Written in the aftermath of an acrimonious divorce, The Brood is a rare window into the director’s personal life. Psychiatrist Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed) develops a controversial therapy that helps patients let go of their fears through their bodies. His subjects develop hematomas and one of them, Nola (Samantha Eggar), starts to produce small, terrifying creatures. She remains trapped in this cycle of pregnancy and maternity while her ex-husband investigates the doctor’s suspicious methods.