Haunts

Haunts is perplexing and flawed, but still offbeat enough to maintain interest. Swedish May Britt gives a very good performance as a repressed, tormented, fanatically religious farm girl in a town plagued by a brutal sex murderer. Despite the potentially lurid subject matter, it's all handled with a very subtle approach (even in the uncut R-rated version). Well-cast (though Aldo Ray deserved better and Cameron Mitchell doesn't have much to do) and graced with a lush Pino Donaggio score and beautiful but unpolished photography, it has some standout moments; one unforgettable scene has Britt driving, with the scenic reflections in the windshield melding into a montage of flashbacks. What hurts it are too many routine passages, klutzy red herrings, a lack of momentum, and extraneous material. Sometimes it becomes quite frustrating, but patience is ultimately rewarded by a very original twist at the end. Most certainly not for everybody, but worth seeing if you're an art fan looking for a change of pace.

Trivia note: Copyrighted 1975, Haunts was shelved until 1976 when Intercontinental released it to theaters of confused moviegoers.

This film has only one downside for me and that is being very slow in spots, particularly towards the end. About 15 minutes of this flick could, honestly, have been sacrificed to the cutting room floor with no real loss. Other than that its really pretty good. Cameron Mitchell plays his part very well. Aldo ray does his job as sheriff and lends quality to a well developed character. William Gray Espy does very well in his role, and both Kendal Jackson and Susan Nohr deserve recognition. But the real star is, fittingly enough, the lead, May Britt. She does a wonderful job in portraying a very troubled woman with deep seated emotional problems. The part I liked the best? It was so easy to figure out, until I figured out that I was wrong. Three times in a row. And then? SURPRISE!

Ingrid (May Britt) lives on a farm with her uncle Carl (Cameron Mitchell), where she spends her days milking her goat and having flashbacks of her childhood traumas.

Meanwhile, a scissor-wielding maniac is busy mutilating women around town. There are several suspects for the sheriff (Aldo Ray) to consider, including Frankie (William Gray Espy), the Romeo who works at the butcher shop. There's also the stranger who just arrived in town. Old Uncle Carl seems a bit suspicious as well!

In addition, Ingrid herself seems to unravel as the story progresses. Was she really attacked by the scissor killer? Twice? And, what about her bloody hallucinations?

HAUNTS is an average thriller / chiller with above average aspirations. The characters are endearing in a Mayberry sort of way. Alas, a lot of what is meant to be mysterious and frightening comes off as half-baked and rather dull.

Still, it's enjoyable enough in a 1970's way...

Ingrid (May Britt, a long way from Sweden) lives on a small farm with her Uncle (Cameron Mitchell) in a small coastal California town. The town gets turned upside down when a small child is murdered and then a series of rapes take place. Ingrid suspects it is the work of local butcher Frankie (William Gray Espy) and tells the sheriff (Aldo Ray) her suspicions. Naturally, she soon becomes the attacker's latest prey. Chances are you will figure out this psychological horror flick before the film's revelation, but that doesn't deter from this interesting film by Herb Freed (GRADUATION DAY). Britt, the former Mrs. Sammy Davis, Jr., looks pretty rough but having her in this role is pretty clever casting for the stranger in a strange town. The film benefits from the small town location shooting, reminding me a bit of THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976). Perhaps the best element of the film is a wonderful score by Pino Donaggio. It really adds to the film's final haunting shot. It should be noted the end credits have a 1975 copyright date for both the film and the score.

This has a Bergmanesque spareness to it that is at times OK. The plot is terribly convoluted and confusing. I don't even know if we have closure at the end. Just what does it all mean? I remember May Britt being married to Sammy Davis, Jr. She of the Scandanavian roots and the freckles. In here she is a virgin queen. She is so frumpy and cold, it's hard to feel for her. Obviously, she deserves to live as she wishes, but she has been so traumatized that we can't get close to her. In repulsion, we can't take our eyes off the girl. When Britt leaves a scene, she is pretty forgettable. There is a pretty good give and take. Aldo Ray is pretty believable in his intense wishes to solve the case. He has feelings for this woman and wants to help her out. She, like so many in horror movies, feels she can be hysterical one moment and totally independent in the next. There are lots of layers and that's fun. I didn't move away from this movie. I have the same collection mentioned by other reviewers. If they had a psychological drama box, this might fit in nicely. Anyway, as a make my way through these B and C movies, I don't see them as a total waste of time. I had never seen May Britt act before. She had some talent, but it wasn't exposed here.