Mulberry St Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

Trailer

Director: Jim Mickle
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Zombie
Release year: 2006
Runtime (length): 1h 24min
IMDb rating: 5.5/10 (6.5K votes)
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%

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0.0 out of 5 stars (based on 0 reviews)

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Rats bite people, people turn into rat-people, and everyone living in a New York apartment building has a really, really bad day.

🍿 Mulberry St: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Introduction to Mulberry Street

The film introduces Clutch, a former boxer living in a rundown apartment building on Mulberry Street in Manhattan. He anxiously awaits the return of his daughter, Casey, a veteran returning from Iraq. The close-knit community includes Coco, a drag queen, Kay, a waitress, and her son Otto, along with elderly residents Frank and Charlie. The film establishes the building’s sense of community and the looming threat of urban development.

The Rat Infestation Begins

Reports of aggressive rat attacks surface across the city. Victims display bizarre symptoms, foreshadowing a deadly outbreak. As panic spreads, the city begins to shut down, and Clutch’s daughter Casey struggles to navigate the chaos and return home. The initial rat attacks are understated, building suspense and unease before the full extent of the threat is revealed.

The Outbreak

The rat bites trigger a horrifying transformation, turning victims into bloodthirsty rat-like creatures. The infection rapidly spreads, engulfing Manhattan in chaos. Clutch and the other tenants of Mulberry Street find themselves trapped and fighting for survival against the growing horde of mutated humans.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

If you plan to watch the movie first, watch here and come back to this section afterward.

See Spoilers and Ending

The Fight for Survival and Final Stand

As the night progresses, the remaining tenants of Mulberry Street fight desperately to protect themselves. The group faces intense and gruesome battles against the rat-creatures. Many residents die, and the apartment building becomes a desperate battlefield. The ending is bleak and uncompromising, reflecting the film’s grim tone.

Bleak Conclusion

With the sun rising, military forces arrive to quarantine Manhattan. The surviving tenants are rounded up, and Otto is taken away, leaving Kay distraught. Clutch comforts his daughter Casey as they look out at the city. The ending emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation, as the film concludes with a suggestion that more might be going wrong than simply a rat borne disease spreading.

🎬 Cast & Characters

Clutch (Nick Damici): A former boxer and the respected leader of his apartment building, trying to protect his community from the rat-creature outbreak.
Casey (Kim Blair): Clutch’s daughter, a Gulf War veteran returning home, battling her own scars while fighting for survival.
Coco (Ron Brice): Clutch’s flamboyant and supportive gay neighbor, adding humor and heart to the group’s survival.
Kay (Bo Corre): A single mother and waitress, who is a neighbor of Clutch and a strong woman fighting to protect her son.
Ross (Tim House): The building superintendent who struggles to maintain order as the rat infection spreads.
Frank (Larry Medich): An ailing, elderly World War II veteran and building tenant, struggling to survive the rat-creature outbreak while already battling illness.
Charlie (Larry Fleischman): A cranky and excitable tenant of the apartment building, trying to navigate the chaos of the rat-creature outbreak.

💬 Memorable Quotes

Clutch: “We gotta stick together.” – Clutch says this, emphasizing the importance of community as the rat-creature outbreak worsens.
Coco: “Well, ain’t this a fine how-do-you-do?” – Said by Coco when realizing the seriousness of the situation with rat-like zombies.

💰Box Office

Budget: $60,000
Domestic Gross: $97,182
Worldwide Gross: $97,182

💥 Mulberry St Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so ‘Mulberry Street’ isn’t going to win any Oscars, but it totally freaked me out! The idea of rat-people running wild in NYC? Nightmare fuel! I was genuinely scared for the characters, especially Clutch and his daughter. The shaky camera work made me feel like I was right there with them, trying to survive. That scene where they’re trapped in the apartment with the rat-things trying to get in? I nearly jumped out of my skin! It’s a low-budget flick, but it has heart and scares, and sometimes that’s all you need. I was on the edge of my seat, definitely a must-see!

Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of low-budget horror films”
- “Viewers interested in zombie-like or outbreak movies”
- “Those who enjoy gritty, realistic horror settings”
- “Fans of character driven stories within the horror genre”
Content warnings ⚠:
- “Graphic violence and gore”
- “Disturbing creature transformations”
- “Intense horror sequences”
- “Mature themes including social commentary and post-war trauma”

Professional Reviews

HorrorNews.net: “Mulberry Street is a gritty, low-budget horror that delivers genuine scares. The film’s strength lies in its well-developed characters and claustrophobic atmosphere, making the rat-creature attacks all the more disturbing. A must-see for horror fans looking for something different.
Fangoria: “Jim Mickle crafts a tense and unsettling vision of urban decay with Mulberry Street. The film’s effective use of practical effects and shaky-cam cinematography adds to the sense of chaos and dread. While the plot may be simple, the execution is top-notch, making it a standout in the creature-feature genre.
Ain’t It Cool News: “Mulberry Street is a surprisingly effective indie horror film that overcomes its low budget with strong performances and a compelling story. The film’s exploration of community and survival in the face of overwhelming odds resonates deeply, making it more than just another monster movie.

Audience Reactions

The realistic portrayal of New Yorkers as everyday heroes was refreshing and relatable.: Viewers appreciated the film’s gritty atmosphere, suspenseful pacing, and strong character development, setting it apart from typical zombie movies.

The ending really subverted expectations and made me think about urban decay and survival.: Critics praised the film’s ability to create a compelling narrative with limited resources, making it a standout in the low-budget horror genre.

Overall Consensus: A surprisingly effective low-budget horror film with strong characters, a gritty atmosphere, and genuine scares, making it a memorable and unsettling experience.

Awards

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🛠️ Behind the Scenes

“The cast was largely made up of friends and family of the filmmakers, contributing to the film’s low budget and DIY aesthetic.”
“Essential footage was shot in the crowded streets of Manhattan without official permission, adding a sense of realism and guerrilla filmmaking.”
“Jim Mickle and Nick Damici simultaneously used the opportunity to process a whole cargo-load of social and political criticism into the screenplay, particularly emphasizing the war in Iraq and the problematic housing accommodation in big cities.”

🖥️ How to Watch Mulberry St?

Mulberry Street is available for streaming on various platforms. Check Amazon Prime Video for rental or purchase options. It’s also often available for digital purchase or rental on Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Availability may vary depending on your region.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Mulberry St, you might like these similar films:

28 Days Later (2002): Shares the fast-paced, visceral horror of a city overrun by mutated humans and the struggle for survival.
Night of the Living Dead (1968): Classic siege horror where a group of people are trapped and must defend themselves against a horde of creatures.
REC (2007): Found-footage horror with a similar claustrophobic and frantic feel as people are trapped in a building during an outbreak.

🛒 Mulberry St Related Products

Rats: A Year with New York’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants: A captivating non-fiction book exploring the fascinating and sometimes terrifying world of New York City’s rat population. Provides an insightful look into the creatures that inspired ‘Mulberry Street’.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard: This game has claustrophobic and suspenseful first-person horror. It is a return to survival horror roots, offering a similar tense experience as being trapped in the movie’s apartment building.
Zombie Makeup Kit: This special kit allows you to create gruesome zombie or rat-person effects. The kit contains the makeup, tools and instructions necessary to make stunning effects.
After Dark Horrorfest: 8 Films to Die For Collection: A collection of eight horror films from the After Dark Horrorfest series, including ‘Mulberry Street’. Offers a binge-worthy experience for horror enthusiasts seeking a variety of scares and thrills.

🎧 Soundtrack

Mulberry St features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

What is Mulberry Street about?

Mulberry Street is a horror film about a deadly virus spread by rats in Manhattan, turning people into bloodthirsty rat-like creatures. A group of tenants on Mulberry Street must fight to survive the night as the city spirals out of control.

Where was Mulberry Street filmed?

Mulberry Street was filmed on location in New York City, adding to the film’s gritty and realistic atmosphere.

Is Mulberry Street a zombie movie?

While Mulberry Street features creatures that resemble zombies, they are technically mutated humans transformed by a rat-borne virus. The creatures exhibit cannibalistic and aggressive behavior similar to zombies.

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