Raide mort

Within the dark wet streets of any city, there lurks the criminal thoughts of any of it's equally dark inhabitants. Some are good, others bad and still others are downright lethal and often lead to murder. This black 1970's murder, mystery was originally written by Hugh Garner and directed for the screen by George Mendeluk. It's the story of Decective Sgt Boyd (Richard Crenna) who despite his years of police service to the Dept. cannot fathom the endless violence which continues night after night. In this latest crime spree, there seems to be a night-time sniper who is killing ladies of the night or prostitutes for no apparent reason. In addition, there are suspicious characters like a local drug lord named Julius Kurtz (Paul Williams) who also has a stable of Whores and secret ties to the police. Personal involvements to several women in the stable makes the case difficult for Boyd as he is interested in helping them. The movie is slow to develop and the audience is thrown more than it needs when it comes to trying to pinpointing the killer. Still with Williams and Crenna playing off one another the film makes for interesting viewing. Recommended to mystery buffs and fans of both stars. ****

This movie actually had some money behind it. It had name stars and could pay for the music rights to "Fire Down Below" by the Silver Bullet Band. It's too bad they didn't spend more money on scriptwriters, because the plot is truly muddled.

Richard Crenna plays a cop driven to clean up the city's drug and prostitution rackets, facing off against Paul Williams as the least intimidating pimp in the world. The movie is supposed to be about a sniper who is picking off prostitutes, but that character disappears for about 40 minutes of the film, shows up again briefly, and then disappears again until the climax.

The film goes for maximum gritty with ample violence and nudity, but they could have focused it into a more coherent plot.

Richard Crenna is once again solid as a rock, playing a dedicated police sergeant named Boyd. Working the mean streets of Toronto, he has a distaste for the way the world has gone to seed. He also has a vendetta against slimy, diminutive pimp Julius Kurtz (an oddly, but amusingly cast Paul Williams), and would love nothing more than to pin SOMETHING on him. When a rooftop sniper begins methodically taking out hookers, it's up to Boyd to solve the case. Giving him assistance are veteran prostitute Monica Page (Linda Sorensen) and sassy undercover detective Sandy MacAuley (Belinda J. Montgomery).

"Stone Cold Dead" is based on the novel "The Sin Sniper" by Hugh Garner, and written for the screen by George Mendeluk, making his filmmaking debut. It's particularly interesting for a Canadian audience, to see the sleazier sights and sounds of late 70s Toronto. In general, it doesn't tell a *great* story, necessarily (some people will likely figure out the identity of the sniper ahead of time), but it *is* entertaining, offering a fair amount of grit. It combines elements of the Italian murder mysteries known as "Gialli", crime dramas, and exploitation cinema, and viewers will delight in the abundant nudity and sordid (ultimately sad) aspect to the tale being told. It's greatly enhanced by a fine score by under rated Canadian composer Paul Zaza. There are even some nice little touches here and there, such as the ice skating sequence, and Boyds' method of feeding his fish at scheduled times by phoning his own number.

Crenna is well matched against Williams, who gets to play his slimy role with a bit of nuance and humour. Sorensen is well cast as the potential love interest for Boyd, and Montgomery is a real ball of fire as the female cop. She even gets to belt out two numbers. There are various other familiar faces present to any veteran viewer of Canadian cinema: Chuck Shamata, Alberta Watson, Monique Mercure, Jennifer Dale, Frank Moore, George Touliatos. Legendary Canadian boxer George Chuvalo has a brief cameo; also look fast for a young Michael Ironside at around the 82 minute mark (he's not seen clearly, but that voice is unmistakable).

Trashy, and pretty violent, "Stone Cold Dead" is very fine entertainment for people eager to check out some Canuxploitation.

Seven out of 10.

(1979) Stone Cold Dead THRILLER/ MYSTERY

Co-produced, written and directed by George Mendeluk adapting the novel "Sin Sniper" by Hugh Garner that has Sgt. Boyd (Richard Crenna) along with his partner, Sgt Tony Antonio (Chuck Shamata) on the case of the "Sin Sniper" who appear to target prostitutes. For the "Sin Sniper" would first take pictures of it's victims before it chooses to shoot at them. Sgt Boyd believes it's the pimp, Julie Kurtz (Paul Williams), at the same time converses with other prostitutes around the area, including hostess, Monica Page (Linda Sorensen) who has a well groomed daughter, Olivia (Alberta Watson) a photog student who is having an affair with her instructor, Teddy Mann (Frank Moore).

There is also another subplot that involves an undercover cop, Sandy MacAuley (Belinda Montgomery) stumbling upon a shady deal going on with Julie Kurtz and another cop, as well as on hostess, Monica Page. The term "stone cold dead" is the slang used to call victims of the Sin Sniper.

First of all, I want to say that Paul Williams is an excellent, talented composer. He was a great behind-the-scenes professional in the late 20th century in television and film. I didn't even mind seeing his funny face on the Muppet Show. However, chubby late 70s flat-faced Paul playing an elegant, delusional pimp is almost laugh out loud funny.

There's literally a drawn out scene of a much younger and beautiful young woman being tossed out of his limo into the snow, before returning to perform explicit adult activities a la soft porn. If that wasn't bad enough, the melodramatic strains of Children of the Night playing in the background irresistibly pushed my hand to hit the stop button.