Sous l'emprise du démon

Like many I knew this film only from the review in Phil Hardy's "Encyclopedia of Horror Films." Based on that I expected a piece of totally exploitative trash that would prove highly offensive. Having now seen it, I ask "what film did he watch?" The Twisted Nerve I just watched is a surprisingly good, well made thriller that does not deserve it's critical drubbing or audience ignorance (It is also not a Splatter" movie as the review states). Back in the day it seems that it caused a firestorm of controversy in it's native England as many mistook Martin/Georgie's split personality for mental retardation. It is his brother, not Martin, that is mentally retarded and in no way a threat to anyone. Martin is in fact, a split personality. As Georgie, he is a very likable man/child, sweet and innocent. But as Martin, he's cold, calculating, and dangerously clever. I think this makes for a fascinating hero/villain and Hywell Bennet carries it off with extreme effectiveness. Hayley Mills and Billie Whitelaw are at their loveliest, and overall the cast does extremely well. Could be a tad overlong at nearly 2 hours, but the film never drags once. Forget what the critics say and it's controversial legacy. Give it a chance, you'll be rewarded.

Twisted Nerve is a rather well made film about a psychopathic young man who regresses to an infantile, rage filled personality when stressed or sexually atracted to another person. Released in the United States in 1968 by National General Pictures, the film was controversial for its suggested link between downs syndrome and psychopathology.

The film was a box office disapointment probally because it was marketed as an axe-killer psycho movie, which it is not. Although there are a few shocking scenes, this film is a character study of a person damaged by his herediary and his overly protective, seductive mother.

This film is nearly impossible to see if you didn't catch it in 1968. It was available from Thorn/Emi in Austraila, but I believe its OOP.

When I watched Twisted Nerve I wasn't aware of its controversial reputation and that it was quite a difficult film to get hold of. I was a little surprised to discover both those facts to be honest. The controversy that it caused in its day was due to the genetic theory put forward that siblings of Down's syndrome children are predisposed to criminal behaviour. The main character in the film suggesting that this theory to be true. I can see the offence that could cause but at the end of the day this is a thriller and not really to be taken very seriously. I have seen lots of murder-mystery's where the culprit is unmasked and their actions are explained by some ridiculous pseudo-science. And I think that is what needs to happen with Twisted Nerve – take it with a pinch of salt. As far as it being hard to get hold of and not seen by many – I have even noticed it appear on a public domain collection – that is even more surprising because this is a pretty solid thriller with a lot of good things about it. It doesn't exactly break the mould but it is still very good.

It centres on a young rich layabout called Martin who is molly-coddled by his mother but disliked by his step-father. The feeling is mutual though and Martin is forced to leave home but with murderous intent. He adopts the persona of Georgie – a boy with the mental age of a child – in order to dupe his way into the boarding house of a girl he is obsessed with and to enact his deadly scheme.

There's a pretty good cast in this one. Hywel Bennett is very good in the central role of Martin/Georgie. It's a character that requires a fair bit of range from cold psychopath to wide-eyed innocent. Bennett delivers the goods though and ensures that we believe in his character. Hayley Mills plays the girl he lusts after; she is good in the role and cute as a button. The cast is rounded out with a couple of strong performers. Billie Whitelaw is Mill's mother, who is a lost soul who takes in extra money by sleeping with the guests, one of which is played by Barry Foster, an obnoxious fellow not a million miles away from the character he would play in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy. In fact the film as a whole owes a fair bit to Hitchcock itself, especially Psycho but also the likes of Marnie. Its emphasis on the psychological but with moments of violence and suspense certainly puts it in the Hitchcockian ball-park. Another similarity is the Bernard Herrmann soundtrack. In this one he once again shows he has an ear for the eerie with the disquieting main whistling theme which is very distinctive indeed. It was unsurprisingly and tediously stolen by Quentin 'I've seen lots of films and I want you to know about it' Tarantino for Kill Bill Vol.1.

I guess you would have to classify Twisted Nerve as a cult movie. One that seems to operate under the radar and one that is well worth checking out if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

In 1960, two respected British directors debuted shocking psychosexual thrillers, to mixed critical and commercial receptions: Alfred Hitchcock with 'Psycho,' and Michael Powell with 'Peeping Tom.' Both films were shocking in their time, and their influence on low-budget 1960s horror can't be overstated. Roy Boulting's 'Twisted Nerve (1968)' is a typical Hitchcock rip-off, but of the serious, stylish Brian De Palma mould, rather than the schlocky comic-horror of William Castle. The film introduces us to Martin Durnley (Hywel Bennett), the younger brother of a man suffering from "mongolism," the condition now known as Down Syndrome. Though seemingly healthy a birth, it seems that young Martin has developed some psychopathic, psychosexual tendencies, inextricably linked to a chromosomal mismatch at conception. Martin pretends to be mentally-challenged in order to get into bed with the virginal Susan (Disney favourite Hayley Mills, later the director's much-younger wife), only to instead capture the attentions of Susan's lonely mother (Billie Whitelaw) – did I mention this film was rather twisted?

Though the film treats its absurd, gloriously un-PC narrative with the utmost seriousness, it is nevertheless startlingly effective at capturing the main character's psychoses. Bennett's performance is menacing and pathetic in equal degree, playing a sort of introverted Alex DeLarge, whose wicked intentions are always bubbling beneath an otherwise honest exterior. 'Twisted Nerve' also features a maddeningly catchy musical theme, memorably recycled in Tarantino's 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2004),' composed by Bernard Hermann, who by this time was estranged from Hitchcock on account of his rejected score for 'Torn Curtain (1967).' Nevertheless, it's clear that Alfred Hitchcock himself both saw and enjoyed 'Twisted Nerve,' as he cast both Barry Foster and Billie Whitelaw in his own back-to-basics British shocker 'Frenzy (1972).' Due to controversy surrounding its depiction of Down Syndrome, the film opens with a spoken announcement that attempts to shirk responsibility for its political incorrectness, but without much luck. I probably wouldn't have it any other way.

Martin/Georgie is a mommy obsessed psychopath with a mental age of an infant.Georgie dupes his way into beautiful Hayley Mills' residence and the sinister things begin to happen..."Twisted Nerve" is a psychological thriller strongly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho".The camera-work is outstanding as is the acting.There are only two murders shown in the film,so fans of horror will be disappointed.The soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann of "Psycho" fame is truly memorable as is the whistling theme later used by Tarantino in "Kill Bill Vol 1".The characters are well-written and there is strong emphasis on oedipal complex.8 out of 10.