Alice, Sweet Alice - 1976
(This Film Rates a B )
The film takes place in 1961, New Jersey. A young girl Karen played by Brooke Shields, is about to receive her first communion. Her sister Alice becomes jealous and starts to torment and bully her. However, Karen is strangled in church by an unknown assailant wearing a translucent mask. The mothers ex-husband starts to investigate the murder but the police are also interested in the case. Her overly bitchy mother (Annie) moves in to help out and Alice is not a fan. The family start to suspect that Alice killed Karen and the police are a bit suspicious as well. The rather obese cat daddy neighbor tries to molest her while she is delivering the rent money. He is dirty and disgusting. But that poor kitty! The masked figure attacks Annie on the stairs in an overdramatic but gripping sequence. Alice is sent to a psychiatric unit and states that Karen tried to kill Annie not her. The ex/detective receives an odd call from someone claiming to be Annie's daughter and that she has the crufix belonging to Karen. He learns of the killers real identity before he dies. The reveal is a little anti climatic but the death has some intensity. Eventually a pathologist is able to rule out poor Alice as a suspect. The real killer is a bit off kilter since the death of her own daughter on the same day as this communion. She kills the pervert neighbor but is spotted fleeing the scene by police. She has one more kill before its all over, right in front of the whole church congregation. But in the end, Alice might not be so innocent after all. The ending is a little bit of a downer. The build is spectacular even though some of the camera shots/angles aren't particularly great. At times its hard not to laugh even if not intentional. The chaotic church scene, The whole cake interaction at the 22 minute mark with the obese neighbor was a bit weird. The reaction of the congregation at the end was puzzling. It's not overly gory but what is present is top notch. Its just to quick for the eye and not often enough. The script is above average for a slasher film even if overlong. The acting is fairly decent, some average highlights and some not so good ones. It really is overdramatic like the 46:40 min mark at the hospital. For the most part, the soundtrack is spot on. A real mixture of vintage sounds. But it all fits. A lot of religious overtones and church scenes throughout. No T&A. It's an odd but sinister film.
