Homicidal Movie

Homicidal
Rating:
Run Time: 87 min
MPAA Rating: NR
Released: 1961
Directors: William Castle
Genre/Type: Horror
Slasher Film
Producers: William Castle
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Homicidal represents producer/director William Castle's slant on Hitchcock's Psycho. The film concerns a young woman named Miriam Webster (Patricia Breslin) who seemingly has everything a girl could want - including a successful flower shop business, and a handsome beau, Karl (Glenn Corbett), who works as a pharmacist. Events take a turn for the worse, however, when Miriam's half-brother, Warren, returns from Europe - with a rather unpleasant friend in-tow: a blonde named Emily (Jean Arless). Emily promptly sets about destroying Miriam's life: the newcomer attempts to wheedle Karl away from Miriam, then rips the flower shop to pieces, then ultimately reveals a little taste for knife-wielding that directly threatens Miriam's safety. Like The Tingler and other Castle outings, this one originally featured a gimmick, preserved in the video release: a "fright-break" just prior to the climax, which allowed terrified audience members approximately 45 seconds to get out of their seats and leave the theater - to avoid the prospect of being "frightened to death." One look at Jean Arless's credit in the cast listing betrays the final twist in this one, directly (and unapologetically) lifted by Castle from Psycho.

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You really should consider seeing a psychiatrist. I presume this is usual for you. Question, I don't mean to "be nosy", however had you experienced trauma of any kind during your childhood, suh as rape, or major physical and menta...
Anger and guilt can often trigger those kind of thoughts. It is the separation between thinking of slicing someone open and the action that differentiates us from criminals. I have to admit that I have thoughts of doing brutal, nasty things...
A case study was conducted to prove that a relationship exists between schizoid personality disorder and violent acts. The case study contemplated such a possible relationship and the relationship between violent behavior and the character ...

Cast

Actors Character Born
Glenn Corbett Karl
Patricia Breslin Miriam Webster
Jean Arless Emily/Warren
Eugenie Leontovich Helga Mar 21, 1900 in Moscow, Russia
Alan Bunce Dr. Jones
Richard Rust Jim Nesbitt Jul 14, 1938 in Boston, MA
James Westerfield Mr. Adrims Mar 22, 1913 in Nashville, TN
Gilbert Green Lieutenant Miller
Wolfe Barzell Olie
Hope Summers Mrs. Adrims Jun 7, 1902
Ralph Moody 1st Clerk
Joe Forte 2nd Clerk Jun 14, 1893 in UK
William Castle Narrator Apr 24, 1914 in New York City, NY

Back to the topReview

Review by Donald Guarisco
William Castle's attempt to capitalize on the success of Psycho lacks the distinctive performances and genuinely unsettling shocks of its model, but remains entertaining thanks to Castle's gift for showmanship. Hitchcock fans may hem and haw over Robb White's script, which lifts a majority of the key plot hooks and set pieces from Psycho, but it is actually a fairly clever pastiche with a few unexpected twists of its own. It is also surprisingly intense for its time, especially the scenes where Emily menaces her mute, crippled mother. Homicidal further benefits from an amazing, full-throttle performance by Jean Arless, who deploys a level of scenery-chewing histrionics worthy of Joan Crawford as she essays the troubled character (a jaw-droppingly over-the-top scene where she ritualistically destroys a romantic rival's flower shop is a highlight in this respect). However, the key element of Homicidal is William Castle's direction, which mixes the grittier elements of Hitchcock's approach with pure B-movie flamboyance. In the process, he crafts a number of suprisingly effective shocks, including a shock scene set on a staircase that sets a similar scene in Psycho on its ear and stopping the film right before its climactic revelation to offer the audience a "fright break" (complete with ticking clock on the screen). In short, Homicidal may not be as artful as Psycho, but its campy shocks offer a special kind of fun for horror fans with a sense of humor.
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