Von mörderischer Art

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.

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.

It took me about a year to hunt down this obscure little flick, but after finally getting my hands on it, I can honestly say it was well worth the efforts. THE KILLING KIND is more than a horror film. It's a stylish, thought-provoking psycho-thriller that explores the mind of a very disturbed individual. John Savage(very impressive in an early starring role) plays Terry Lambert, a young man who is forced to participate in the brutal gang rape of a pretty young girl(Sue Bernard), then is sent to prison. Two years later, Savage is released and returns to the boardinghouse run by his loving, but overprotective mother, Thelma(the wonderful Ann Sothern). At first, Terry seems completelely adjusted and ready to put his life back in order, but he slowly becomes a madman, desperate for revenge and becomes involved in the terrifying deaths of three people. It's then up to his mother to turn her son in or protect him from the consequences that he will suffer for his actions.

This is a spellbinding film that concentrates more on suspense and character development than supplying cheap thrills. THE KILLING KIND is definitely cult director Curtis Harrington's masterpiece, and the great cast does some of their finest work. The best performance is given by Ann Sothern who paints a touching portrait of a doting mother who is forced to confront the harsh realities of her son's true nature. At this stage in her career, Sothern was playing mostly character parts, but this is much more than a flashy character role. This particular role gives Sothern the opportunity to display a variety of emotions and she never misses a beat. Sothern is always excellent and certainly handles every role she plays with great style and skill, but this is truly the very best of her latter-day performances.

Story about an innocent boy, Terry, forced by friends to participate in a gang-rape. His pants were down, but he couldn't perform, especially after seeing that the girl seemed to be enjoying the whole thing, leaving a lasting impression in his mind. Making matters worse, he was sent to prison as the girl named him to be a participant, which was untrue. After his release, it was back to Momma's boarding house where he spent his time lounging around the pool, doing odds and ends for the neighbors and keeping Momma company. He was everything to his Momma and she was jealous of other women's advances, especially the new boarder, Laurie, who seemed to fancy Terry. In fact, Terry was desired by most of the lonely ladies around who deemed him misunderstood. But, it seemed that Terry developed an interest in death and gore. He also had a different idea about sex. He wanted to be tough and he wanted it to be rough - just like he envisioned it to be with the young girl who was raped by his friends. One by one, the local ladies were dying and even Momma had to help dispose of one of the bodies! Before long, Terry could not stop what he started and in the end, he got what he deserved.

John Savage was totally adorable in this movie and I think he carried off his character well. Also, look for Cindy Williams as Laurie. The only downside to this movie is that Terry's fascination with death and gore are not thoroughly explained. If we are to believe that one almost-rape makes a person obsessed with rough sex and killing - there seems to be more to it than we are shown. Still, I think it's one of Savage's better earlier performances.

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 ****