with telescopes, migraines, and a neighborhood that should have invested in better curtains.

From the Vault

From the days when a two-word title was enough to promise a bad trip.

Why Cult

Grindhouse Exploitation

A prime example of late-60s grindhouse cinema, packed with taboo-busting content from LSD trips to explicit nudity.

Voyeurism and Surveillance

The protagonist's obsession with watching his neighbors through a high-powered telescope amps up the film's creepy factor.

Depravity Spiral

Ted Andrews' descent from obscene phone calls to blackmail and worse is rooted in a backstory of mother issues, migraines, and loneliness.

Lesbian Sex & Belt Whipping

The Animal doesn't shy away from roughie staples—expect explicit encounters, belt whipping, and gender-bending scenes.

About This Film

This story is based on facts taken from authenticated newspaper files. What truly motivated Ted Andrews is not clearly known although a childhood filled with depression, hate for his mother, and a lonely adult life seeded with migraine headaches was a possible start. Through the use of his telephone and a high powered telescope he terrorized his neighborhood. He peered into the private lives of people who never dreamed he was watching and what he saw only heightened his desire for perversion. Finally he became obsessed with one woman, a woman of dignity and station, of wealth and security. His plan - step by step was to degrade her, to bring her down to his level of existence, and to make her an animal. He convinces her that he will kill her ten year old son if she doesn't cooperate with him. As a result she agrees to perform for him before his telescope. He later forces her to meet him at a motel where he completes his act of degradation. The ending is as shocking as the opening.

Film Details

Director Lee Frost

Writer Bob Cresse

Themes & Keywords

Female Nudity Murder Female Rear Nudity Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Rape Grindhouse Film Lesbian Sex Voyeurism Two Word Title Mother Son Relationship Blackmail Stalking Smoking Marijuana Animal In Title Loneliness

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Animal about? +

The Animal follows a voyeuristic and psychotic obscene telephone caller who becomes obsessed with an attractive single mother, blending themes of surveillance, perversion, and degradation.

When was The Animal released? +

The Animal was released in 1968.

Who directed The Animal? +

The Animal was directed by Lee Frost.

How long is The Animal? +

The Animal has a runtime of 88 minutes.

What genre is The Animal? +

The Animal is a thriller.

Where can I watch The Animal? +

You can watch The Animal on SassyFlix.