This is one of those well-directed, slow burning horror/thrillers that seemed to proliferate in the late '70s/early '80s; it reminds me, favourably, of the likes of THE GODSEND, BUTCHER BAKER NIGHTMARE MAKER, and THE SILENT PARTNER off the top of my head. It's a slow moving film with little bursts of often shocking action, and not one for the modern multiplex audiences demanding a diet of chases and fist-fights every five minutes. Instead, those viewers with an interest in warped psychology and the human condition will find themselves having a ball with this one.
Julie is a sweet 16 year old girl, at least on the outside. In reality, she's far too much in love with her own father, even going so far as to fantasise having sex with him in the film's most shocking dream sequence. This means that anyone else demanding her father's love in the same household is at risk of death. The first incident, with Julie's mother, is a torrid chain of events including attempted rape and eventual murder; you can never quite see where it's going to end up, and the transformation of Paul Hubbard from likable sleaze into the major villain of the piece is an excellent one. Things move along nicely with an excellent set-up involving a kid's game of hide-and-seek that goes tragically wrong, and then we're moving towards the climax, where the twists come thick and fast.
This is definite horror territory with a fair number of kills and violent acts along the way. Julie proves to be a cold-blooded murderer at heart, and there's one infamous moment involving a broken bottle and a rapist that will have any male viewer squirming in their seats. The direction is superb throughout, and the music is fine, but the real strength of this movie lies in the acting. The unknown Mejias is perfect and unforgettable in the title role, delivering a totally frightening performance, while the adult likes of Franciosa, Danning (who unsurprisingly goes nude here) and Girling all do sterling work. I admit I was hooked throughout and not wanting it to end; the final result left me happy and satisfied, the mark of a great little film.
Julie is a sweet 16 year old girl, at least on the outside. In reality, she's far too much in love with her own father, even going so far as to fantasise having sex with him in the film's most shocking dream sequence. This means that anyone else demanding her father's love in the same household is at risk of death. The first incident, with Julie's mother, is a torrid chain of events including attempted rape and eventual murder; you can never quite see where it's going to end up, and the transformation of Paul Hubbard from likable sleaze into the major villain of the piece is an excellent one. Things move along nicely with an excellent set-up involving a kid's game of hide-and-seek that goes tragically wrong, and then we're moving towards the climax, where the twists come thick and fast.
This is definite horror territory with a fair number of kills and violent acts along the way. Julie proves to be a cold-blooded murderer at heart, and there's one infamous moment involving a broken bottle and a rapist that will have any male viewer squirming in their seats. The direction is superb throughout, and the music is fine, but the real strength of this movie lies in the acting. The unknown Mejias is perfect and unforgettable in the title role, delivering a totally frightening performance, while the adult likes of Franciosa, Danning (who unsurprisingly goes nude here) and Girling all do sterling work. I admit I was hooked throughout and not wanting it to end; the final result left me happy and satisfied, the mark of a great little film.