Von mörderischer Art

Solidly well-done thriller is an effectively disturbing gem that stands out from the many drive in horror flicks of the early 70's.

After serving jail time for being accused of rape, a repressed young man returns home to his dominating mother where his desire for revenge may lead him down a murderous path.

The Killing Kind reminds me quite a bit of another relatively undiscovered gem - 1982's Night Warning, although The Killing Kind pre-dates that film by nearly 10 years. As with that film the power behind The Killing Kind lies in the sympathetic characters that drive this story. Not to mention that both films deal with the subject of unhealthy motherly obsession.

The Killing Kind though does stand firmly on it's own as a twisted character study. The story is a compelling brooder of insanity, the suspense is tightly woven, there's a good share of shocking scenes, and the performances of Sothern and Savage are excellent. Ultimately this film becomes quite the emotional roller-coaster, especially in it's somber conclusion.

Well worth seeking for those who like strong, character-driven thrillers. A shocking little rarity.

*** 1/2 out of ****

After WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN?, this is director Curtis Harrington's most effective thriller. The film opens with 19-year-old John Savage being forced by his friends to participate in the brutal gang rape of sexy beach girl Sue Bernard. Pic then jumps forward two years with Savage being released from prison and heading for the boardinghouse run by his dotty, doting mother(Ann Sothern). At first, Savage seems well enough adjusted, but naturally spending two years behind bars for a crime he unwillingly committed has made him bitter and confused, and pretty soon he becomes obsessed with the idea of revenge. After Savage becomes involved in three terrifying deaths, Sothern realizes that her son needs much more than a mother's love and determines that she must put an end to the madness herself, but does she have the strength to do what she feels has to be done?

This is a superior thriller, with terrific performances(Savage and Sothern are unforgettable), some darkly humorous moments, and plenty of genuine suspense. Unfortunately, the film is very difficult to locate but if you should come across it either on tape or on late-night TV, you won't want to miss it!

FUN FACTS: The film was to originally be titled "Are You a Good Boy?", a line that is used several times in the film. Co-star Ann Sothern wrote a song for the opening credits, but when the title was changed, the song was cut.

Ann Sothern and John Savage go for broke in The Killing Kind. They're so good in their roles that they make the script seem better than it really is. The story just meanders from scene to scene without much connecting them and, right when it's really starting to get interesting, it ends. Still, the characters and performances are strong enough to keep one interested throughout.

As sleazy and melodramatic as it all may sound, this is one of exploitation filmmaker Curtis Harrington's better flicks. John Savage(the closest thing we've ever come to another James Dean) is intense and believable every minute as the very disturbed young man, and Ann Sothern is also impressive in one of her more bizarre character parts as the boy's lonely mother who isn't all there herself. Ruth Roman plays Savage's "lousy lawyer", while Luana Anders(of DEMENTIA 13 fame) is the creepy, repressed librarian living next door who makes several unsuccessful attempts to seduce Savage. Cindy Williams, in her pre-LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY days, plays an attractive, but none-too-bright out-of-town girl who makes the dreaded mistake of renting a room in Savage and Sothern's home. It's all relatively low-key, and the finale is too dramatic for it's own good, but thankfully the movie never takes itself too seriously, and the cast, even the actors in the most minor roles, have a ball with it, making this flick a mini-classic of the early 1970's sex/murder/exploitation genre. The film was never released theatrically, but has had a fairly substantial audience thanks to home video.

Your other reviewers have described the outline of this twisted, disturbing film quite well. I would just like to recommend it to devotees of genteel "drawing room" murder a la Agatha Christie, or "Gothics" who think that there's something awesome or exhilarating about violent death.

One of the portrayed murders; (I won't say which, in deference to those who may want to see the movie) in addition to being graphic and disturbing; captures the initial surprise, fright, pain and ultimate helplessness felt by a murder victim, as I've never seen it done on film. Excellent medicine for anyone who thinks murder can be humorous or lighthearted. I always considered myself a battle scarred veteran of sick films, unphased by anything. Yet, this one really bothered me for a long time. Definitely not for children or the overly sensitive but made to order for anyone with a casual attitude about violence, or disposed to "forgive" murderers.