God Told Me To

I must have seen close to twenty movie written and/or directed by Larry Cohen ('Q', 'Black Caesar', 'Maniac Cop', 'It's Alive!', 'Best Seller', 'The Stuff', 'Uncle Sam',etc.etc.) and I have greatly enjoyed most of them, but 'God Told Me To' is without a doubt his best movie. It's an extraordinarily original picture, one of the best low budget horror movies of all time. Horror movie? Horror, mystery, science fiction, whatever you want to call it! Tony Lo Bianco plays a religious cop who is faced with a seemingly random series of murders committed by various people who, when asked why, simply say "God told me to". This is just the beginning of a very strange and fascinating story that will leave the viewer continually guessing! Lo Bianco was a last minute replacement for Robert Forster who was sacked after two days filming and a personality clash with Cohen. Lo Bianco gives a terrific performance, his best in my opinion after 'The Honeymoon Killers'. The movie features a strong supporting cast: Deborah Raffin, Sandy Dennis, screen veterans Sylvia Sidney and Sam Levene, plus cult favourite Richard Lynch ('Scarecrow', 'Open Season', 'The Ninth Configuration'), and even the movie debut of the enigmatic comedian Andy Kaufman. 'God Told Me To' is one of the 1970s most underrated horror/exploitation movies. Any fan of the genre must, I repeat MUST, see it!

Larry Cohen the New-York based director (Q-The Winged Serpent , Black Ceasar , Stuff) brings us this oddity. The title was changed to Demon after most television stations refused to run the trailer for the film. A deeply religious cop (Tony lo Bianco) is involved in the investigation of a series of seemingly unrelated sniper killings in the New York area. His investigations however only start when he tracks down a sniper and is given the answer "God Told Me Too" , thats about all I can say without ruining the film and giving away one of the most effective plot twists in years. Andy Kaufman (Latka in TAXI) turns up as a kill crazy policeman at a parade, with lots of other surprises along the way this little known gem is well worth the hunt if you can get a copy on video. And with we have the best of all excuses to watch it.."God Told Me Too"

God Told Me To (1976)

** (out of 4)

New York detective Peter Nicholas (Tony Lo Bianco) begins to investigate a strange string of mass homicides where the murderers claim that they are doing the crimes due to God telling them. Soon the detective learns of a woman who while still a virgin gave birth to a boy after an apparent alien abduction.

GOD TOLD ME TO is a low-budget thriller from writer-director Larry Cohen who is best remembered for the string of pictures he made in the 70s including IT'S ALIVE. This film here has some interesting ideas behind it but for the most part it doesn't completely work, although there's still enough interesting stuff here to make it worth watching.

I think one of the best things going for the film is the lead performance by Lo Bianco. The character actor certainly does a nice job in the role of the detective as he looks and sounds the part. He brings a certain authentic feel to the part. Deborah Raffin and Sandy Dennis are good as well and it was fun seeing Sylvia Sidney in her small role. Mike Kellin and that great voice are also on hand.

The direction is good throughout and there's no doubt that Cohen handles his screenplay just fine. I think the lack of any real suspense is the biggest deal-breaker for the picture as well as the fact that it runs out of gas around the fifty minute mark and it takes a while to finish. There's no question that the first half of the film is much more entertaining than the second.

You cannot hate a film that uses Plymouth satellite's as cop cars just something iconic about them. There are a few featured as well as the Dodge version Coronet as taxis. This film was an interesting blend of Cop movie, Sc fi, Religious questioning and Schlock. All the acting was decent especially Sylvia Sidney and officer Peter Nicholas. It plays out like a made for tv movie and contains an interesting twist mid way. Look for Andy Kaufman playing a police officer in the St Patrick's Day parade. This feature was on a horror disc that purchased, I wouldn't have called it a horror but it is an interesting film.

Very fine and spunky little movie that covers a lot of ground in a short time as it speeds along. Fourteen people die in the opening minutes as a sniper does what he is 'told' in his head. Some of the smaller parts are a bit wooden, but then they may be amateur or near amateur and Tony Lo Bianco is excellent in the difficult central role as first Police officer, then ex-cop investigating on his own and gradually discovering he too may be a son of God ready to go on a killing spree. We get everything from alien abduction and naked donors cast into the night to gory self stabbings. Cohen even has the audacity to show us his mutant Christ and get away with it. Unique, gutsy, on the run film making.