Un amour assassin

There have been plenty of movies about evil children over the years, but Julie Darling distinguishes itself by being more perverse than most.

Isabelle Mejias plays cherubic teen Julie, who only has eyes for daddy (Anthony Franciosa), but isn't as innocent as she pretends to be. Her wicked streak is evident in the relish she takes in feeding live rats to her pet snake, her joy at shooting birds while hunting with her father, and the cruel pranks she plays on her long suffering mother Irene (Cindy Girling). Julie takes her callousness to a whole new level when delivery man Weston (Paul Hubbard) tries to rape her mother: even though she trains the sights of her gun on the man, Julie doesn't pull the trigger, her deliberate inaction resulting in the death of her mum, who hits her head on the stone floor during the struggle.

With her mum gone, Julie has dear daddy all to herself, or so she thinks: the girl is shocked to learn that her father has a mistress, Susan (sexy cult star Sybil Danning), and now, with his wife dead, he is free to marry her. Worse still, Susan has an irritating young son who is stealing daddy's attention. After Julie wakes to hear a noisy sex session between her pops and his sexy new spouse (during which it becomes very clear that the girl harbours incestuous desires for her father), she hatches a plot to get rid of her new stepmother.

Mejias (actually 21 at time of filming, but looking younger) puts in a commanding performance as the conniving minx, utterly convincing as a cold-hearted psychopath. Franciosa is less credible, especially when doting on stepson Dennis (Benjamin Schmoll), and Danning does what she does best: look sexy and remove her clothes (other gratuitous nudity comes courtesy of Girling, who takes a bubble bath, and Mejias, who is topless during her jaw-droppingly twisted Oedipal fantasy sex scene with Franciosa).

Director Paul Nicholas does a great job in keeping the suspense levels high, constantly surprising the viewer with Julie's lack of empathy: not only does the evil brat blackmail Weston into killing Susan ("And you can rape her all you want before you kill her"), but she also orchestrates the murder of her best friend Michelle. The brutal, bloody climax sees Susan beaten and thrown through a window, Weston stabbed in the crotch with a broken bottle (nasty!) before being blasted by Julie with a shotgun, and Susan proving that she wasn't lying when she said she would do anything to protect those she loves.

Isabelle Mejias, an under-recognized talent who deserved better material than she received during her brief acting tenure, performs strongly as Julie, a socially disunited young lady with a ravenous Electra complex. Julie harbors malicious and dangerous resentments toward anyone she feels is competing for her father's affections, or who might create a rift within her delusional fantasy world. Hapless potential-victims-to-be are her new step-brother and step-mom(Sybil Danning, upstaged once again by her extremely well-ventilated 36-C juggage). It's a minor B gem with a brisk pace, mounting suspense, and some pretty grim deaths...JULIE, DARLING was not a boxoffice success, and received a rather limited VHS release. This is a better quality picture than its relative obscurity might suggest, and ripe on the vine for rediscovery. 6/10

In JULIE DARLING, Harold and his wife, Irene (Anthony Franciosa and Cindy Girling), are in conflict over their daughter, Julie (Isabelle Mejias). Harold spoils her, while Irene seems to be the only one that's aware of the girl's bad behavior. For her part, Julie prefers her pet Boa constrictor over human company. Her interests include hunting and surgery.

When it's decided to send Julie away to boarding school, mum uses the opportunity to get rid of the snake. She soon dies tragically. Julie and dad mourn for about three seconds.

Enter Susan (Sybil Danning), dad's new wife. Julie hates her and the fact that she has a young son. We know this because she eyes the boy like an owl looks at a field mouse! Harold is, as always, limply oblivious.

When Julie spies on Harold and Susan in bed, things really get weird! Let's just say that Julie's a little too fond of dad!

This is a decent, though rather tiresome thriller, saving most of its twisted action for the gonzo finale (aka: the last 14 minutes). However, it's worth the wait!...

I was searching through lists of 80s horror/slasher movies because I am a big fan of that era's horror/slasher genre. Every now and then I like to watch those movies, especially one's that I've never seen. I found this and streamed it online and I thought it was pretty good.

Although lower budget, it is suspenseful and the little girl in it is pretty disturbed! It's almost a mix of a drama/horror/thriller movie all rolled into one. Acting is OK, especially the little girl's part. She is fairly convincing in her role as a spoiled, jealous, and downright evil kid. She seems to have a strong attachment to her father and doesn't like when others steal the attention away, let's just say! Some may find this movie dull and too low budget, but if you're a big 80s horror/slasher fan, I think you'll like it enough. It does have that made-for-TV feel a little, but it keeps you interested. It isn't necessarily the most believable plot, but how many movies are, right?! Interesting ending by the way, I think you'll like it. 6/10

Im a big fan of Sybil Danning,she ruled the eighties,a real tough but sexy woman from Austria,i saw this one from the suspense classics 50 movie collection.and i can tell you its a real nail biter of a movie. sort of like the Macaulay culken thriller the good son.but this little girl is much more disturbed and evil.not to mention slick and calculating.she has a pet python and even locks her stepbrother in a refrigerator that is kept outside.why is it outside?? who knows.this thriller also stars late great Italian actor;Anthony Franciosca as dear old dad.the film is Italian/American made and in the beginning it shows the new york skyline showing the world trade center.I'm not giving any spoilers but ill tell you.nobody messes with Sybil Danning. and if you wanna see a good well made suspense flick,then Julie darling is the ticket.7 out of 10.