The Killing Kind

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.

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.

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.

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 ****

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.