The Fiend

British horror/sex shocker about an overbearing mother (played by Ann Todd), her psycho son Kenny (Tony Beckley) and a very strict religious cult, led by Patrick Magee (great actor but this is far from being his best performance). Pre-opening credits we see a young boy being baptised by being immersed in water at the cult's chapel, at the same time a young woman is chased, stripped and thrown dead into water. Early on we see that Kenny is the killer, so there is no mystery in that respect. His mother relationship reminded me of Norman Bates in "Psycho" (1960), they both live in a large Gothic house, only Norman's mother was dead, Kenny's isn't (though she is very ill). There is plenty of female eye candy amongst the cast, and also female nudity, including one scene with full frontal. The murders are fairly vicious but nothing to write home about. I watched the uncut version which is rated BBFC 15, I dread to think how tame the heavily cut X version would have been. I did find it laughable how two young women were happy to accept lifts of a stranger (Kenny in his van). One corpse can be seen breathing and the inclusion of three pop songs throughout the movie proved detrimental to my viewing pleasure, I will add that the film is also a bit boring at times and relies on the kills and nudity to liven it up. Pete Walker made far more enjoyable British shockers than this, The Fiend is watchable but unremarkable.

One should always be wary, and perhaps even slightly skeptical, when it comes to previously unknown horror movies that suddenly emerge out of nowhere on fancy and marvelously restored BluRay editions. I never heard about "Beware My Brethren" (aka "The Fiend") before, and sadly too often this means it used to be obscure for a good reason and probably not worth discovering. However, the recent "88 Films" release looks so amazing and so irresistible for fans of (British) (s)exploitation horror of the 70s that I simply had to purchase it, and I also immediately know that I was going to like it a lot more than I probably should.

In all honesty, it certainly isn't a great movie. It's quite flawed, in fact, and I fully acknowledge the more negative reviews around here, but - in my defense - I was really in need of a brutally violent and sleazy horror, and the restoration of picture & sound is awesome! My apologies in advance, as this won't be a very objective review.

"Beware my Brethren" fits into several categories. It's a stalk-and-slash flick with a sexually repressed killer, inspired by milestones like "Psycho" and "Peeping Tom", but it is also a raw "fanatic religious nut" exploitation flick because of all the slaughtering in God's name and the numerous speeches urging to "repent ye Sinners!". And perhaps, most of all, it's one of those barbarically straightforward early 70s movies that want to state clear the "swinging 60s" are forever over and done with! You can't trust handsome strangers anymore, and skimpy outfits and "free love" will get you killed!

Briefly summarized, Kenny and his beloved mother Birdy are members of a secluded but extremely strict Catholic community called "The Brethren". Birdy attends all the lead Minister's speeches, but Kenny prefers to go out and butcher lovely young ladies who - according to him - dress and behave too indecent. Birdy's nurse-at-home suspects the Brethren is a dangerous cult, and persuades her journalist sister to go undercover and collect evidence.

The poor elaboration of the script and the lack of focused direction are by far the main weaknesses of "Beware My Brethren". During two scenes there seems to be a police inspector working on the cases of the murdered girls, but then he just disappears even though the bodies continue to pile up. The private search of the beautiful sisters Brigitte (Madeleine Hinde) and Paddy (Suzanna Leigh) also remains underdeveloped. Paddy's snooping around in the Brethren's chapel easily could have resulted in a couple of suspenseful scenes, but alas. Instead, Robert Hartford-Davis stuffs his movie with loud & endless preaching and full-length gospel songs. I confess I love the gospel songs, but I also love constructive plot and tension building.

Of course, I know and understand why Hartford-Davis made these choices. The Minister is a role of Patrick Magee, and a year before he just starred in the immensely popular "A Clockwork Orange". The girl who does the cherubic singing - Maxine Berrie - is the winner of TV-talent shows. The film could advertise with these names and thus they received prominent screentime. I'm already glad Hartford-Davis didn't cut back on the amount of vicious gore and gratuitous nudity.

This is one of the more notable British horror films from the early 1970s, a stylish and generally accomplished mix of religion, psycho-drama, music and exploitation. The opening cross-cutting between a prayer meeting – accentuated by a powerful gospel song – and a vicious murder is so stunning that the rest of the film actually struggles to live up to it, though the ending – appropriately over-the-top – is worth waiting for. Thematically, the film anticipates Pete Walker's equally good HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN aka THE CONFESSIONAL (1975) – but here we get the added bonus of a typically intense performance from Patrick Magee as the religious group's fanatical leader. Ann Todd (the former Mrs. David Lean) is one of his closest collaborators – in fact, her house is a converted church! – but who has to keep her diabetic condition a secret because the intake of insulin is prohibited by her faith! Her son (Tony Beckley), a security guard and part-time swimming instructor and pamphlet distributor, is repressed and unbalanced – and soon revealed to be the serial killer of nubile girls terrorizing the neighborhood (he even records on tape the victims in the throes of death a' la PEEPING TOM [1960]!). Todd's new nurse happens to have a reporter sister (genre regular Suzanna Leigh) who, alerted to the inhabitants' conspicuous Puritanism, concludes that all is not well with the house and decides to investigate. Given the permissive era in which this was made, violence and gratuitous nudity (along with the standard prerequisites associated with such fare) contend for the running-time – and the audience's attention – with a moderately serious treatment of the subject at hand. The end result may not be surprising or even particularly insightful but nonetheless proves wholly absorbing, thanks also to its undeniable surface polish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. A great sleazy atmosphere pervades throughout, not surprised the censors got their hands on it back in the day, and the UK only saw an edited version. Thankfully the version on the blu ray is the international version, and there is a handy extra feature comparing the UK version th the international.

Acting is excellent throughout, Ann Todd, Patrick Magee and Tony Beckley all do sterling jobs with their major roles, and the supporting cast are no slouches either.

It's a hard film to categorise, not horror really, not a crime drama, I'd call it a thriller more than anything.

Approach it with an open mind, and you'll be rewarded with a bit of a gem.,and a very early appearance fro Maxine Barrie of Stars in Their Eyes fame!

Hats off to 88 films for making this look as good as it does.

The Fiend, a 1972 British horror film directed by Robert Hartford-Davis, is a gruesome and grisly affair that embraces the sexploitation vibes of the early '70s. With a backdrop of religious fanaticism, this flick tries to shock and awe with its blend of murder, manipulation, and moral mayhem. But does it succeed? Well, let's just say it's a hell of a ride, even if it's not exactly a holy roller.

Kicking things off with a bang, The Fiend quickly devolves into a tedious trudge through tiresome encounters and dull supporting characters. It's like a TV movie that randomly cuts to scenes of violence and nudity to keep viewers awake. The story meanders and struggles to find its footing, but the cast does their damnedest to keep things afloat. Ann Todd and Patrick Magee bring their A-game to this B-movie, even as the odds are stacked against them. The real stars, though, might just be the itchy police uniforms and hip threads worn by the younger cast-a fun, fibrous fashion show amidst the fiendish festivities.

The film's technical aspects are a mixed bag. The AVC-encoded image is a blessing, offering a detailed view of the set decoration, from the Brethren church to the characters' homes. You can practically feel the fabric of the costumes and see the evil in every macabre murder. But the direction is as flat as week-old soda, lacking the fizz needed to make this a true cult classic. The film feels disjointed, with ugly, staccato close-ups that disrupt the flow.

The Fiend is like a rollercoaster with a rickety start, a few thrilling peaks, and an underwhelming conclusion. It's not a film that will haunt your dreams, but it might keep you entertained on a gloomy night. With a runtime of 98 minutes (or 87 if you watch the edited version), it's a commitment that could've benefited from a tighter script. Overall, it's a gory good time that falls just short of greatness, earning a respectable 5 out of 10 rating.

So, if you're in the mood for a blast from the past that's bloody, bizarre, and a bit of a bumpy ride, give The Fiend a go. Just don't expect to be converted to its cult following.