CLASSIC SLASHERING

Alice, Sweet Alice (Communion) (1976)

Plot: In a rundown neighbourhood, New Jersey, Karen (A very young Brooke Shields) is preparing for her first holy communion.  Older sister Alice (Paula Sheppard) is jealous of the attention Karen tries to spoil things for her, threatening her and locking her in a room of an abandoned warehouse while wearing a raincoat and fucking creepy plastic mask.  

Err Guilty

 The day of the communion Karen is brutally killed in the church during the ceremony and because Alice takes her place wearing her veil, the suspicions falls on the deeply troubled child, especially from her aunt Annie (Jane Lowry) who really fucking hates her niece.  After she is attached by the masked psycho this escalates. 

Their mother Catherine (Linda Miller) is traumatised by the death of her youngest but she and her husband Dom (Niles McMaster) refuse to believe Karen is responsible and Dom investigates the murder. 

It doesn't help that Alice is a mental bitch spends her days killing little animals and putting curses on people, throw in a obese potential peado landlord and we have a messed up situation going on. 

I'm looking for Donald Sutherland

Is it good:  Yes, A low budget but high value thriller/horror/slasher.  It isn’t a true slasher film in the sense of say Black Christmas but you can see how the cold silent knife wielding, mask wearing, killer would have an influence on the genre.  Paula Sheppard (Although strangely 19 at the time playing a 12 year old) is brilliant as the disturbed Alice, giving a believable performance. 

All of the actors put up good performance especially Alphonso (Alphonso DeNoble) as the fat perverted landlord. 

The subject matter is disturbing both the murder of a small child and that it’s potentially by her own sister.   

Turdige: Although the acting is good the screaming seems fake especially the mother it gets on your tits but this is a staple of 70s films they all seem like this.  

Some people would say it has ripped chunks out of the superior Don't Look Now (1973) mainly the iconic, creepy rain coated small people (Its yellow completely different) but don’t let it put you off.

  

If a fuckin dog can win BGT so can I

I watched this film when I was very young (probably a bit too young) and the stairwell scene scared the shit out of me I had nightmares of a knife through the foot for years (I still look around now when I walk down one).  Later I actually forgot about this movie and thought it was a scene from Don't Look now, so when I watched that again I thought I had dreamt it.  

It was only when I had no internet and blockbuster had gone bust I was going through my sisters DVD collection.  I by by-passed the even more terrifying Mamma Mia & found this played it and I wasn’t mad after all, Now that shit anecdote is out of the way.......  

Overall:   A little known Horror masterpiece. suspense and atmosphere to spare.  Don’t miss out watch it. 

Director: Alfred Sole Cast: Linda Miller, Mildred Clinton, Paula E. Sheppard, Niles McMaster , Jane Lowry, Brooke Shields

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