The Killing Kind (1973) User Reviews

Very interesting picture from Curtis Harrington

[funkyfry · 7/10 · 9 February 2008]

I've been a fan of Curtis Harrington ever since I saw the remarkable "Night Tide" a few years ago on DVD. This movie, "the Killing Kind" just came out on DVD and hasn't been available in any format for a long time so I had never seen it. It turns out that this is just what you would have hoped for -- a nice but nasty little gem from the director's heyday, full of interesting performances and bizarre visuals.

The story is about a smothered son ("sometimes I feel like you're a giant pillow, pushing down on my face"), Terry (John Savage) who is sent to prison for rape at the beginning of the movie. His oppressive and ultra-tacky mother, who he calls by her first name Thelma (Ann Sothern) welcomes him home with just a bit too-open arms and an always ready glass of chocolate milk. But when the women who helped put him away (including his lawyer, played by Ruth Roman) begin to die off mama starts to suspect her little boy is more grown up than she thought....

Very good performances from the cast in general -- it's a staple of Harrington's style to combine surreal visuals with down-to-earth characters. Cindy Williams also appears in the film as a young lodger/would-be model, and she does a great job in her murder scene and playing the corpse. I don't know if there's an award out there for playing a good corpse but she deserves it. Ann Sothern pretty much blows everyone else away with her desperately needy mother figure, hiding behind sunglasses and a portable camera that she uses to chronicle her son's every moment (including showers!). I have only seen Savage in sort of stolid supporting roles but he was very good in this role. I thought the scene where he screamed and jumped in the pool was very effective, and interesting use of the still frame by Harrington. The whole movie is very cheap but it was done with so much style that it really comes off as a quality production.

Worth seeking out for those who missed it -- the DVD also includes a very interesting interview with the late director Harrington.

Are you a good boy? No mommy, I'm stark raving mad!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 8 February 2010]

If you talk about an attention-grabbing intro … "The Killing Kind" has one! The first sequences immediately depict a vicious group rape underneath a pier and, even though he refuses, the young Terry Lambert is literally forced to participate by his "friends". The scene is quite grim, uncomfortable and raunchy. Very exploitation like, as a matter a fact, which is quite interesting and surprising since I only know director Curtis Harrington from a handful of "soft" and "classy" horror movies like "Devil Dog" and the Shelley Winters double-feature "Whoever Slew Auntie Roo" and "What's the Matter with Helen?". Either way, it's a very remarkable film. Two years later, Terry is freed from prison and returns home to his beloved mommy. Terry and his mother Thelma have a bit of an unusual relationship, as they make fun of previous tenants that died of colony cancer and organize bizarre photo shoots by between the two of them the pool. Whilst mom is putting up more pictures of her son than necessary, Terry is growing into a despicable little pervert and psychopath. He makes sinister calls to the "slut" who got him sent to prison, nearly drowns the new tenant (who's an aspiring model) in the pool and scares elderly ladies to death by executing rats in front of them. But Terry is capable of committing crimes that are much viler as well. Like murder. Also, Terry's bad boy behavior catches the attention of his 35-year-old spinster neighbor, who's a bored librarian in desperate need of some sexual deviance. Too bad for her Terry prefers to be left alone in his sickly private universe of perverted thoughts. "The Killing Kind" is a very gritty and occasionally unpleasant film. It's very low-budget, but with a continuously foreboding and unnerving Grindhouse ambiance. None, and I really do mean NONE, of the characters in this film appear to be sane or normal. They are downright demented, on the contrary, like the neighbor with her rape fantasies and mommy photographing her son under the shower! Even the cute young model is messed up in her head for staying in that house after Terry nearly drowned her. The script is weird and incoherent, and there's actually not a real story to narrate at all, apart from the obvious 'Terry is a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off'. "The Killing Kind" reminded me of the British late 60's gem "Twisted Nerve", as both films deal with youthful psychopaths in an even crazier surrounding. Exactly like Martin Durnley in "Twisted Nerve", Terry is an unpredictable and petrifying character constantly altering his behavior between a dangerous delinquent and a handsome young lad with high intellectual capacities. This is surely one of the most strangely unsettling exploitation movies of the seventies I've ever seen, but it's definitely fascinating enough to keep you watch. Too bad that the disturbing climax leaves so many questions unanswered. My best attempt at summarizing "The Killing Kind" would be: a bad seed thriller with an adult protagonists and an incredible amount of perverted undertones. Ann Sothern and John Savage are very good and suitably creepy as the mother and son and, after this film, I'm deeply impressed by the versatility of director Curtis Harrington. Recommended, but perhaps only to avid, experienced and slightly deranged fellow cult fanatics.

Hauntign Psychodrama

[bettybenzone · 6/10 · 17 June 2019]

Ann Sothern and John Savage go for broke in The Killing Kind. They're so good in their roles that they make the script seem better than it really is. The story just meanders from scene to scene without much connecting them and, right when it's really starting to get interesting, it ends. Still, the characters and performances are strong enough to keep one interested throughout.

A real showcase for the inimitable Ann Sothern.

[chad478 · 24 February 2001]

It took me about a year to hunt down this obscure little flick, but after finally getting my hands on it, I can honestly say it was well worth the efforts. THE KILLING KIND is more than a horror film. It's a stylish, thought-provoking psycho-thriller that explores the mind of a very disturbed individual. John Savage(very impressive in an early starring role) plays Terry Lambert, a young man who is forced to participate in the brutal gang rape of a pretty young girl(Sue Bernard), then is sent to prison. Two years later, Savage is released and returns to the boardinghouse run by his loving, but overprotective mother, Thelma(the wonderful Ann Sothern). At first, Terry seems completelely adjusted and ready to put his life back in order, but he slowly becomes a madman, desperate for revenge and becomes involved in the terrifying deaths of three people. It's then up to his mother to turn her son in or protect him from the consequences that he will suffer for his actions.

This is a spellbinding film that concentrates more on suspense and character development than supplying cheap thrills. THE KILLING KIND is definitely cult director Curtis Harrington's masterpiece, and the great cast does some of their finest work. The best performance is given by Ann Sothern who paints a touching portrait of a doting mother who is forced to confront the harsh realities of her son's true nature. At this stage in her career, Sothern was playing mostly character parts, but this is much more than a flashy character role. This particular role gives Sothern the opportunity to display a variety of emotions and she never misses a beat. Sothern is always excellent and certainly handles every role she plays with great style and skill, but this is truly the very best of her latter-day performances.

A chilling thriller from director Curtis Harrington.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 27 June 2019]

The Killing Kind is an effective portrait of a young psycho, Terry Lambert, as played by John Savage. After two years in prison for a gang-rape he was forced to take part in, Terry returns home to the delight of his overprotective, doting mother Thelma (Ann Sothern). The young man quickly settles in, doing odd jobs around his mother's boarding house, but his true malevolent nature soon comes to light as he spies on pretty lodger Lori (Cindy Williams), kills his mother's cat, and takes revenge on those responsible for his incarceration: the girl who accused him of rape and the inept lawyer who failed to defend him.

Savage is suitably menacing as nut-job Terry, his murders utterly callous, but this is Sothern's movie, the actress putting in a wonderful performance, Thelma a strangely sympathetic character even if the terrible situation she finds herself in is of her own making: left to bring up Terry on her own, it is her loving but somewhat perverse relationship with her son that has created a monster - a manipulative young man who had way too many 'uncles' while growing up, has always had his own way (chocolate milk on tap), and who reacts to affection from the opposite sex with violence. Such is Thelma's devotion to her son, she even helps him to dispose of the body of one of his victims! In a touching final act, which sees the police called by repressed nosy neighbour Louise (Luana Anders), Thelma takes her own son's life rather than see him arrested once again.

Pictures of a Psychopath

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 20 December 2022]

Terry Lambert (John Savage) returns to the boarding house of his mother Thelma Lambert (Ann Sothern) after serving two years in prison since he was falsely accused by the teenage Tina Moore (Sue Bernard) of participation in her gang rape on the beach. His lawyer Rhea Benson (Ruth Roman) failed to prove that was forced by his mates to participate. Terry and Thelma have a weird relationship and Terry is indeed a psychopath. Soon he seeks revenge on Tina and throws her car off the road, killing her in the explosion. Then he kills Benson in an arson in her apartment. When his thirty-five-year-old neighbor Louise Elmore (Luana Anders) shows sexual desire on him, he threatens and offends her. But when Thelma's tenant Lori Davis (Cindy Williams) feels attraction for him, Terry also kills the young woman in her room. Now Thelma sees how danger her beloved son is.

"The Killing Kind" is a strange thriller with the story of a young psychopath. The performance of John Savage is outstanding and his relationship with his mother very weird. The unexpected conclusion fits well to the story. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Raça Maldita" ("Damned Race")

Only Here

[whitesheik · 4/10 · 21 November 2007]

It doesn't matter what the film, invariably you will find "reviewers" who think it's a masterpiece. The Killing Kind is not a masterpiece - it's an acceptable low budget film from Curtis Harrington is what it is. The folks saying "This is Curtis's masterpiece" have read too much Andrew Sarris. IF Curtis has a masterpiece, which I don't think he does, I think it would have to go to Games or Night Tide - those are slightly better. Curtis (rest his soul) had talent and it's a shame he didn't get to direct some films more worthy of that talent. The Killing Kind is interesting for the performance of Ann Sothern. Cindy Williams is wonderful in her small role. And Luana is always wonderful. But the film (now out on an official DVD in its proper ratio) just looks too low budget to be stylish - lots of that early 70s diffusion which blows out the whites and makes everything else look like a pile of grain. Furthermore, the amount of misinformation on the IMDb is appalling - these people come and "review" these movies and just spout off things like "this film never received a theatrical release." Well, sorry, it did. I saw it. In a theater. The day it opened. In Los Angeles. At the Beverly Hills Canon Theater. With five other people. The release may have been limited (obviously the film was a total bomb, business-wise), but it had a release. Worth a look for Miss Sothern and Miss Williams. Mr. Savage is Mr. Savage and I have never met a Savage performance that I've liked.

One of the most disturbing portrayals of homicide ever filmed.

[guanche · 8/10 · 19 March 2002]

Your other reviewers have described the outline of this twisted, disturbing film quite well. I would just like to recommend it to devotees of genteel "drawing room" murder a la Agatha Christie, or "Gothics" who think that there's something awesome or exhilarating about violent death.

One of the portrayed murders; (I won't say which, in deference to those who may want to see the movie) in addition to being graphic and disturbing; captures the initial surprise, fright, pain and ultimate helplessness felt by a murder victim, as I've never seen it done on film. Excellent medicine for anyone who thinks murder can be humorous or lighthearted. I always considered myself a battle scarred veteran of sick films, unphased by anything. Yet, this one really bothered me for a long time. Definitely not for children or the overly sensitive but made to order for anyone with a casual attitude about violence, or disposed to "forgive" murderers.

Not bad for a stinker

[ftm68_99 · 6/10 · 7 April 2002]

If I had to choose a movie that exemplified how *not* to make one, this one would head the list. And yet, I found it oddly compelling. Or, at least, I did not feel I had been robbed of my time and movie-watching efforts at the end of it. Credit Miss Ann Southern and Mr. John Savage for that, I think.

Ugly, derivative frenzy amongst low-life personalities...

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 13 November 2009]

Angry, deranged kid is paroled after serving two years in prison for taking part in a gang-rape; he returns home to his mother's boarding house in a cheaper section of Los Angeles but, with no plans (and no prodding from his gimme-a-little-kiss mommy), he goes after the women who did him wrong. Grimy, ineffectual Curtis Harrington-directed shocker, with a lame-duck screenplay credited to Tony Crechales and co-producer George Edwards. The plot cobbles together various ideas and scenes from a myriad of other thrillers (with a failed overlay of Hitchcock, besides), and the stray cruelty and general bad taste are often excruciating to wade through. Veteran actress Ann Sothern and the newcomers in the cast can possibly be forgiven, but what was Harrington's excuse? After jump-starting his career behind the camera with interesting curios, Harrington got stuck in a kind of post-"Baby Jane" rut, concentrating primarily on stories of delusional bottom-feeders operating on little money or brains; his sense of squalid atmospherics are far stronger than his talent in handling actors. A young John Savage is blobby and unformed in the leading role, while his character goes after female acquaintances without a provocative plan--he just seems restless and trapped by mama. Harrington must have known this script was a loser, injecting arty accouterments into the stew (slow-motion takes, flashback edits, and a really silly dream sequence). It doesn't work at all, and the movie failed to find the proper distribution after Universal passed. *1/2 from ****

An emotionally charged psychopath study

[Nightman85 · 9/10 · 16 September 2007]

Solidly well-done thriller is an effectively disturbing gem that stands out from the many drive in horror flicks of the early 70's.

After serving jail time for being accused of rape, a repressed young man returns home to his dominating mother where his desire for revenge may lead him down a murderous path.

The Killing Kind reminds me quite a bit of another relatively undiscovered gem - 1982's Night Warning, although The Killing Kind pre-dates that film by nearly 10 years. As with that film the power behind The Killing Kind lies in the sympathetic characters that drive this story. Not to mention that both films deal with the subject of unhealthy motherly obsession.

The Killing Kind though does stand firmly on it's own as a twisted character study. The story is a compelling brooder of insanity, the suspense is tightly woven, there's a good share of shocking scenes, and the performances of Sothern and Savage are excellent. Ultimately this film becomes quite the emotional roller-coaster, especially in it's somber conclusion.

Well worth seeking for those who like strong, character-driven thrillers. A shocking little rarity.

*** 1/2 out of ****

What?

[The_Core · 3/10 · 24 May 2006]

The people giving this film high ratings have got to be nuts. Very poorly paced, amateurishly directed (almost to the point of "home video camera" amateur) and mediocre acting makes this a film to strenuously avoid at all costs.

Indeed, there are some "twisted" scenes in this film but nothing that could't be done by walking out in nature with a video camera and randomly killing wildlife. The mother figure had absolutely nothing in her on-screen persona to suggest something that would drive someone crazy, and the actual "madness" displayed by the crazy guy was utterly ridiculous. Also, cyanide does *not* gently put a person to sleep.

The pacing was so slow and boring that I caught myself checking the time on the DVD player repeatedly, wishing it would end for god's sake. Almost praying that it would end. I came very close to just turning it off, but it was barely interesting enough in a "just to see what happens" sort of way.

Avoid this film, do yourself a favor -- get outside and get some fresh air, do *anything* but watch this movie.

Momma's Boy Confused About Love

[jess-12 · 3 February 2000]

Story about an innocent boy, Terry, forced by friends to participate in a gang-rape. His pants were down, but he couldn't perform, especially after seeing that the girl seemed to be enjoying the whole thing, leaving a lasting impression in his mind. Making matters worse, he was sent to prison as the girl named him to be a participant, which was untrue. After his release, it was back to Momma's boarding house where he spent his time lounging around the pool, doing odds and ends for the neighbors and keeping Momma company. He was everything to his Momma and she was jealous of other women's advances, especially the new boarder, Laurie, who seemed to fancy Terry. In fact, Terry was desired by most of the lonely ladies around who deemed him misunderstood. But, it seemed that Terry developed an interest in death and gore. He also had a different idea about sex. He wanted to be tough and he wanted it to be rough - just like he envisioned it to be with the young girl who was raped by his friends. One by one, the local ladies were dying and even Momma had to help dispose of one of the bodies! Before long, Terry could not stop what he started and in the end, he got what he deserved.

John Savage was totally adorable in this movie and I think he carried off his character well. Also, look for Cindy Williams as Laurie. The only downside to this movie is that Terry's fascination with death and gore are not thoroughly explained. If we are to believe that one almost-rape makes a person obsessed with rough sex and killing - there seems to be more to it than we are shown. Still, I think it's one of Savage's better earlier performances.

Momma's boy to the end

[manicgecko · 5/10 · 29 October 2005]

I'm kind of neutral on this one. Savage and Sothern have some pretty freaky chemistry going on throughout this movie. I spent the entire movie wanting to laugh, but had that Norman Bates feeling running up and down my spine. You honestly didn't know who to feel sorry for the entire movie -- including the audience. The downside - I expected more chemistry between the killer and the victims. As psychologically intense as the mother-son relationship was, the killer-victim stints left me dry. Technical merit I am going to leave out - I watched a low budget copy of a DVD with horrible sound and picture quality (It CAN'T be the original film quality I won't believe it!) For a psychological case study I give it a B, for a movie to kill an hour or 2 with C-.

A savage storm in a great seventies chiller thriller

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 8/10 · 29 November 2012]

John Savage is the acting force driving this film. Just getting out of prison for rape, or forced rape, when you see the film in it's opening, Terry (Savage) turns up at his favorite aunts, unannounced. Aunt Thelma takes him under his wing, not forgetting how much he likes chocolate milk, (a favorite of mine too). After a nap, she fixes him a ripper meal of a cake which he downs hungrily. Every things hunky dory. But deep down in Terry's mind is a penchant for revenge. A few of the tenants die, plus a cat, at his violent hand, including a wannabe model (Cindy Williams before her Laverne and Shirley days) who Thelma doesn't consider to be attractive or like. Williams takes the compliment politely. After all, she just wanted a room. One scene has Savage, an acting great, in a truly believable performance, practically tearing off her clothes in the pool, although she was asking for it, a little, I guess. Another has him masturbating, after making a obscene phone call to a slutty girl, shacked up with another fella, the same girl he was forced to rape, years earlier, using some funny and effectively scary dialogue on her. Budding guitarist Savage is, as Williams is a model, (though Savage's character is more the quiet achiever) in one explosive scene he goes ballistic, flying out a door and diving into a pool, to cool himself, after Thelma rabbles with old memories. The following scene at the dry cleaners with another regular, who's really a babbling type is an amusing touch. Savage's psychotic moments where he loses it are frighteningly real, like when forcing his crappy woman lawyer to drink herself dry before he burns her place down with her in it. Another scene, like the pool one just mentioned, that stays with me, is when he runs this girl (no prizes for guessing who I'm talking about here) off a cliff, in his car, plummeting to her death below. Void of any remorse, he actually cracks up, making a cooky, laugh, that's quite chilling. This is a well formulated drama, the kind that made early seventies cinema good, with strong support from it's co stars, Savage walking away with honors here. It has a sad dramatic conclusion that just goes to prove, some people in this world just don't have a fighting chance. I've seen this seventy type horror film a few times, the first on the t.v, mainly because of Savage, an actor I love.

Intriguing

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 18 January 2022]

Terry (John Savage, The Deer Hunter) was forced to participate in a gang assault and served two years in prison, losing his sanity. His mother Thelma (Ann Sothern, so many roles, but also the titular voice of My Mother the Car) runs a boarding house for old women who all gossip about the strange nature of their relationship; if you didn't know the truth, you would think they were a married couple, not a son and his mother.

Thelma wishes that the victim of the assault, Tina (Sue Bernard, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!) was dead. So Terry runs her off the road. He hears how his attorney Rhea Benson (Ruth Roman, whose slate of movies in the early 70s was absolutely wild between this, The Baby and Impulse) didn't protect him enough, so he kills her too. He even kills new tenant Lori (Cindy Williams, who was commuting between the set of this film and The Conversation) and they move the body out in full view of their suspicious neighbor Lori (Luana Anders, Night Tide).

Speaking of that librarian next door, that same character shows up in 1980s The Attic, which was also written by Tony Crechales and George Edwards.

Also, to those that worry about cat murder, yes - a cat does die in this. It was a real cat in that scene, but it was sedated by a vet. The one in the dumpster is an actual euthanized cat, but it was not killed for this production.

Sadly, this movie had poor distribution and was lost for a few years. How exciting is it that we live in a world where films get found and we can find them ourselves so easily?

Relentless tale of loneliness and murderous desire

[Esther_7 · 10/10 · 29 October 2007]

Love it, love it, love it. This genuinely compelling tale is an unsung classic of horror & exploitation cinema, and one of Harrington's finest films. It has recently (Fall 2007) been released on DVD for the first time, barring one poor quality cheapie version referenced in another review here. Very exciting to see a decent quality print of it for the first time. The tone of The Killing Kind seems really unusual to a modern viewer because it is slow, quiet, and meditative - not what we have come to expect from a horror film. The story centers on a desperately lonely single mother (Thelma) with inappropriate feelings for her son (Terry), who for his part is tormented by his own thwarted desires and the aggression of the women around him. Southern and Savage give powerful performances and the dynamic between them is intense. Harrington said that Southern tried to upstage the other actors, but was herself intimidated by Savage. Their tension adds to the believability of their twisted relationship. Luana Anders is fantastic as the clinically depressed, sexually frustrated spinster next door. Ruth Roman, with her caftan and 3-packs day voice, is also perfect casting. Special props to Marjorie Eaton as Mrs. Orland.

This man is Psycho!

[GOWBTW · 5/10 · 1 September 2015]

Ever seen anyone get out of prison, and when he/she get out, that person is not the same? That's what happens to Terry(John Savage) in "The Killing Kind". Terry spent 2 years in prison for being a participant in a gang rape of Tina(Susan Bernard, "Faster Pussycat, Kill,Kill). She did however, lead Terry on. I think the rape was indeed staged by her and company. Evidently, she lied about how it went. Terry's mother(Ann Sothern) wanted her dead. Behind her back, Terry gets into his mother's car one night, and runs her off the road. The second person he kills next is the lawyer who gave him a bad deal. He goes to her house, get her drunk, and set her house on fire, with her in it! Terry goes too far when he sets his sights on Lori (Cindy Williams), the new boarder. The mother feels bad on what she does, as the old saying goes, "A mother's love goes only so far." "Psycho" deals with mother issues, "The Killing Kind" deals with the son's issues after prison. Prison should change people for the better. Instead, it brings the worst out of him. He would have been better if he wasn't such a "mama's boy", he would have lived a lot longer. 2 out of 5 stars

Twisted Oedipal Psychodrama

[Esther-6 · 10/10 · 28 April 1999]

This is my favorite schlocky-but-brilliant horror film. John Savage is a boy-toy pawn in nature's perpetual game of sexual desire, repression, and loss of control--with murderous results. Ann Sothern is a sympathetic fright as his voraciously lonely and controlling mother. Luana Anders completes this trio of horny misfits in her standout performance as a boozy neighbor who happens to be drowning in a little Oedipal drama of her own. Cindy "Shirley Feeney" Williams is shrill and vacant, but enjoyable, in what might be the dumbest female film role of all time. Ruth Roman provides an added touch as a she-man attorney. Factor in a big, spooky house, numerous felines, and a hilariously misanthropic bacon-waving scene, and this picture wins, big time.

A perverse, yet strong and startling psychological horror sleeper

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 25 December 2011]

Troubled and unstable Oedipal wreck sex offender Terry Lambert (an excellent and convincing performance by John Savage in an early lead role) gets released from prison after serving a two year sentence for gang rape he was forced to participate in and returns to the gloomy boarding house run by his doting and desperately lonely overbearing mother Thelma (superbly played with moving restraint and subtlety by Ann Southern). Terry develops an unhealthy fixation on comely, but naive aspiring model new boarder Lori Davis (a fine portrayal by Cindy Williams) and plots revenge on the folks responsible for sending him to jail. Director Curtis Harrington, working from a grimly compelling script by George Edwards and Tony Crechales, delivers an arrestingly stark, sad, and deeply creepy portrait of everyday madness, despair, denial, and the darker side of smothering motherhood that inevitably begets insanity and tragedy while doing his trademark expert job of creating and sustaining a bleak and seamy atmosphere that proves to be quite potent, intriguing, and ultimately heartbreaking as the depressing narrative unfolds towards a shattering bummer conclusion. Moreover, the uncomfortably incestuous and suffocating relationship between Terry and Thelma, a severely deviant and twisted sexuality, a few shocking moments of sudden brutal violence, and a dryly amusing sense of black humor further add to this picture's supremely unsettling edge. Savage and especially Southern do sterling work in their parts, with sturdy support from Luana Anders as snoopy and repressed librarian neighbor Louise, Ruth Roman as successful lawyer Rhea Benson, Sue Bernard as trampy rape victim Tina Moore, Marjorie Eaten as the doddery Mrs. Orland, and Peter Brocco as Louise's domineering crippled father. Mario Tosi's stylish cinematography makes neat occasional use of artful dissolves, slow motion, and freeze frames. Andrew Belling's haunting melancholy score does the moody trick. Highly recommended viewing for fans of Harrington's often offbeat and impressive work.

Ann Sothern and John Savage an atypical mother and son

[kevinolzak · 8/10 · 27 September 2022]

1973's "The Killing Kind" just about killed off the theatrical career of director Curtis Harrington with its spotty distribution, almost entirely confined to television for more cult projects like "The Cat Creature" or "The Dead Don't Die." The original script by Tony Crechales may have sprung from his exploitation roots with "Blood Mania" and "Point of Terror," rewrites done by regular Harrington producer George Edwards to ensure a more polished set of characters brought to life by a superb cast of veterans and newcomers (starting life under the title "Are You a Good Boy Now?"). This deliberately paced thriller builds tension around John Savage's central performance as budding psychotic Terry Lambert, just released from prison after a two year stretch for rape in which he was most reluctant and indeed impotent, back home with doting mother Thelma (Ann Sothern), reduced to running their huge home as a hotel with elderly ladies as boarders. Thelma immediately courts trouble by allowing aspiring model Lori Davis (Cindy Williams) to rent her last room, a sweet temptress for confused Terry and his penchant for voyeurism. Also watching from nearby is mousy dipsomaniac Louise Elmore (Luana Anders), a put upon librarian taking care of an elderly father (Peter Brocco) while fantasizing about the boy next door, often seen strumming his guitar yet never breaking out in song. Innocent flirtations around the swimming pool swiftly transform into a near drowning for poor Lori, and Louise sharing her frustrated rape fantasies also drive Terry to distraction. He first strangles his mother's most cherished feline rather than allow its meowing to reveal him prowling outside Lori's window, then he stuns a tenant by demonstrating a mouse trap on a doomed rat. The dam finally bursts as he stalks the girl who accused him of rape, running her off the road with glee, next forcing a bottle of cheap wine down the throat of his useless attorney (Ruth Roman) so that she hasn't the fight to prevent her home going up in flames. His mother is aware of his actions but accepts his denials of wrongdoing, continues taking snapshots of her boy (even nude in the shower), and insists that he kiss her on the lips (he only calls her by her first name though, to her chagrin). This is an expertly conceived analysis of the Oedipus complex, made all the more effective by nuanced acting, Ann Sothern cast against type yet undeniably a loving, if suffocating, maternal figure, John Savage literally a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time. Those who remember Cindy Williams from LAVERNE & SHIRLEY may well rejoice at her attractive, down to earth turn here, the girl next door whose naivete results in tragedy. Speaking of girls next door, Luana Anders was no stranger to director Harrington since she played the sweet ingenue in his 1961 "Night Tide," a decidedly creepy yet undeniably sexy spinster eager for a genuine sexual tryst; apparently, the writers had more to say about Louise because a follow up emerged in 1980, "The Attic," casting Carrie Snodgress as the librarian and none other than Ray Milland her tyrannical, wheelchair-bound father.

Low-budget, but interesting serial-killer study.

[Poseidon-3 · 29 March 2004]

Among the thousands of thriller/horror films swimming around out there, this one is virtually forgotten (though it is newly available- in a terrible print- on a low-priced DVD, paired with "The Sadist".) It's a shame because the cast is made up of a very remarkable collection of actors and the film has value as a psychological observation. Savage has just returned home after spending two years in jail for his (unwilling) part in a gang rape. His hilariously blowsy and slovenly mother (Sothern) dotes on him as if he's still 5 years-old. She has turned her large house into a boarding home, mostly comprised of old spinsters. This changes when she rents a room to a young aspiring model (Williams) who catches the eye of Savage. Before long, Savage's past as a pampered momma's boy and a sexually-frustrated teen comes to a head and he finds himself out of control. Much of this is noted by a repressed librarian (Anders) next door who is caring for her impossible, wheelchair-bound father. In time, women who have either hurt or let down Savage begin dying and eventually Sothern has to step in and take care of things. The plot is fairly simple, though there are some fascinating mental aspects to the characters. Savage is believable and intense. Sothern is wonderful. Her inimitable voice paired with her faded Dolly Partonesque hair and make up (and long lost figure!) combine to create a compelling screen persona. She and Savage share an unusual chemistry (reportedly affected by some one-upmanship on the set) that comes across well in the film. One scene in particular stands out as Sothern conveys to Savage the death of one of her tenants, all the while shaking raw bacon around in her shoddy kitchen! Though she is sloppy, mouthy and completely unconcerned about her diet, she still has those gorgeous eyes and a winning giggle that make her delightful to take in. This is quite a piece of work on Sothern's part. Roman has one extended scene as a financially successful lawyer who isn't as lucky as the outcome of her cases. Williams plays a foolish, but fairly likable character who stays in the house even after her underwear is vandalized. There are more than a few memorable moments in the film, not the least of which is an uproarious trip to the city dump while a rigor-mortified hand sticks out of a trash can! Though the production could hardly be called polished, it retains interest through the eclectic nature of the cast and the commitment to the material from the two leads.

Little seen, neglected gem of a thriller

[rwbj4 · 9/10 · 5 May 2008]

I first saw this film by accident on cable television years ago, and it haunted me ever since. Thankfully, the 2007 DVD release is of a quality that does justice to this undeservedly obscure film. Director Curtis Harrington details in the supplementary interview the unfortunate problems this film had being distributed, and I sought a copy of it for years before (again almost by accident) learning it was to be released on DVD. The actors are uniformly fine, but the primary reason to seek this film out is the great Ann Sothern. Far from giving a perfunctory performance in what was obviously an inexpensive film even for its time, she imbues her role as a smothering but well-intentioned mother with such dignity and compassion and a lost longing for a better life, that by the time the film ends, her plight brings a lump to the throat. Sothern was an underrated actress who had success in many B-movie roles in the 30s and 40s (the Maisie series, etc., April Showers), and in a few A pictures (e.g., Joseph Mankiewicz's A Letter to Three Wives). She also enjoyed great success in 50s comedy series (Private Secretary, The Ann Sothern Show). In her last film, The Whales of August (1987) she was finally rewarded with a supporting actress Oscar nomination. Had there been any justice in the awards process (we know there is little), she would have had a best actress nod for The Killing Kind. It is a remarkable performance in a film that one expect to be exploitative, but which ends up being psychologically complex and touching and tragic. Highly recommended.

One of Harrington's best!

[chadledwards · 26 September 2001]

After WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN?, this is director Curtis Harrington's most effective thriller. The film opens with 19-year-old John Savage being forced by his friends to participate in the brutal gang rape of sexy beach girl Sue Bernard. Pic then jumps forward two years with Savage being released from prison and heading for the boardinghouse run by his dotty, doting mother(Ann Sothern). At first, Savage seems well enough adjusted, but naturally spending two years behind bars for a crime he unwillingly committed has made him bitter and confused, and pretty soon he becomes obsessed with the idea of revenge. After Savage becomes involved in three terrifying deaths, Sothern realizes that her son needs much more than a mother's love and determines that she must put an end to the madness herself, but does she have the strength to do what she feels has to be done?

This is a superior thriller, with terrific performances(Savage and Sothern are unforgettable), some darkly humorous moments, and plenty of genuine suspense. Unfortunately, the film is very difficult to locate but if you should come across it either on tape or on late-night TV, you won't want to miss it!

FUN FACTS: The film was to originally be titled "Are You a Good Boy?", a line that is used several times in the film. Co-star Ann Sothern wrote a song for the opening credits, but when the title was changed, the song was cut.