Casa do Pecado Mortal

Well... Mortal Sin opens with a pretty gruesome scene. Young chick comes home crying... runs up to her room, reads the bible, and we're off on the adventure. Then our star "Jenny" (Susan Penhaligon) meets up with her old school buddy (Norman Eshley) who is now a priest. Lots of talking, drinking tea, confessions in the church, and of course, eerie, creepy music. Anthony Sharp is Father Xavier, and plays a large part in our story. Some of the scenes don't really make sense, but I guess you have to buy into it. Next thing you know, her school, priest friend is now shacking up with Jenny. Holy guacamole, batman! Lots of odd things and nasty things. Not for the young 'uns. An entertaining viewing, but SO predictable. All of it.

Recommended on the Frank Dicaro show (XM radio), this is one of the campy horror flicks which didn't start out to be that way. Written, directed, and produced by Peter Walker, British director. Acc to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Walker_(director) , he had made films that fell under various categories in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, frequently using the same cast of characters.

The charming story of a priest.....who murders people! Meet Father Xavier Meldrum from the Church of the Sacred Heart. He uses religious means to bump off his enemies such as a poisoned wafer, incense burner and rosary beads. Splendid performance by Anthony Sharp (remember him as the government minister in A Clockwork Orange?) as the obsessed vicar and a good turn by Pete Walker regular Sheila Keith as a one eyed housekeeper. A well done musical score by Stanley Myers is also featured. Remember this movie the next time you go to confession!

This is another decent directing effort by Pete Walker with a captivating premise that is well executed and maintains a dark & macabre interest throughout (mostly), although the pacing does lag in a few places, but the brooding atmosphere & intriguing performances does enough to keep you interested until the chilling climax. The film's tone is relentlessly bleak and grim, yet the effective and really quite compelling, with some decent & chilling death scenes throughout.

The cast here are pretty-stellar with standout performances by Anthony Sharp as the demented and fantastic performance as the unhinged and repressed Father Meldrum with his layered performance that's well-written for his tortured character. Pete Walker's mainstay Shelia Keith also gives a standout performance as the overbearing housekeeper with a sinister presence. Norman Eshley & Stephanie Beacham adds some much-needed warmth with their blossoming relationship & both have decent chemistry together, despite the movie's overwhelming gloom. Then there's Susan Penhaligon who plays the troubled Jenny who becomes the object of the priest's obsession. She does a fine job, but could have been given more to do, as she's pretty much absent from the climax.

On the whole this a really cracking and tense horror/thriller with some cool Giallo elements that although the pace may drag a bit at times, its still worth a watch.

Disappointing Pete Walker film which flirts with a variety of good ideas but manages to fumble all of them.

Story has vulnerable young woman (Penhaligon) going to Confession, where she is harassed by the priest whose fatherly concerns have a sinister element. He turns out to be a crazed killer, stemming from his mother (yawn!!) who still lives with him in a semi-vegetable state.

Plot goes into a poor-mans 'Rosemary's Baby' scenario, Penhaligon unable to convince anyone of the truth, with the Priest above suspicion because of his position.

Film labours its point that religious restrictions have fashioned Father Meldrum into a killer, while the younger Priest who tries to help is too wet for the audience to respond to. All this leaves Stephanie Beacham as the best thing here. At least the film doesn't cop-out at the end, but by then we are past caring. A film students favourite, but more interesting to study than to watch.

Even though the majority of his movies haven't gone on to win vast acclaim or classic status, any fan of cinema would have to admit that British horror maestro Pete Walker is one of the most fascinating directors of the seventies. House of Mortal Sin follows the common Pete Walker theme of hypocrisy in an institution; and this time it's the church that gets lampooned. The film does feel like an all too obvious attempt to drum up some controversy, but it's all so well done that it's easy to ignore this fact and just enjoy the twisted imagination of Pete Walker and scriptwriter David McGillivray. Catholic priests are always above suspicion due their high moral ground in society, and so the idea that one of them could go off the rails and abuse his privileges is as intriguing as it is frightening. The story follows Father Xavier Meldrum; a priest who tapes the confessions of his parishioners and then uses them for blackmailing purposes! And he isn't content to stop there, as if the blackmail doesn't go to plan - he isn't morally above murder!

The film is a little overlong and slightly overindulgent at times; but Pete Walker paces the plot well, and although at least ten minutes could have been shaved from the movie; it never gets boring. Walker is great at creating atmosphere, and through ugly cinematography and downbeat locations, the director ensures that there is nothing pleasant about the movie. The murder scenes are graphic in a typically seventies fashion, although the talented director never lets the blood overtake the plot, and the murder scenes are an event within the movie; rather than the plot being tied around the gore. The film takes influence from a range of sources, including the slasher sub-genre (most notably Psycho), as well as the Italian Giallo (the black gloves towards the end being a particular highlight) and even Walker's own previous efforts. As usual, Walker pulls great performances out of his older actors. Anthony Sharp is suitably sinister in the lead role, and also manages to retain his edge of authority. Hilda Barry gives the film the right amount of horror as the mother, while Walker regular Sheila Keith rounds off the cast in a convincingly macabre role. On the whole; this may not be as great as House of Whipcord, but House of Mortal Sin is further proof that Pete Walker really knows how to make his audience think and comes recommended.