Angst

aka Fear
Austria, 1983

Director: Gerald Kargl
Starring: Erwin Leder, Robert Hunger-Bühler, Silvia Rabenreither
IMDB: 7.7

Generally I am a fan of 'psycho killer' movies. Why? Usually for their black humour (Eg: American Psycho, Edmond) or for great acting (Silence of the Lambs). But also I admit to deriving some measure of perverse glee in watching the average Joe take out his rage on society at large in an uncontrolled release of vented frustration.

I mean, who doesn't travel partway along this road from time to time? Luckily most people have a well-conditioned moral centre, reason, and humanity which when combined with the fear of punishment usually ensures that most of us don't go much further than issuing juicy invective in a non-specific direction.

Which is to say that part of the attraction surely lies in the vicarious thrill engendered through watching films where the chief protagonist, for whatever reason, has no such compulsions holding them back. We can enjoy the movie in full knowledge that we ourselves would never cross this line. It may even be somewhat cathartic. And undoubtedly the enjoyment of such movies can be justified, safe in the knowledge that it's "just a movie" after all.

Angst however, is perhaps not "just a movie" being loosely based on the real-life serial killer Werner Kniesek, who was arrested in 1980 after savagely butchering three people in Salzburg, Austria. Additionally, the film's dialogue is entirely in voice-over, telling us "The Psychopath's" inner feelings as he awaits release from jail the next day, eager to resume his sado-sexual killings at the first opportunity, and then following him as he is released from prison with just one thing on his mind. Much of his dialogue is quoted directly from interviews with real-life serial killers including the Vampire of Dusseldorf, Peter Kürten.




What we have here then, is not the typical glossy Hollywood version of a Psycho Killer, nor a stylised cliche - but an altogether more realistic, and therefore far more disturbing one.

Erwin Leder's portrayal of The Psychopath eschews the smooth, calculating and urbane exteriors of characters such as Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman in favor of a more vile and pitiful characterisation, along similar lines as Ted Levine's turn as Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. He is shown to be chaotic, paranoid, repulsive, and surprisingly ineffective. Basically, pretty fucked up.

Despite being the central character, he is not one you can identify with or root for. Nonetheless we are forced into his world, and into his head, through the aforementioned voice-over and also through some outstanding camerawork from Zbigniew Rybczynski (pronunciation unknown).

The camera takes a floating position somewhat to the side and above the psychopath, rarely leaving him as we are forced to look downwards and watch as events unfold. At other times the camera is employed in a shaky hand-held style, or situated directly behind the actor's head. Interestingly, during the psychopath's triumphant moments, the camera switches position to floor-level, looking up at him looming large, reflecting the state of his ego.



The final part of the equation is the score provided by noted German composer Klaus Schulze. Taking into consideration that this was 1983, the score is eerily fitting and brings to mind Giorgio Moroder's work on Cat People. Ie: It's easily identifiable as "early 80's" with its droning synth lines. This does however add a specific feel to proceedings that suit the time and place of the movie.

Technically speaking this is an interesting film, but due to its realistic and downbeat nature looks low-budget, despite the creativity employed. But then viewers expecting Pirates of the Caribbean production values aren't likely to track down an obscure Austrian film from 1983!



Knowing in advance that French director Gaspar Noe (Irreversible, Enter the Void) has explicitly named this film as an influence, you will have little trouble seeing why. Noe's trademark swooping camera in Irreversible was distinctly foreshadowed here, as was the almost first-person view he used in "Enter the Void".

Which brings us tidily into another Noe comparison for those who recall the infamous brutal rape of Monica Bellucci in his film Irreversible. Let's just say that Noe's version is the tamer one! It is no wonder that director Gerald Kargl had immense trouble getting the film distributed, and even today it is not easy to find. As one IMDB reviewer put it so well, "It makes The Silence of the Lambs and Seven look like kindergarten stuff."




For fans of true crime, and anyone seeking a more authentic psycho killer experience this surely rates as one of the most successful of its type. It's nasty, it's seedy, it's disturbing - just like the crime itself. What was the film's biggest downfall is also its greatest asset - it's honest. Brutally so.

Rating: 7/10. For horror connoisseurs only.

Girly

aka Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly
U.K., 1970

Director: Freddie Francis
Starring: Vanessa Howard, Ursula Howells, Howard Trevor, Michael Bryant
IMDB: 7.0

In my relentless pursuit of ever more obscure cheap thrills and mayhem, I never suspected I'd discover a 'sadistic schoolgirl killer' movie coming out of the U.K. in 1970! Pre-dating similar 'twisted family' movies such as Takashi Miike's 'Happiness of the Katakuris', Girly is a very black comedy revolving around an upper-class British family ruled by a matriarch known only as Mumsy (Ursula Howells).

Her outlook on life is quintessentially British, insisting on correct manners at all times, and instilling in her family the importance of 'sticking to the rules'. Along with her knitting partner Nanny, they run a happy and efficient family home, enjoying and encouraging the playfulness of the children Sonny and Girly.




However, this is no ordinary family unit - Mumsy's overbearing control has kept the children at an emotional age of around 6 years old, despite being in their 20's. As such, they still wear their school uniforms, sleep in children's cribs, and spend their time playing games such as 'cowboys and indians' and 'playing shop'.

Mumsy and Nanny are exceedingly indulgent of the children, even allowing them to visit the local park and bring home 'new friends' as they please. Said 'new friends' are in fact homeless winos, lured back to the estate by the promise of alcohol and certainly encouraged by the coquettish wiles of Girly and her short skirts.




Once back to the estate, the new friends are welcomed into the family with true British hospitality, including meals, their own room, and nightly baths from Nanny. In return however, they are expected to stick to the rules which first and foremost includes NOT ESCAPING, and in addition pandering to every whim as the children's new playmate.

Disobeying the rules is not tolerated, and any infractions mean the new friend is put on trial - usually resulting in the harshest of sentences. It doesn't help that the children behave like all children do, making up the rules as they go along. And it's no surprise that they've been through quite a few 'new friends' already.

However, the promise of a bit of girly-action keeps the men toeing the line, enduring constant degradations and bearing the brunt of the children's violent practical jokes.



The family's problems begin with the arrival of 'new friend in 2'. The newly captured friend assigned to Room 2 is a male gigolo, and does not at all mind being trapped and pampered in a house with three single women. It doesn't take him long to find a way of sexually manipulating the situation to his best advantage.

The ensuing jealousies make for a gloriously demented finale as the accepted family structure is called into question, rivalries are settled with brutal finality, and maybe a happy new balance will be reached at last.




When this film was made, Director Freddie Francis handed the completed film over to the studio, only for them to promptly go bankrupt shortly thereafter. Consequently, it never received a great deal of marketing and until recently was thought to be lost forever. Even the director did not have a copy.

However in 2004, bootlegs from an old VHS started to appear on the internet, and its from one of them that these screen-shots are taken. However there is very good news on the horizon! Scorpion Entertainment have picked up the rights to the film and are releasing it as a Region 0 DVD on March 30th (see link below). I've seen screen-shots of the new DVD and the quality looks fantastically better. I'll be picking one up for sure.

In summary, Girly is a deliciously black comedy and a worthy addition to the Twisted Flicks library. Vanessa Howard's sexy and malevolent portrayal of Girly is especially notable, however the acting is good all-round in this poignantly twisted caricature of a British family. However those unfamiliar with traditional British culture may find the film especially bizarre, even puzzling, given the constant references to old-time nursery rhymes and games.

Rating 6.5/10

Where to Buy

R1 DVD - amazon.com

SexyKiller

Spain, 2008
Original title: Morirás por ella

Director: Miguel Martí
Starring: Macarena Gómez, César Camino, Alejo Sauras
IMDB: 6.4

Barbara (Macarena Gomez) is a young coed who has mapped her future out based on the life story of a barbie doll - just like Barbie, she aims to have 3 jobs, 2 blonde kids, and a plastic surgeon for a husband. This is non-negotiable. Consequently she's at Med school to find the right guy.

Unfortunately, Barbara is a little highly strung, and has a tendency to drift into her own delusional world. Oh yeah, and she's a remorseless psycho killer too, with a tendency to off people that her annoy her at the slightest provocation.




Consequently, their university is in the grip of an investigation into the 'Campus Killer' responsible for the rash of recent deaths.

Meanwhile Tomas (Cesar Camino) and Alex (Alejo Sauras) are interns in the Anatomy Department, performing autopsies while simultaneously working on their research project to invent a device to cure headaches. But Tomas has come up with something much better. He's worked out how to tap into the human mind and display thoughts visually on a TV screen.

As the human brain stays working for up to an hour after death, they figure it could be possible to hook it up to a recent victim and see who the killer is. However, after death the brain slips into a low power mode and Alex comes up with the idea of injecting it with liquid ecstasy to kick start it back into action.



To say more would spoil the fun. This is an adult-oriented comedy with very frank references to sex and drugs, and a sexy psycho-killer as our (anti)-heroine. It never takes itself seriously, despite having a pretty good storyline, and often breaks what film geeks call the Fourth Wall, with Barbara referencing, or speaking directly to the camera. This brings a unique and clever structure to the film.

There are some great surreal scenes such as an infomercial on 'clean and efficient murder' that Macarena conjures in her head during a boring lecture, and a suitably cheesy song and dance sequence as she dreams of her future husband. Horror fans will have fun spotting references to The Evil Dead, Scream, Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead, and Silence of the Lambs as well.




The acting is uniformly excellent, especially from the two leads. Macarena Gomez has an expressive face perfect for comedy, reminding me not a little of Jaime Pressly. There's loads of sex and unlike its Hollywood counterparts, has not been tamed down for kids.

With an interesting and clever script, a great performance from the lead actress, and plenty of humour, vulgarity and killings - Sexy Killer guarantees a good time.

Rating 7/10.

Trailer (in Spanish)