Stone Cold Dead

This movie actually had some money behind it. It had name stars and could pay for the music rights to "Fire Down Below" by the Silver Bullet Band. It's too bad they didn't spend more money on scriptwriters, because the plot is truly muddled.

Richard Crenna plays a cop driven to clean up the city's drug and prostitution rackets, facing off against Paul Williams as the least intimidating pimp in the world. The movie is supposed to be about a sniper who is picking off prostitutes, but that character disappears for about 40 minutes of the film, shows up again briefly, and then disappears again until the climax.

The film goes for maximum gritty with ample violence and nudity, but they could have focused it into a more coherent plot.

The late 70s and early 80s single-handedly brought forward a unique sub-genre of exploitation cinema, namely that of the misogynic serial-killer on the prowl in the sleazy back alleys and red-light districts of big cities; - preferably in and around 42nd Street in New York. William Lustig's "Maniac" is the obvious example, of course, but there are also more obscure titles like "Delirium", "Bloodrage", "Night of the Juggler", or "The First Deadly Sin". They are also known, among cult fanatics at least, as North American gialli.

"Stone Cold Dead" perfectly fits into the list as well, what with its grisly plot of a sniper, active in sex district of Toronto and exclusively targeting prostitutes. The underrated Richard Crenna plays the fatigued but dedicated Police Sgt trying to stop the killer, and he has plenty of potential culprits to suspect.

The opening sequence, in which a showering call girl is shot death through her bathroom widow is really brute. In fact, all sequences involving the serial killer stalking, photographing, and cold-bloodedly gunning down the victims are very suspenseful. The only problem is this only happens four or five times throughout the movie, and everything else is quite dull and very derivative. Most of the film is just very dark and difficult to follow, and several of the red herring and sub plots are too extended and distracting, like all sequences with the bizarre pimp (played by Paul Williams of "Phantom of the Paradise") and the police corruption.

Finally, but worth mentioning for sure, the most misfit but memorable part of the film is Sgt. Boyd's ingenious method to feed his fish at home. Since he's almost never at home due to his demanding street job, he developed a way to feed his fish by dialing a private phone number that sets in motion a sort of Rube Goldberg machine. It's a pretty cool gimmick, I admit, but since there isn't the least bit of humor in the film otherwise, it feels somewhat improper.

It's a rare thing for a Canadian film to be released on the Blu-ray format, and it's even rarer when it's an older movie such as this one. If you do see this movie on the Blu-ray format (as I did), you will see that unlike a lot of other Canadian movies of its era, it's pretty well made on what wasn't a lavish budget. There is some genuine atmosphere here, coming from well chosen creepy locations, skillful lighting, and clever camera angles. The acting is also pretty good, not just with Crenna and Williams, but also by the unknowns in the cast. As a bonus, there is also some good music on display.

Unfortunately, despite these good ingredients, the movie stumbles enough in a key area that as a result it doesn't work. And that is with the script. The narrative of the movie is frequently at a muddle. The story seems to be starting at chapter two or three instead of right at the beginning. There is also frequently juggling between many characters and various plot threads, so sometimes there is a long time before one particular plot thread is returned to. Another problem with the story is that it's pretty easy to figure out who the "Sin Sniper" is long before the "surprise" reveal.

While this isn't a terrible movie, it's too muddled to be as effective as it wants to be. I would only recommend the movie to (very) forgiving people who are fans of grindhouse B movies from this era.

(1979) Stone Cold Dead THRILLER/ MYSTERY

Co-produced, written and directed by George Mendeluk adapting the novel "Sin Sniper" by Hugh Garner that has Sgt. Boyd (Richard Crenna) along with his partner, Sgt Tony Antonio (Chuck Shamata) on the case of the "Sin Sniper" who appear to target prostitutes. For the "Sin Sniper" would first take pictures of it's victims before it chooses to shoot at them. Sgt Boyd believes it's the pimp, Julie Kurtz (Paul Williams), at the same time converses with other prostitutes around the area, including hostess, Monica Page (Linda Sorensen) who has a well groomed daughter, Olivia (Alberta Watson) a photog student who is having an affair with her instructor, Teddy Mann (Frank Moore).

There is also another subplot that involves an undercover cop, Sandy MacAuley (Belinda Montgomery) stumbling upon a shady deal going on with Julie Kurtz and another cop, as well as on hostess, Monica Page. The term "stone cold dead" is the slang used to call victims of the Sin Sniper.

Richard Crenna and Paul Williams are excellent, a few supporting actors are also outstanding. The photography is occasionally too gimmicky, but is mostly good to exceptional. The music is great, even when it's not music I love it fits. It establishes a mood, time and place (It's Very, Very Toronto, not NYC or LA...) nicely. There's some lovely editing, lighting and the sound design and recording is vastly above par for the era, and pretty good for today's technology and sensibility.

A lot of it is filmed in real locations, and it's a lovely slice of 70's TO. Sets stick out like a sore thumb, and the occasional covering of a brand with gaffer tape is too obvious also. The snowstorm seems like a mistake as well they had to go with for budget/schedule, and there are a few radio VOs to explain things that are just very oddly/badly done. Some key supporting actors are just awful and similarly stick out, which is all too bad.

But most disappointingly, for much of the film there's no plot to speak of, and the story rambles for no good reason.

The serial killer plot is poorly done, unlikely, and while the ending is somewhat interestingly done, in the final analysis I think unnecessary and too clever by half. I feel instead that this film would have worked much better with Richard Crenna going after a single murder in the same awful place full of crime and the immorality that eats at him, and trying to pin it on Paul Williams much as he does already.