User reviews

I truly love those typical 'rural' British thrillers from the late 60's and early 70's! They practically always revolve on hugely controversial topics and feature heavy macabre undertones, and yet they remain very stylish, sophisticated and classy. A couple of notorious examples include "Unman, Wittering and Zigo", "Deadly Strangers", "Crescendo", "Girly", "Twisted Nerve" and some of Hammer's lesser promoted thrillers like "Never Take Candy from Strangers" and "Paranoia". David Greene's "I Start Counting" is also an excellent addition to this list. The principal coming-of-age story is basically already an anathema, but then this plot is simultaneously interwoven with a grim tale of a serial killer on the loose in a small picturesque British village. I was already a great fan of the lovely Jenny Agutter thanks to "An American Werewolf in London" and "Logan's Run", but after seeing this film she's truly immortal to me. Agutter gives away a stellar tour-de-force performance as the cherubic and curious 14 year old Wynne. The romantically inexperienced pubescent girl has a tremendous crush on her 32 year old foster brother and openly talks about her feelings with her school friend Corinne, who claims to have had sex with several boys already. During all her secretly observing and spying, Wynne begins to suspect, however, that her beloved brother George might be the maniac responsible for several gruesome yet unsolved murders. Where do the nail scratches on his back come from? Why are there bloodstains on the white sweater that Wynne made for him? Strangely enough, the more convinced Wynne gets regarding her brother's guilt, the more her feelings grow intense and obsessive. The young girl even convinces herself that she must rescue George, as the rest of the world won't understand him. "I Start Counting" is a slowly unfolding, captivating and often uncomfortable film that is made even more excellent thanks to the wondrous use of music like the title song (although some fans of the genre might not like this), beautiful images of the South-East British countryside and great work from the ensemble cast. The thriller elements surprisingly go well with the coming-of-age theme. The serial killer plot is occasionally very creepy, whereas Wynne's extreme devotion for her brother is also quite disturbing but in a completely different way. "I Start Counting" absolutely is a unique film; what they call a real gem of a great but sadly forgotten cinematic era. It pleases me to see that the film nevertheless has a few devoted fans here on this site.

This is another very well made British Thriller from the late 60s / early 70s. Like other reviews I had seen 'I Start Counting' once before, on late night television, one (I think) Sunday evening in the early 1980s.

It is a film that stayed with me but could never remember its title or even who was in it (I didn't even remember Jenny Agutter as the lead!) until I accidently came across it on a IMDB list. I did recall that it was don't miss a minute suspenseful.

I have now just watched it again and it still stands the test of time. It's a horror / thriller that doesn't rely on blood, gruesome murders or cheap shocks. It keeps the viewer thinking but that is because it is a film with many levels of which the underlining narrative about a serial killer stalking young girls in a village is one of the least compelling - at least to me watching again 50 years after the film was made and around 40 since I last sat entranced.

Agutter and Bryan Marshall are superb in this. She of course has since given many more excellent performances in a lot of very good films but I have never seen Marshall in anything as good or give a portrayal as naturally convincing as this. To be honest I have not seen him in another role so integral to the story.

I would definitely be interested to know why this film is so rarely seen. It is certainly one for fans of the period and also for people who like their suspense to come without gratuitous violence.

A film well worth discovering.

I have no

A 14-year old Catholic girl Wynne(Jenny Agutter)falls in love with her older adoptive brother.Her crush is growing stronger as she believes that he is the local sex killer of young girls."I Start Counting" is a subtle exploitation film which touches several taboo subject matters including incest,drugs,rape and teenage sexuality.The story is fascinating and often confusing and the film is full of symbolism.The purity and innocence of Wynne slowly becomes corrupted.The girl believes she sees the statue of Jesus in church weeping blood.The climax of "I Start Counting" is very powerful and memorable.Along with "Night After Night After Night" a forgotten genre essential from late 60's.8 out of 10.

For me this movie was quite a find. It appeared late at night on what was normally waste-of-time English-language cable station in Turkey. The syrupy opening theme song nearly made me turn it off, but it caught my attention because it featured underrated British actress Jenny Agutter, most famous for appearing in the superb Australian art-house film "Walkabout" and playing the female love interest in a smattering of more mainstream fare like "Logan's Run" and "American Werewolf in London". Because her international debut "Walkabout" was much more famous for it's incredible cinematography of the Australian outback than it's very understated acting and almost non-existent dialogue, Agutter would become much more renown for her incredible five-minute nude swimming scene than any thespian talent she might have displayed. Her subsequent international roles were thus somewhat limited (for example, even in the PG-rated "Logan's Run" she somehow managed to have a completely gratuitous full-frontal nude scene). Only older British viewers who remember her work as a child actress on obscure BBC television programs would have too much idea of her acting talent.

This movie would rectify that immensely if it ever finds a larger audience. Agutter (a couple years younger than she was in "Walkabout")plays a troubled pubescent girl in love with her older foster brother. When she begins to suspect that he is a serial killer terrorizing the local neighborhood she chillingly begins to cover up for him, but the truth turns out to be something quite different.

The movie manages to be both a tense thriller and a sensitive coming-of-age flick while deftly avoiding the excesses of either genre. It obviously takes place at a time when London was in full swing (which can be seen in the panty-flashing mini-skirts worn by the characters' slightly more experienced best friend), but the movie also remains somewhat provincial and very British, kind of an early version of a Mike Leigh film. This would make a good double-bill with "Deep End", another superb but sadly forgotten film of 60's era British youth. My only complaint is the music, which aside from a smattering of Jimi Hendrix, is absolutely wretched, especially compare to the music that was coming out of Britain at that time. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this one.

Jenny Agutter (Wynne) is 14 going on 15 and has a crush on her elder brother Bryan Marshall (George). He's 20 years older than her and isn't her real brother so it's not as twisted as it sounds. They live in the same family house along with another brother Gregory Phillips (Len), mother Madge Ryan and granddad Billy Russell. Agutter has a flirtatious friend Clare Sutcliffe (Corinne) and together they hang out and talk about boys and love. Agutter shares her fantasy about her brother with her friend and we see how she really cares for him. Alongside her troubled teenage time, there is a serial killer on the prowl and girls and young women are not safe in the area.

I liked it. Another British hit for creepiness. Who is the killer? You'll probably change your mind a few times on this one as you try to figure it out. It's filmed on location with a sinister undertone and keeps you watching with various plot twists. We also get Jenny Agutter on a journey to discover what her role in life isn't destined to be and the heartaches she encounters. Who knows, maybe she gets her way once the film finishes?

I saw this film when it was on General release, and was somewhat taken-a-back by the acting ability of its very young leading Lady. Jenny Agutter was superb in the role of Wynne, a teenager who thought her step brother to be involved in some killings, and left nothing about her character's thoughts to the imagination. "I start Counting" was, of course, very different from M/s. Agutter's later work; and, to my mind, the character had more punch than many of her later portrayals. Perhaps, only her portrayal of the eldest daughter in "The Railway Children" carried the same amount of convincing charm as her portrayal of Wynne in "I start Counting". For me, Jenny Agutter "shines" in this movie: the storyline is right for her, and she was the right person to play Wynne. I could gladly watch this movie over and over again.

Unlike a great many movies that deal with youthful infatuation and unrequited love, both Jenny Agutter ("Wynne") and Bryan Marshall ("George") are approximately the ages they are meant to be in this coming-of-age drama with a twist, and that helps the plot work rather well. She is the 15 year old girl living with her mother, two stepbrothers, and her grand father. She has the mother of all crushes on the 32 year old "George", and even though he doesn't remotely reciprocate, she will do what she can to keep him sweet. When she discovers a jumper she gave him covered in blood, just as news is breaking of a serial killer who is preying on young girls, she decides it must be him and to protect him at all costs... Agutter was never the most versatile of actors but here she plays a character that has an innocence, a naivety, a vulnerability about her that vacillates from the absurd to the creepy very effectively. We know who the killer is (or, initially whom it certainly isn't, anyway) so the thriller element is dealt with really quite quickly. What's left isn't just a daft romance though, it has menace and a sharpness to it with a well written, gritty and occasionally quite ripe dialogue from her other stepbrother "Len" (Gregory Phillips) and quite an intimidating performance from bus conductor Simon Ward. David Greene has used a fair degree of cinematic licence with this adaptation, and to be honest elements of the production look very dated after 50 years, but it is still very tautly presented and is well worth a watch.

It is a good few years since I last saw this movie but the memory lingers on. I first saw it as a teenager a couple of times but haven't been able to catch it since. Boy it sure was creepy. The whole cast are excellent throughout. Has British television forgotten about this fantastically creepy movie. With the proliferation of movie channels now available surely one of them can secure the rights to show it. It would be even better if it was released on DVD.

I START COUNTING (1970) is a very obscure British drama that comes across as a mix of coming-of-age adolescent tale and psycho-thriller. It's similar to other films of the era such as TWISTED NERVE and BABY LOVE, and although not quite as successful as either of those movies, is of interest to genre fans. Jenny Agutter plays a schoolgirl who's infatuated with her own stepbrother, who's in his 30s, but also comes to believe he's the serial murderer who's been preying on young women in the area...

Agutter has been a favourite for many of us genre fans and she gives a typically fine performance here, even at 16. Her character is nuanced and believable, and she acts the requisite worry perfectly. The scene where she gets drunk is a case in point. Marshall is equally good as the suspicious stepbrother, and there are nice turns from supporting cast members including Simon Ward. The film may be slow for some tastes and it's certainly not gory nor suspense-packed, but I enjoyed it all the same as a more lyrical exploration of genre themes.

I saw this film for the one and only time on English television back in 1980.At the time I thought it was the best thriller film I had ever seen.Since then to my knowledge it has never been shown again over here (I stand to be corrected on this one !) and appears to have sank without trace.Agutter is excellent as the schoolgirl who thinks her foster brother(Bryan Marshall) may be the local sex murderer and the creepy atmosphere builds up carefully helped by the location work on the wide windy stretches of an English New Town which I believe is Bracknell,Berkshire where Sean Connery's equally disturbing film "The Offence" was shot a couple of years later.Photography ,editing and supporting cast all first class.This film deserves to be better known in the history of British film and indeed the horror/thriller genre and its continued omission in most of the weighty film guides on the market remains ,to me, the biggest mystery and injustice of them all.

Interesting and attractive ambiance in place of a plot. Adaptation of Audrey Erskine-Lindop's novel concerning a Catholic schoolgirl in working-class Berskhire who is drawn to the now-abandoned first house she lived in with her adoptive family; she also harbors a secret crush on her foster-brother, whom she believes may be a sex-slayer wanted by police, and proceeds to cover up his suspicious tracks while dreaming of a more intimate relationship. In the lead, open-faced, yearning Jenny Agutter has wonderfully wide, girlish eyes and shy smiles; from the opening montage of her daily early-morning routine, Agutter connects with the audience immediately, and she's a joy to follow throughout this character study-cum-psychological drama. Producer-director David Greene is alternately subtle and heavy-handed, telegraphing a few story-points well ahead of schedule, but his lazily-flowing narrative is enticing in an ethereal way. The film has nimble editing and a sing-song theme, yet the screenplay is a real obstacle. While packing so much text and subtext into the first hour, the second-half of the picture comes up short on steam. Nevertheless, quite unusual, with haunting, lovely moments and a solid cast. ** from ****

Though I can't remember it in detail, I do remember liking this film a lot and as a teenager going to bed scared, as well as having impure thoughts about Jenny Agutter, (again.) Very atmospheric, very English and very 60s, full of the kinds of faces you seemed to only get during that decade.

I don't know why it's hardly ever shown, but if someone were to air it occasionally, I'm sure it would gradually start to pick up a reputation as a bit of lost cult classic (a la the Wickerman.) I did find a fairly negative review in Time Out, but that probably says more about them than this film.

A generally disappointing film of Audrey Erskine Lindop's gripping and atmospheric thriller. The book is so much richer and more interesting than this rather bland film. The book has well rounded characters, entertaining dialogue, and a clever plot with many twists and turns. The film oversimplifies the story and completely changes the ending for instance. And while it is easy to see why Len's twin sister has been eliminated (although a good character, she is not really vital to the plot), reducing Len's role to practically nothing completely alters the story, since in the book his interactions with Wynne are a vital part of the plot. And the narrative voice which plays such an important part in the novel, as Wynne describes what is happening and reflects on it, is of course missing, the major drawback of many films of the book. The film also fails completely to capture the character of George, or show convincingly why Wynne is so devoted to him. And the very dramatic climax of the story, with the poignant court scene at the end, is lost. The filmmakers have decided not to bother too much about plot or characters, and simply concentrate on lovingly filming the admittedly gorgeous Jenny Agutter, with all the subtlety of a Cadburys Milk Flake advert. A great disappointment.

Most coming of age films are either funny or serious. Well, how about creepy? I Start Counting will have you on the edge of your seat. A 14 year old named Wynne(Jenny Agutter) has a serious crush going on. The object of her affection is her step-brother. She goes to the garbage can and finds a sweater that she made for him wrapped up in paper. Earlier, she found scratches on his back. When she opened it up, she's shocked to see blood on it. Worse, there is a killer on the loose. And he's targeting young women. She and her friend Corrine, stay together. Wynne, always spies on him. She would later find out that he is seeing a very suicidal woman. And her friend who is promiscuous, would do anything to make her friend jealous. To the very end. It's a very good film. Plenty of suspense and wonder. It's not your usual coming of age film. 4 out of 5 stars.

This movie is awesome. I don't know why it isn't more popular. the cinematography was fab and the lead actress who played Wynne had this real innocence about her, that was so believable. I thought the storyline was great, it was something unusual. the synopsis based it around Wynne's suspicious feelings towards her brother and the murders, but I found it was about something more than that, about the way different people perceive situations and how different peoples duties and commitments can be seen differently in others eyes.

The rest of the cast were great. I loved the few parts of humour in the film, that lifted from the somewhat dark and serious theme, and showed how unusual the film is. the theme song I Start Counting was awesome. It was an awesome name for the film

I'm totally raving about this film man. It freaking rules! I love it!

I saw this film way back in 1980,BBC1 screened it in a late night slot,luckily I taped it.I don't think its ever been re-screened in the UK. I personally find this little gem of a thriller to be Jennys best work.......from her finest period. Just think,three superb films in a row,from 1969 to '70......I Start Counting......Walkabout......and The Railway Children......what a trio! Plus......I was forgetting another lost gem: The Snow Goose from 1971. I do wish that I Start Counting(and The Snow Goose)were available on DVD. I Start Counting touches on the loss of innocence in a rapidly changing world.....catch this film....if you can!

The plot for "I Start Counting" sounds rather interesting when you read about it on IMDb: "A 14-year-old girl coming to terms with her sexuality, discovers that her adored older brother may be guilty of a series of bizarre sex crimes.". However this really isn't what the movie is all about and it also has a really creepy semi- incestuous and Electra Complex-like theme that put me off.

Jenny Agutter plays Wynne--a 14 year-old. She was actually about 18 when she made the film. Wynne is really, really obsessed about her older step-brother...to the point where she has lots of incestuous thoughts. These are not in an of themselves THAT creepy...but he's more than twice her age and this brings the notion of pedophilia if he were to reciprocate. Either way, it's awfully weird and disturbing. As far as the step-brother killing women...well that's all a misunderstanding that Wynne develops and the film really is about her awakening sexual desires (such as her masturbating) and her misguided affections. Creepy and yet oddly boring in spite of all this and I had to really struggle to pay attention to all this. All in all, a waste of my time, though I guess technically it's well made.

Very good but more of a drama Very good movie I've seen it two or three times now has it classified as a thriller it's far more drama there's not a lot of thrills going on here as it goes very slow and there are no killings that you see in action the bodies are already dead.

focuses on the disturbing fear that an attacker can arouse in any decade you care to think of,the fear is heightened by the central child character {played by jenny agutter} troubled by the thought her own father may be the culprit, nasty creepy atmospheric scenes in the woods will have you squirming in anticipation of what might happen,sadly underrated and overlooked.

I am another person who can't remember this film in detail - having seen it decades ago. However I still retain the haunting atmosphere and the very believable acting of Jenny Agutter - who was a role model for me after her appearances in The Railway Children and Tom's Midnight Garden on BBC television.

I can't put a spoiler in because I can't remember what happened, but I do know I really enjoyed this film and I would love to see it again - perhaps some cable channels might put it on again? Or maybe it could be released on DVD?

I remember being very impressed with Simon Dee's creepy bus conductor character as well. A very chilling film.