"Quite possibly the sleaziest film ever made in Britain". These aren't my words but a quote from a certain I.Q. Hunter, who's a respectable author and acclaimed cult cinema expert. Mr. Hunter was a guest at the local film festival in my country and provided this film – as well as a few other flamboyant British horror outings – with an interesting foreword. This man surely knows what he talks about and I definitely enjoyed listening to the trivia items that he shared with the audience, but I'm really not sure if I agree with this review's opening statement. "Killer's Moon" is a sleazy piece of work, no argument there, but I still don't think it compares to – for example - "House of Whipcord", "Prey" or "Inseminoid". What struck me most about "Killer's Moon" is how much better and more significant it easily could have been
This film doesn't necessarily require a bigger budget, nor a more professional cast or even more action/atmosphere. It already has everything, only a slightly more skillful direction and a bit of coherence in the script would have been welcome. The ramshackle bus of a school of choir girls and their two uptight teachers breaks down in the middle of the godforsaken English countryside, and they are forced to spend the night in a castle-hotel that normally is closed for the season. Not a problem, you'd think, except for the fact that four escaped asylum patients are at large in the area. As a result of oddball drug-experiments, these four are high on LSD and under the impression they tripping around in a dream. They break into the hotel and joyously begin raping, murdering and philosophizing, whilst the shrinking group of girls seeks the help of two tough campers. It's a rather preposterous and laughable to assume that mental patients are fed LSD as treatment, let alone that they can freely run around without any kind of authorities searching for them. There are numerous of other improbabilities in the script, like characters suddenly vanishing and that sort of stuff, but I advise not to let them bother you too much. Furthermore "Killer's Moon" is stuffed with gratuitous nudity and "incorrect" misogynic dialogs ("you were only raped, as long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. You just pretend it never happened"), like a truly rancid product of the late 70's ought to be! Writer/director Alan Birkinshaw's decision to dress up the four lunatics and let them behave exactly like Alex DeLarge and his companions in "A Clockwork Orange" is either a funny homage or a shameless imitation, I don't know. My guess is that it was just a silly idea that popped up in his mind, like the heroic three-legged dog.
36 Reviews
A Must-See British Horror
gavin694218 February 2013
Four mental patients -- who, due to unauthorized experiments, believe they are living in a dream and have shed all moral imperatives -- escape and find their way to the nearest bus-load of stranded schoolgirls.
What makes this film interesting for me, besides the ethical questions (can the killers be held accountable if they think they are dreaming), is the music. Along with a jazzy version of "Three Blind Mice", we have some music that is dreamlike (appropriately) and also quite moody and dark (also appropriate). It was, for me, the difference between the movie being bad and good.
Due to its (fake) animal cruelty and dismissive attitude towards rape, the film has been called "the most tasteless movie in British cinema history." While that is surely an exaggeration, I do think these elements helped give it the cult following it apparently now has. I can see it being mocked by people in a loving way.
What makes this film interesting for me, besides the ethical questions (can the killers be held accountable if they think they are dreaming), is the music. Along with a jazzy version of "Three Blind Mice", we have some music that is dreamlike (appropriately) and also quite moody and dark (also appropriate). It was, for me, the difference between the movie being bad and good.
Due to its (fake) animal cruelty and dismissive attitude towards rape, the film has been called "the most tasteless movie in British cinema history." While that is surely an exaggeration, I do think these elements helped give it the cult following it apparently now has. I can see it being mocked by people in a loving way.
He tends to believe that other people are the devil and in need of obliterating.
lastliberal-853-25370818 October 2013
This can best be described as the British version of The Last House on the Left. It has a real sleazy feel as the victims are all virginal high school girls on the way to a choir competition.
Put into the mix a group of psychopathic criminals that just escaped custody. They are drugged and believe themselves to be innocent.
Naturally, the bus carrying the girls - did I mention virginal teens - breaks down right where the criminals are currently trampling the countryside. Oh no.
I would not imagine that many horror fans watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but your partner may have talked you into watch Dancing With the Stars. One of those Housewives/Dancing Stars was Lisa Vanderpump. Back in her early days, when she was just 18, she had one of the killers vanderpumping her funbags. This was the highlight of the film.
Yes, there were more breasts and bush, but it was really brief. This was Jane Hayden's greatest film, but again, it was a brief exposure.
The film was more camp than horror. There was killing, but it was mostly off screen except for the strangling.
I doubt if any virginal teens were harmed in the making of this film.
Put into the mix a group of psychopathic criminals that just escaped custody. They are drugged and believe themselves to be innocent.
Naturally, the bus carrying the girls - did I mention virginal teens - breaks down right where the criminals are currently trampling the countryside. Oh no.
I would not imagine that many horror fans watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but your partner may have talked you into watch Dancing With the Stars. One of those Housewives/Dancing Stars was Lisa Vanderpump. Back in her early days, when she was just 18, she had one of the killers vanderpumping her funbags. This was the highlight of the film.
Yes, there were more breasts and bush, but it was really brief. This was Jane Hayden's greatest film, but again, it was a brief exposure.
The film was more camp than horror. There was killing, but it was mostly off screen except for the strangling.
I doubt if any virginal teens were harmed in the making of this film.
Last House on the Lake District
gavcrimson1 August 2000
Very much a film of slashed throats and ripped off blouses, Killer's Moon bluntly punctuated what was a rather dismal year for British horror movies (think The Cat and the Canary, Dominique and The Legacy). Its exactly the sort of film a minor sexploitation director dragging a cast of nobodies into the Lake District for an inept hotchpotch of A Clockwork Orange, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Please Sir would make. Four homicidal maniacs Mr Smith, Mr Jones, Mr Muldoon and Mr Trubshaw all modelled on A Clockwork Orange's droogs escape from a cottage asylum into the Lake District. Since they've all been treated on LSD dream therapy, they believe everything to be a dream and thus feel free to indulge in drug fuelled sex and murder fantasies. Coincidences find a bunch of 70's sitcom characters as potential fodder for them -an American jogger, a bunch of campers, the Scottish gamekeeper, the Cockney bus driver `they're all mard round ere', the pompous school-marm and a busload of dubious schoolgirls. When the schoolgirl's bus breaks down on the way to a choir contest they're forced to stay in an off season hotel run by an elderly eccentric while outside minor characters stumble off to their deaths `why would anyone kill a gamekeeper with an axe?'. When the maniacs come out of the shadows to siege the hotel they are revealed as the most unashamedly over the top hams since the days of Tod Slaughter, they're really into the proceedings, cackling, growling and grimacing and are soon desperate to get their drug addled paws on the schoolgirls, who despite being cast in the St Trinian mode of carrying teddies and being prone to renditions of Greensleeves are nothing more than Wardour Street starlets cast mainly for glamour nudity. Most of the enjoyment though has to come from the dialogue thats looks as if it was written under the same treatment as its psychopaths. Watch as RADA never weres tackle gems of un-pc dialogue like `look you were only raped if you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright' and `if we ever get out of this alive well maybe we'll both live to be be wives and mothers'. Amidst the sex and violence, Killer's Moon gradually transforms into a twisted music hall pantomime with girlies chased around the hotel, the help of Hannah the three-legged dog, a transvestite escape plan and one of the maniacs lamenting `why can't I dream of steak and chips, why does it have to be bread and cheese?'- all delivered with a serious candour which must have been hard for a movie that weds its carnage to acid-jazz renditions of `twinkle twinkle little star' and `three blind mice'. Produced in the dying days of the British film industry Killer's Moon really is cheap with the worse editing imaginable, a matte Lake district, while day and night shots are mixed and matched, its hard to believe that the film had a cinema release but it did (in August 1978). The acting is mostly foul as befits the cast of nobodies although living up to the unwritten law `show me a British actor/actress and I'll show you the 70's sex/horror film they'd like to forget', old hams and future soap stars (ie Jo- Anne Good who ended up in Crossroads) can be found if you look hard enough. Killer's Moon scores high with surprisingly strong exploitation elements. The token peek a boo nudity is expected, given Birkinshaw's background but scenes of 25ish year old `schoolgirls' abused by mental patients seem genuinely unhealthy. Screenwriter/Director (the late?) Alan Birkinshaw was indeed one of the more cheaper celluloid barrow boys. His previous film had been Confessions of a Sex Maniac (1975) a low budget skinflick about a Woody Allen-esque architect with a breast fetish who feels obliged to erect a building in honour of his obsession. After the axe came down on UK low-budget film production like Gerry O'Hara he flew to South Africa and hooked up with infamous producer Harry Alan Towers- Birkinshaw's work for Towers manifested in some Poe adaptations are widely reviled. Birkinshaw is also largely believed responsible for the shocking gore sequences tagged on to Don't Open Till Christmas. Managing to keep out of the reference books ever since its initial release, Killer's Moon now enjoys a mini revival in the UK, mainly due to the fact that the filmmaking is more fumbled than some of the victims. Killer's Moon does have great trouble with whose been murdered and who hasn't, famously a main character disappears halfway through the film only to appear as a corpse in the final shot as if an afterthought. Yet interest in Killer's Moon isn't just for laughs but also genuine nostalgia, looking back from a time of the dearth of truly eccentric British films the era of Killer's Moon seems a long time ago. Killer's Moon remains as sleazy and British as a night time trip down Soho, the quintessential bottom half of a fleapit cinema double bill, remember `blood on the moon, one mangled dog, one missing axe, and one lost girl who just found a body at the wrong end of the axe- how's that for the great English outdoors'.
Poorly-made, boring and pretty much fails at everything.
capkronos30 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A bus with eight young female choir singers and a pair of uptight, matronly chaperons on board breaks down on a country road, prompting the ladies to walk until they can find shelter. They eventually stumble upon a huge, unoccupied hotel and settle down for the night, but a quartet of recently-escaped psychos decked out like Droogs for God knows what reason are on the loose and show up there to terrorize them. Also thrown into the mix are a hotel keeper and her slutty daughter, a gamekeeper and his wife, two male campers and a, uh, three-legged dog. There's ONE potentially novel angle present in this cheap "thriller:" the killers were all subjected to an experimental drug back at the nut-house prior to escaping. The drug puts them in an alternate state of conscience where they believe everything that's going on is only a dream so they can indulge in their darkest fantasies guilt-free. Why this angle was introduced in the first place is anyone's guess as it's poorly handled and proves to be utterly pointless. The escapees are already deranged so it's not outside the realm of plausibility they'd indulge in these activities regardless, so why even bother with the drug scapegoat? It would have been far more interesting had this detailed the effect of the drug on NORMAL people.
I really wanted to like this one and expected to get at least something out of it considering many of the reviews here are positive. The initial set-up is serviceable (albeit overused), but the incompetent direction, terrible screenplay and a deadly slow pace quickly turn it into a repetitive bore. It falls into that uneasy gray area of B entertainment where it's too poorly-made to take seriously, too silly to ever be disturbing and far too tame to be a guilty pleasure. There are some mildly bloody moments, like an axe to the head and a knife through the throat, but the killings nearly all take place off screen and we just get to see the body afterward. The goriest moment is actually a throwaway WTF bit where one of the nuts chops off a cat's tail with a cleaver (!) Likewise, a few of the actresses go topless and there are a few rape scenes, but these moments are too brief, too tame and too poorly done to please sleaze hounds. You can see the same exact material handled far more compellingly and convincingly in dozens of other films of this type.
Another problem I had was that there are so many pointless characters wandering around that not even the director can keep track of all of them. People go off to do things and disappear for such long stretches of time you complete forget about them by the time it returns to them. Others are at one location one minute and somewhere completely different the next. None of the choir girls are given even the slightest glimpse of personality or individuality and the director refuses to ever settle on a protagonist to give us a focal point to ground the action. I can't really comment on the acting because even Laurence Olivier would have a hard time selling some of these lines. During the film's most jaw- dropping moment, one of the girls nonchalantly tells her recently- violated friend, "You were only raped. As long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. Pretend it never happened."
The final nail in the coffin is the laughably lazy visual presentation, which is so bad they can't even pull off something as simple as night convincingly! The exteriors set during the night were shot in the day with dark filters, but the sky ALWAYS looks sunny and bright. The indoor footage is perhaps even worse because they don't even bother with giving it a darker look or even closing the curtains so there's always bright light flooding in through doors and windows during the "night." For numerous scenes supposedly taking place inside a tent, they hang up a huge tarp behind a few of the actors that not only is five times bigger than it should be but not even the same color as the tent show in long shots! These scenes have clearly been filmed somewhere on a stage with ridiculously unconvincing matte backdrops, which had me wondering why they didn't just set up a few spotlights and use the nice Lake District locations already at their disposal.
I really wanted to like this one and expected to get at least something out of it considering many of the reviews here are positive. The initial set-up is serviceable (albeit overused), but the incompetent direction, terrible screenplay and a deadly slow pace quickly turn it into a repetitive bore. It falls into that uneasy gray area of B entertainment where it's too poorly-made to take seriously, too silly to ever be disturbing and far too tame to be a guilty pleasure. There are some mildly bloody moments, like an axe to the head and a knife through the throat, but the killings nearly all take place off screen and we just get to see the body afterward. The goriest moment is actually a throwaway WTF bit where one of the nuts chops off a cat's tail with a cleaver (!) Likewise, a few of the actresses go topless and there are a few rape scenes, but these moments are too brief, too tame and too poorly done to please sleaze hounds. You can see the same exact material handled far more compellingly and convincingly in dozens of other films of this type.
Another problem I had was that there are so many pointless characters wandering around that not even the director can keep track of all of them. People go off to do things and disappear for such long stretches of time you complete forget about them by the time it returns to them. Others are at one location one minute and somewhere completely different the next. None of the choir girls are given even the slightest glimpse of personality or individuality and the director refuses to ever settle on a protagonist to give us a focal point to ground the action. I can't really comment on the acting because even Laurence Olivier would have a hard time selling some of these lines. During the film's most jaw- dropping moment, one of the girls nonchalantly tells her recently- violated friend, "You were only raped. As long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. Pretend it never happened."
The final nail in the coffin is the laughably lazy visual presentation, which is so bad they can't even pull off something as simple as night convincingly! The exteriors set during the night were shot in the day with dark filters, but the sky ALWAYS looks sunny and bright. The indoor footage is perhaps even worse because they don't even bother with giving it a darker look or even closing the curtains so there's always bright light flooding in through doors and windows during the "night." For numerous scenes supposedly taking place inside a tent, they hang up a huge tarp behind a few of the actors that not only is five times bigger than it should be but not even the same color as the tent show in long shots! These scenes have clearly been filmed somewhere on a stage with ridiculously unconvincing matte backdrops, which had me wondering why they didn't just set up a few spotlights and use the nice Lake District locations already at their disposal.
Woeful
adriangr18 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
There's very little that's good about this film. A coach transporting a load of schoolgirls breaks down in the countryside and all the girls book into an off-season hotel for the night. Unfortunately a group of homicidal mental patients have just escaped from a nearby hospital. You can guess the rest.
It's just plain bad all the way through. The outdoor scenes switch from day to night time all over the place. The dialogue for the girls and their teachers is atrociously written. The murders are a joke...victims never try and escape, they just stand still and wait for the murderous escapees to do their worst. One hilarious moment involves a small group who happen to be staying in a small tent in a field...as soon as night falls the scene switches to a very obvious studio interior which looks nothing like the field setting, and you can hear all the echoes of the dialogue bouncing off the walls! None of the cast are convincing actors. The script makes the mistake of giving the band of murderers far too much to say, and they come across as very affected...they may as well have had them say "Ooh, we're mad, we are!". The film just rolls along until it peters out, and it even ends with a really terrible warbling love song!! So there you have it - just one long list of bad points. Nothing good to say about this film at all. It's quite obscure and hard to find now, but save yourself the effort and leave it in obscurity where it belongs.
It's just plain bad all the way through. The outdoor scenes switch from day to night time all over the place. The dialogue for the girls and their teachers is atrociously written. The murders are a joke...victims never try and escape, they just stand still and wait for the murderous escapees to do their worst. One hilarious moment involves a small group who happen to be staying in a small tent in a field...as soon as night falls the scene switches to a very obvious studio interior which looks nothing like the field setting, and you can hear all the echoes of the dialogue bouncing off the walls! None of the cast are convincing actors. The script makes the mistake of giving the band of murderers far too much to say, and they come across as very affected...they may as well have had them say "Ooh, we're mad, we are!". The film just rolls along until it peters out, and it even ends with a really terrible warbling love song!! So there you have it - just one long list of bad points. Nothing good to say about this film at all. It's quite obscure and hard to find now, but save yourself the effort and leave it in obscurity where it belongs.
A recipe for fun...burnt in the oven
ofumalow16 December 2020
As sleazy horrorsploitation ideas go, you can hardly imagine any better than "Inmates escape sanitorium. where they are undergoing 'LSD therapy,' and thus think they're dreaming everything when they attack a girls' choir and their minders whose bus breaks down in the English countryside."
The thing that is most impressive about "Killer's Moon," however, is that it's so ineptly made there is almost no lurid camp value--and, needless to say, no suspense or terror. The acting is highly variable, from competent under the circumstances to laughably bad. But no one is helped by the terrible, plodding dialogue--which, incredibly, author Fay Weldon (who contributed to the script because her brother was the director) later bragged about, feeling in retrospect it was a mistake to gift her excellent writing to such an otherwise poor film. Well, she certainly sank to the occasion, even if obviously her ego survived the experience. It's the crap dialogue that provides the rare unintentional laugh here.
The violence here is for the most part laughably mild (in fact mostly off-screen), the behaviors psychologically ridiculous, the continuity gaps mile-wide, and the pacing deadly. I really hoped for some guilty pleasure with this one, but it is just a slog.
The thing that is most impressive about "Killer's Moon," however, is that it's so ineptly made there is almost no lurid camp value--and, needless to say, no suspense or terror. The acting is highly variable, from competent under the circumstances to laughably bad. But no one is helped by the terrible, plodding dialogue--which, incredibly, author Fay Weldon (who contributed to the script because her brother was the director) later bragged about, feeling in retrospect it was a mistake to gift her excellent writing to such an otherwise poor film. Well, she certainly sank to the occasion, even if obviously her ego survived the experience. It's the crap dialogue that provides the rare unintentional laugh here.
The violence here is for the most part laughably mild (in fact mostly off-screen), the behaviors psychologically ridiculous, the continuity gaps mile-wide, and the pacing deadly. I really hoped for some guilty pleasure with this one, but it is just a slog.
just dreaming - raping and killing
andrabem-129 September 2011
Four criminal psychopaths undergoing LSD therapy (!) that escaped from a lunatic asylum. A group of stranded schoolgirls lodged in a mansion/castle. The four psychos will make their way to the girls through a string of murders. When they meet the girls, there will be a massacre - rape and murder.
"Killer's Moon", story wise, is the exploitation buff's dream, but there's no real nudity (just some bits of flesh), sex is more suggested than shown, and there's violence (not very explicit) but no gore. But this isn't really important because the story is violent and sleazy.
"Killer's Moon" may not be a great film but I've quite enjoyed it - besides having a good story, it's ironic, involuntarily funny and bizarre (suffice it to mention the three-legged dog!).
Recommended for those who love the 70s exploitation films.
"Killer's Moon", story wise, is the exploitation buff's dream, but there's no real nudity (just some bits of flesh), sex is more suggested than shown, and there's violence (not very explicit) but no gore. But this isn't really important because the story is violent and sleazy.
"Killer's Moon" may not be a great film but I've quite enjoyed it - besides having a good story, it's ironic, involuntarily funny and bizarre (suffice it to mention the three-legged dog!).
Recommended for those who love the 70s exploitation films.
Lunacy in the Lake District...
canndyman26 August 2021
I'm a big fan of 1970s UK horror films, and sometimes you can be lucky enough to come across a low-budget lost gem... sadly, that isn't the case here!
It starts off promisingly enough, with a bus-load of prim London schoolgirls whose coach breaks down in the middle of a lonely part of the Lake District. They and their teachers trek off into the night, and eventually a local gamekeeper directs them to a huge, gothic hotel - currently closed for a refurb.
The manageress lets them stay the night but, as we soon learn, they are not alone, as there are some escaped lunatics on the loose from a nearby cottage hospital.
Not only that, but said-lunatics are the victims of 'dream therapy' - drugged up on hallucinogenic drugs where they believe they're in a permanent dream state where they can act out their sordid fantasies with no repercussions.
Sadly, this promising set-up all falls down as soon as we encounter the first of the escapees. Rather than being the traditional faceless, prowling, silent, creepy killer, he's brightly dressed (in a white hospital robe), rather chatty, and just a little camp!
His accomplices are of the same mould and pretty soon the whole atmosphere of tension and foreboding that's been carefully built descends into a silly farce.
It's not helped by heavy use of unconvincing 'day for night' outdoor filming, and a tardis-like tent where some nearby campers are pitched - whose interior is much too big and clearly filmed in a studio.
You can probably guess the rest - just don't expect much in the way of shocks, suspense, or even much by way of entertainment.
It does make you think that with more money, a clever director and a bit more of 'less is more' approach, this could have been a minor classic - but sadly this is a film that deserves the obscurity it enjoys.
It starts off promisingly enough, with a bus-load of prim London schoolgirls whose coach breaks down in the middle of a lonely part of the Lake District. They and their teachers trek off into the night, and eventually a local gamekeeper directs them to a huge, gothic hotel - currently closed for a refurb.
The manageress lets them stay the night but, as we soon learn, they are not alone, as there are some escaped lunatics on the loose from a nearby cottage hospital.
Not only that, but said-lunatics are the victims of 'dream therapy' - drugged up on hallucinogenic drugs where they believe they're in a permanent dream state where they can act out their sordid fantasies with no repercussions.
Sadly, this promising set-up all falls down as soon as we encounter the first of the escapees. Rather than being the traditional faceless, prowling, silent, creepy killer, he's brightly dressed (in a white hospital robe), rather chatty, and just a little camp!
His accomplices are of the same mould and pretty soon the whole atmosphere of tension and foreboding that's been carefully built descends into a silly farce.
It's not helped by heavy use of unconvincing 'day for night' outdoor filming, and a tardis-like tent where some nearby campers are pitched - whose interior is much too big and clearly filmed in a studio.
You can probably guess the rest - just don't expect much in the way of shocks, suspense, or even much by way of entertainment.
It does make you think that with more money, a clever director and a bit more of 'less is more' approach, this could have been a minor classic - but sadly this is a film that deserves the obscurity it enjoys.
So bad it's good style trash
Leofwine_draca10 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Every fan has their guilty pleasure, the one film they enjoy whilst just about everyone else hates and loathes it. KILLER'S MOON is such a film for me, an infamously shoddy bad-taste production in which just about everything is god-awful: sub-par editing, atrocious acting, dialogue written as if by a drug-addicted loon. Director Alan Birkinshaw (a very minor personality in British exploitation stakes) goes out of his way to deliver helping upon helping of over-the-top nastiness which amazingly managed to get through the BBFC with an 'X' certificate back in the days of its first release. A video release followed in the very early '80s, but otherwise this crummy wannabe slasher-epic has rarely seen the light of day and is mostly forgotten by fans of mainstream horror. KILLER'S MOON transcends its many limitations to become a schlocky masterpiece of so-bad-it's-good entertainment; a laugh riot throughout and for all the wrong reasons.
Birkinshaw seems to be going out of his way to make an offensive movie right from the start, when a bleeding, three-legged dog limps into view - apparently the fourth limb has been severed, by persons unknown! The setting is an effectively barren Lake District, which is one of the film's finest points: the isolated atmosphere of the British landscape really comes across and gives the movie an ideal setting, as in much the same way as a film like THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE for instance. Cold, gloomy, yet still attractively lush with greenery in places, the setting is ideal. Into this forbidding landscape comes a coach full of clichéd '70s schoolgirls, all into singing "Greensleeves" before their trip goes awry when the coach breaks down and they are forced to trek through the woods to the nearest place of salvation - a closed down hotel.
So far, so good, although you'll have already realised by now that this isn't the paciest of movies. The slow nature of the film may be off putting to those looking for faster, more serious scares, but let's face it, nobody here had a lot of budget to work with so things necessarily must be dragged out and laboured. And just as the film looks to become a bit boring, in come four of the most outrageous film characters to liven it up. Nevermind that they're all loonies from the local asylum - here the mentally ill are portrayed as evil, twisted psychopaths with no redeeming values, three ending up brutally killed as a result of their own crimes, the fourth finally resembling a pathetic child of a man. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is the big influence here, both in the characters' attire and their choice of names ("Mr Smith, Mr Muldoon... Mr Trubshaw" - I mean, please!), and also in the way in which they casually go about raping and murdering all in their path. The idea that they believe they're living out all their worst desires in a safe dream-world is a clever one, giving the movie the one spark of minor originality and interest which it otherwise lacks.
What follows is a catalogue of atrocities, all played out in a commendably straight-faced manner. Cats have their tails cruelly lopped off; shrewish housewives are pinned to their own doors with kitchen knives; all manner of young and attractive schoolgirls are stripped and violated by the scheming mad men (watch those nightdresses, which seem to fall off suspiciously easily). Even the comedic coach driver (as played by the inimitable "Chubby" Oates - I wonder what became of him?) gets an axe in the head. It goes without saying that the minor gore effects here are pathetically done and very unconvincing, with the body-on-the-door gag being the only real "special effect" of the bunch. Of course, what goes around comes around, and eventually the bad guys are offed by dog-mauling, fire, and scythes to the back, in that order. The fourth guy (get this) dresses up the charred corpse of one of his former friends in a female wig and shirt and cries in its lap, apparently looking for comfort from his "mother"! The acting is unbelievably bad, all amateurish and no familiar faces to be seen. The actresses playing the schoolgirls have all obviously been picked for their lack of inhibitions rather than anything else, whilst the guys playing the killers go way over the top with some of the most outrageous, hammiest acting you're ever likely to see in a British horror production of the '70s. Even the American (?) hero, Mike, is played by a really wooden bloke. So why does this film work for me? For a start, the dialogue, which is positively ringing with classic gems of priceless ineptitude, including the legendarily bad summing-up of the situation the characters find themselves in: "Blood on the moon, one mangled dog, one missing axe, and one lost girl who just found a body at the wrong end of the axe. How's that for the great English outdoors?". Then there are the over-acting guys, who turn the wannabe figures of terror into laughable buffoons, the abundance of poor effects work, unpredictable events and cheesy heroes. Birkinshaw, I salute you, for making one of the last great stands in British exploitation cinema history!
Birkinshaw seems to be going out of his way to make an offensive movie right from the start, when a bleeding, three-legged dog limps into view - apparently the fourth limb has been severed, by persons unknown! The setting is an effectively barren Lake District, which is one of the film's finest points: the isolated atmosphere of the British landscape really comes across and gives the movie an ideal setting, as in much the same way as a film like THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE for instance. Cold, gloomy, yet still attractively lush with greenery in places, the setting is ideal. Into this forbidding landscape comes a coach full of clichéd '70s schoolgirls, all into singing "Greensleeves" before their trip goes awry when the coach breaks down and they are forced to trek through the woods to the nearest place of salvation - a closed down hotel.
So far, so good, although you'll have already realised by now that this isn't the paciest of movies. The slow nature of the film may be off putting to those looking for faster, more serious scares, but let's face it, nobody here had a lot of budget to work with so things necessarily must be dragged out and laboured. And just as the film looks to become a bit boring, in come four of the most outrageous film characters to liven it up. Nevermind that they're all loonies from the local asylum - here the mentally ill are portrayed as evil, twisted psychopaths with no redeeming values, three ending up brutally killed as a result of their own crimes, the fourth finally resembling a pathetic child of a man. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is the big influence here, both in the characters' attire and their choice of names ("Mr Smith, Mr Muldoon... Mr Trubshaw" - I mean, please!), and also in the way in which they casually go about raping and murdering all in their path. The idea that they believe they're living out all their worst desires in a safe dream-world is a clever one, giving the movie the one spark of minor originality and interest which it otherwise lacks.
What follows is a catalogue of atrocities, all played out in a commendably straight-faced manner. Cats have their tails cruelly lopped off; shrewish housewives are pinned to their own doors with kitchen knives; all manner of young and attractive schoolgirls are stripped and violated by the scheming mad men (watch those nightdresses, which seem to fall off suspiciously easily). Even the comedic coach driver (as played by the inimitable "Chubby" Oates - I wonder what became of him?) gets an axe in the head. It goes without saying that the minor gore effects here are pathetically done and very unconvincing, with the body-on-the-door gag being the only real "special effect" of the bunch. Of course, what goes around comes around, and eventually the bad guys are offed by dog-mauling, fire, and scythes to the back, in that order. The fourth guy (get this) dresses up the charred corpse of one of his former friends in a female wig and shirt and cries in its lap, apparently looking for comfort from his "mother"! The acting is unbelievably bad, all amateurish and no familiar faces to be seen. The actresses playing the schoolgirls have all obviously been picked for their lack of inhibitions rather than anything else, whilst the guys playing the killers go way over the top with some of the most outrageous, hammiest acting you're ever likely to see in a British horror production of the '70s. Even the American (?) hero, Mike, is played by a really wooden bloke. So why does this film work for me? For a start, the dialogue, which is positively ringing with classic gems of priceless ineptitude, including the legendarily bad summing-up of the situation the characters find themselves in: "Blood on the moon, one mangled dog, one missing axe, and one lost girl who just found a body at the wrong end of the axe. How's that for the great English outdoors?". Then there are the over-acting guys, who turn the wannabe figures of terror into laughable buffoons, the abundance of poor effects work, unpredictable events and cheesy heroes. Birkinshaw, I salute you, for making one of the last great stands in British exploitation cinema history!
Rape and murder in the beautiful Lake District
Stevieboy6662 September 2022
Despite being a veteran of watching horror movies I had not had the "pleasure" of this one, until now. As a Brit myself I always like to champion British horror but Killer's Moon is a real mixed bag, as much exploitation as it is horror but not terribly good at either. Four convicted rapists and murderers escape from an experimental treatment centre in the beautiful Lake District and come across a stranded group of school girls and their teachers, whom they proceed to rape and kill. More or less from the start we see a soft sex scene in a tent, the girl is topless and there is plenty more of this to come. We are also introduced to Pete, one of the main characters who sports a very fake American accent, not a good sign of the acting quality. The four escapees are heavily sedated on medically administered drugs and constantly keep talking about being in a dream state, which soon becomes very monotonous. Furthermore these maniacs are all wearing white garments, already an obvious take from "A Clockwork Orange" but when one puts on a black bowler hat then it becomes droogs in the Lakes. The girls' bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, after a hike they find refuge for the night at an impressive looking Gothic hotel, closed for the season but kindly granted accommodation. The Brits were masters of Gothic Horror and this old building is a fine example of Gothic architecture and a great setting. Sadly, also in the British tradition, many of the night scenes were obviously filmed in daylight, the poor continuity has the sky going from dark to blue and back to dark within seconds of each other (there is a Full Moon, hence the title, so naturally the night sky would be lighter but not to the extent shown here). There are some vicious kill scenes such as axe to the head, though the special effects budget obviously wasn't up to much. Far more disturbing are the rape scenes, even more so because they include school girls as victims. Sadly the writers seem to downplay this horrid, vile act. A young woman is raped by three men (not shown) and afterwards she looks and sounds incredibly intact and calm despite her ordeal. Even worse one school girl says to another "Look, you were only raped. So long as yo don't tell anyone you'll be alright" - I'm thinking, what!!!??? Killer's Moon is a nasty horror movie, flawed but also memorable.
all about Hannah from Killers Moon
pond_autos31 January 2007
I was about 12 years old when i heard about this film from my stepfather. he was the owner of the Doberman dog (Hannah) who starred in the film and retired to live with his parents, Hannah was used because she was a three legged dog and this is to let you know how she came to lose her leg. my stepfather was publican and ran a very b busy pub. Hannah lived in the pub and was friendly to everyone. one night as he was closing up two men came into the pub with shotguns to rob him of the takings, one of the gunmen pointed the gun in my stepfathers face, Hannah who was behind the bar at the time jumped the bar and proceeded to jump over my fathers shoulder when the gun went off, she took the bullet saving my fathers life, the men panicked and ran. she was awarded a medal of bravery from the mayor of London and was presented with the pedigree chum golden bowl award that was presented to her by the cast of George and moldered she lived for a good few years and died in her sleep, i was lucky to see her a few times before she died and used to curl up with her in front of the fire and go to sleep. she is still spoken of in certain circles and very much missed.
"One of those nights Pete, blood on the moon, one mangled dog, one missing axe & one lost girl whose just found a body on the wrong end of the axe." Mixed feelings about it.
poolandrews25 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Killer's Moon starts in the isolation of the Lake District in England as a coach of school choir girls travel onwards to a concert they are going to perform at. Meanwhile in central London a government minister (Hugh Ross) is giving a psychiatrist (James Kerry) & prison governor (Graham Rowe) a right going over as they try to explain away the escape of four mental patients who all have sexually violent convictions, the psychiatrist says that they were being treated with an experimental drug in which the patient would think he was in a dream. Back to the Lake District & the coach has run into difficulties & has broken down with the driver (Chubby Oates) unable to repair it. The supervising teachers Mrs. Hargreaves (Jean Reeve) & Miss Lilac (Elizabeth Counsell) decide to try & find a hotel which they eventually do, the owner Mrs. May (Hilda Braid) finds rooms for them all. Unfortunately for them the four escaped lunatics who now call themselves Mr. Smith (Nigel Gregory), Mr. Trubshaw (David Jackson), Mr. Muldoon (Paul Rattee) & Mr. Jones (Peter Spraggon) are on the loose & doped up on drugs ready to rape & murder. The girls only hope are two campers Mike (Tom Marshall) & Pete (Anthony Forrest) & whether they can contact outside help...
This English production was co-written, co-produced & directed by Alan Birkinshaw & I have to say I liked it to a certain extent but a few things let it down. The script by Birkinshaw & an uncredited Faye Weldon has a nice premise & lots of potential but it becomes too bogged down in unnecessary nonsense as it drags badly towards the end with endless shots of people walking around in the dark & overall it becomes rather dull around the hour mark & it never really recovers. Then there's the expected sleaze, sex & violence which when actually seen is a bit too tame for my liking & Killer's Moon reputation is way over hyped & doesn't deserve to be described as 'Nastily Exploitative' or 'One of the Sleaziest British Movies Ever Made' as it has been. Killer's Moon has a certain British eccentricity & quirkiness about it that I liked while some of the dialogue is really funny & lightens the tone a lot, one of the lunatics to another after having raped one of the girls "Mr. Jones I feel we may have done something wrong" & one of the girls comforting another "you were only raped, as long as don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright" are just two of the absolute gems that can be heard in Killer's Moon.
Director Birkinshaw does an OK job but it's hardly the best looking film ever, he also throws in a bizarre three legged dog that pops up on occasion & there's a Clockwork Orange (1971) thing going on with the way the lunatics are dressed in white & the way they speak to each other. I thought Killer's Moon had a nice sleazy atmosphere to it as a film dealing with the rape & terrorising of school girls would have, having said that I never forgot that I was watching a film & couldn't take it seriously. I just wish the pace of the film had been tightened up & that there was more gore in it rather than lots of silly dialogue. The gore is actually a little tame, an axe in someones neck, a slashed cheek, a dog with it's leg cut off & a cat has it's tail chopped off, a woman is impaled to a door with a knife through her throat, a burned body & someone is stabbed with a sickle with none of it being particularly convincing or graphic.
Technically Killer's Moon is quite good, it's competent & the location shooting helps. The acting was OK & those thick English accents are just great aren't they? What a country I live in!
Killer's Moon was a nice & pretty sleazy film to a certain point but unfortunately there are too many flaws for me to be able to wholeheartedly recommend it. I think it's worth a watch for horror fans but most casual viewers will probably hate it. Maybe one for most people to give a miss even though I thought there were a few decent moments in it.
This English production was co-written, co-produced & directed by Alan Birkinshaw & I have to say I liked it to a certain extent but a few things let it down. The script by Birkinshaw & an uncredited Faye Weldon has a nice premise & lots of potential but it becomes too bogged down in unnecessary nonsense as it drags badly towards the end with endless shots of people walking around in the dark & overall it becomes rather dull around the hour mark & it never really recovers. Then there's the expected sleaze, sex & violence which when actually seen is a bit too tame for my liking & Killer's Moon reputation is way over hyped & doesn't deserve to be described as 'Nastily Exploitative' or 'One of the Sleaziest British Movies Ever Made' as it has been. Killer's Moon has a certain British eccentricity & quirkiness about it that I liked while some of the dialogue is really funny & lightens the tone a lot, one of the lunatics to another after having raped one of the girls "Mr. Jones I feel we may have done something wrong" & one of the girls comforting another "you were only raped, as long as don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright" are just two of the absolute gems that can be heard in Killer's Moon.
Director Birkinshaw does an OK job but it's hardly the best looking film ever, he also throws in a bizarre three legged dog that pops up on occasion & there's a Clockwork Orange (1971) thing going on with the way the lunatics are dressed in white & the way they speak to each other. I thought Killer's Moon had a nice sleazy atmosphere to it as a film dealing with the rape & terrorising of school girls would have, having said that I never forgot that I was watching a film & couldn't take it seriously. I just wish the pace of the film had been tightened up & that there was more gore in it rather than lots of silly dialogue. The gore is actually a little tame, an axe in someones neck, a slashed cheek, a dog with it's leg cut off & a cat has it's tail chopped off, a woman is impaled to a door with a knife through her throat, a burned body & someone is stabbed with a sickle with none of it being particularly convincing or graphic.
Technically Killer's Moon is quite good, it's competent & the location shooting helps. The acting was OK & those thick English accents are just great aren't they? What a country I live in!
Killer's Moon was a nice & pretty sleazy film to a certain point but unfortunately there are too many flaws for me to be able to wholeheartedly recommend it. I think it's worth a watch for horror fans but most casual viewers will probably hate it. Maybe one for most people to give a miss even though I thought there were a few decent moments in it.
Take the ninnies out, 110% better.
natashabowiepinky28 March 2014
A coachload of schoolgirls on a tour of Britain singing choir songs has to make an emergency stop in the middle of nowhere because their vehicle has broken down. There are four escaped mental patients on the loose, who have been hypnotised into thinking everything they do is a dream.. allowing them to fulfill their darkest fantasies. Here's a newsflash: Their paths cross at some point. Luckily, they have a three legged dog on their side, and two blokes camped on the moors come to their aid. I don't think much of the ladies night attire, though...
Fay Weldon did some work on the script of this slasher, which later she claimed was a 'terrible mistake' as her written dialogue turned it into a cult film. Pardon me for taking the wind out of your sails Ms Weldon, but I didn't hear anything remotely witty or sparkling during the course of the film. What did catch my ear was loads of verbal diarrhea from our resident quartet of on-the-run loonies. Who ever thought insanity could be so... dreary?
And to think, it all starts off decently enough, with a nice set-up to provide the template for a satisfactory horror. Then, the weirdos show up, prancing around as if trying out for cabaret, spouting their absolute drivel... and we can't take them seriously. Whatever mood the director tried to establish is more-or-less ruined by these four walking bad jokes. They're not frightening in any way, just bloody annoying. After listening to them for minutes on end, death would almost be a mercy. 4/10
Fay Weldon did some work on the script of this slasher, which later she claimed was a 'terrible mistake' as her written dialogue turned it into a cult film. Pardon me for taking the wind out of your sails Ms Weldon, but I didn't hear anything remotely witty or sparkling during the course of the film. What did catch my ear was loads of verbal diarrhea from our resident quartet of on-the-run loonies. Who ever thought insanity could be so... dreary?
And to think, it all starts off decently enough, with a nice set-up to provide the template for a satisfactory horror. Then, the weirdos show up, prancing around as if trying out for cabaret, spouting their absolute drivel... and we can't take them seriously. Whatever mood the director tried to establish is more-or-less ruined by these four walking bad jokes. They're not frightening in any way, just bloody annoying. After listening to them for minutes on end, death would almost be a mercy. 4/10
Sleazy, but not in a good way
lazarillo2 November 2004
This is an interesting piece of sleaze from that morally upright island off the northwest coast of Europe. I first saw it on a double bill with "House on Straw Hill" and I have no idea why the latter got branded a "video nasty" in Britain but this one didn't. Three homicidal maniacs who are fed LSD and believe they're dreaming terrorize a broken-down bus full of schoolgirls in the Lake District. You might ask yourself several questions: Why would anyone feed homicidal maniacs LSD (not to mention dress them in bowler hats like the droogs in "A Clockwork Orange")? Why would LSD make someone think they're dreaming? (Do the lecherous sleazeballs who made this have no firsthand experience with drug abuse?) If the characters think they're dreaming, why do they talk to each other? Finally, and most importantly, why would being doped up on LSD make homicidal maniacs any more frightening than they already are?
Some people found the fact that the victims are schoolgirls quite offensive. Well, it would be if the buxom, overage East End strippers they cast in this movie, dressed in schoolgirl outfits, and handed out teddy bears to were remotely believable as schoolgirls. What is more offensive is the cavalier attitude the movie has toward rape. One girl tells another not to be upset because she was "only raped" by the maniacs (if she'd been murdered THEN she could complain). The movie shows such empathy for its characters that one major character simply disappears halfway through and her dead body shows up as an after-thought in the closing credits. And if this movie isn't enough of a geek show, there's a three-legged dog wandering around, and, oh never mind. I'm trying to find something good to say about this movie--well, if you fall asleep and dream (or you are given a strong dose of LSD) you can imagine that you're watching "Breakfast at Manchester Morgue" or one of the other good horror movies made in the Lake District.
Some people found the fact that the victims are schoolgirls quite offensive. Well, it would be if the buxom, overage East End strippers they cast in this movie, dressed in schoolgirl outfits, and handed out teddy bears to were remotely believable as schoolgirls. What is more offensive is the cavalier attitude the movie has toward rape. One girl tells another not to be upset because she was "only raped" by the maniacs (if she'd been murdered THEN she could complain). The movie shows such empathy for its characters that one major character simply disappears halfway through and her dead body shows up as an after-thought in the closing credits. And if this movie isn't enough of a geek show, there's a three-legged dog wandering around, and, oh never mind. I'm trying to find something good to say about this movie--well, if you fall asleep and dream (or you are given a strong dose of LSD) you can imagine that you're watching "Breakfast at Manchester Morgue" or one of the other good horror movies made in the Lake District.
If Ed Wood Made a Carry-On Movie..........
simest18 January 2006
To describe KILLER'S MOON as dreadful could still be a little flattering to those behind it. Yes, any meaningful budget is here conspicuous in it's absence but there's still no escaping that this Brit-indie cheapie is inept on just about every level and amateurish in the extreme. Atrociously shot, edited, acted(!) and written, this may be the closest the world will ever get to a Carry-On movie directed by Ed Wood - but perhaps not quite as accomplished.
Such as it is, the plot throws us a busload of teenage schoolgirls stranded in the Lake District, who are subsequently terrorised by perverse mental escapees who believe they're acting out a dream.
And so there you have it!
Throw in some cheap gore and a cast of British non-actors and you emerge with a mesmerising crash course of how to fail at film-making on practically every level. Some laughs are there to be had, but you have to be drunk enough to find them. There is of course, a twisted charm to this type of film and fans of schlock-exploitation are likely to break even having given this one their time.
Look fast for a pre-reality TV fame Lisa Vanderpump, here light years away from the glitz and glamour of THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS. Strangely enough, she never mentions this movie when reminiscing about her humble days as a young lass growing up in England!
Such as it is, the plot throws us a busload of teenage schoolgirls stranded in the Lake District, who are subsequently terrorised by perverse mental escapees who believe they're acting out a dream.
And so there you have it!
Throw in some cheap gore and a cast of British non-actors and you emerge with a mesmerising crash course of how to fail at film-making on practically every level. Some laughs are there to be had, but you have to be drunk enough to find them. There is of course, a twisted charm to this type of film and fans of schlock-exploitation are likely to break even having given this one their time.
Look fast for a pre-reality TV fame Lisa Vanderpump, here light years away from the glitz and glamour of THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS. Strangely enough, she never mentions this movie when reminiscing about her humble days as a young lass growing up in England!
Incompetent slasher
Johnb-1822 March 2000
When I think painful movie watching, I think Killer's Moon. I would refer to it as a slasher movie, but that would be an insult to fine slasher films worldwide. Here's a plot summary: Four deranged guys come upon a busload of stranded schoolgirls. Sounds good right? It's not. I was intrigued by the possibilities but the movie is terminally dull. Incompetence from beginning to end.
boring and worthless
movieman_kev11 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
A group of schoolgirls are terrorized by four crazed escaped mental patients who believe that they're dreaming in this sleazy little British film. This movie starts off fairly slow and keeps that leisurely pace throughout even when the action ramps up. That, along with the killers being a little on the pushover side, (one gets dispatched by a three-legged dog!!!!) kept me from getting that involved with the movie. For a similarly themed but MUCH better film, you'd do well to rent 1982's "Alone in the Dark" which is everything great that this film is not.
My Grade: D
DVD Extras: Commentary by Director Alan Birkinshaw & actress Joanne Good; Interviews with Birkenshaw & Good color & black and white stills galleries; original & original x-rated trailers for this film; and a trailer for "Nature Morte" (which features nudity)
My Grade: D
DVD Extras: Commentary by Director Alan Birkinshaw & actress Joanne Good; Interviews with Birkenshaw & Good color & black and white stills galleries; original & original x-rated trailers for this film; and a trailer for "Nature Morte" (which features nudity)
I can dream about you.
Hey_Sweden31 May 2015
Four escaped mental patients go on your standard issue rampage, in the English wilderness. These maniacs have been drugged out and have gone through therapy that has convinced them that they're all in a dream state. As a result, they don't bother with anything resembling a moral filter. Dressed all in white, they soon are tormenting a gaggle of schoolgirls / choir members whose bus had broken down on the road.
Yes, "Killer's Moon" is sleazy and nonsensical, but damn if it isn't also atmospheric and sinister as well. The crude filmmaking and obviously low budget merely add to the ambiance. True enough that the script, by director Alan Birkinshaw, has its share of jaw dropping moments, such as when one character is advised that she should be grateful that she was "merely" raped (!). Therefore, it's not likely to appeal to horror and thriller fans across the board.
The scenario allows the men playing our merry band of maniacs to ham it up and engage in philosophical discussion on dreams vs. reality. Nigel Gregory, as Mr. Smith, David Jackson, as Mr. Trubshaw, Paul Rattee, as Mr. Muldoon, and Peter Spraggon, as Mr. Jones, are all fun. Anthony Forrest and Tom Marshall play Pete and Mike, our young heroes who coincidentally happen to be in the area, camping. The girls are all quite appealing and sympathetic. Jean Reeve, as Mrs. Hargreaves, and Elizabeth Counsell, as Miss Lilac, are amusing as the girls' chaperones.
Loopy and depraved entertainment overall, best recommended to trash aficionados.
Seven out of 10.
Yes, "Killer's Moon" is sleazy and nonsensical, but damn if it isn't also atmospheric and sinister as well. The crude filmmaking and obviously low budget merely add to the ambiance. True enough that the script, by director Alan Birkinshaw, has its share of jaw dropping moments, such as when one character is advised that she should be grateful that she was "merely" raped (!). Therefore, it's not likely to appeal to horror and thriller fans across the board.
The scenario allows the men playing our merry band of maniacs to ham it up and engage in philosophical discussion on dreams vs. reality. Nigel Gregory, as Mr. Smith, David Jackson, as Mr. Trubshaw, Paul Rattee, as Mr. Muldoon, and Peter Spraggon, as Mr. Jones, are all fun. Anthony Forrest and Tom Marshall play Pete and Mike, our young heroes who coincidentally happen to be in the area, camping. The girls are all quite appealing and sympathetic. Jean Reeve, as Mrs. Hargreaves, and Elizabeth Counsell, as Miss Lilac, are amusing as the girls' chaperones.
Loopy and depraved entertainment overall, best recommended to trash aficionados.
Seven out of 10.
Killer's Moon
Scarecrow-8822 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
A school bus carrying two schoolteachers and their teenage female students breaks down and so they, following the bus driver, sojourn for a spell, as the night begins to bare its presence, looking for shelter until help can arrive. Well, an old timer who lives in the general area leads the group to a hotel (which, by its exterior, looks like a castle) with a proprietor kindly enough to offer them refuge from the cold weather and nightfall. This proprietor is worried about a young woman who assists her, and the phone line seems to be out. Meanwhile, it is established that four lunatics have escaped from a "mental cottage" whose therapeutic techniques concern a type of "dream therapy", and it's only a matter of time before these psychopaths find the hotel, and the women who occupy it. The heroes of the film include two mountain climbers camping in the woods nearby the hotel who attempt to rescue the girls from certain doom. The filmmakers make damn sure to create a sense of foreboding, with characters (like the old man and the hotel proprietor) often expressing a feeling of unease about something being wrong out there. It takes about forty minutes for the loonies to make their presence known, although the bus driver gets it in the neck with an ax, and the old man's wife is strangled not long after slicing her killer with a knife he used to slice off a cat's arm. The killers, as we soon learn when they start yapping after some violence, believe their actions occur within a dream state—there's a bit of irony here, the supposed therapeutic technique used to cure them instead lends to their psychotic behavior. Rape, depravity, and executions on practically anyone they come across results from the failed dream therapy and the cottage's lack of security needed to keep them from escaping. To be honest, I didn't particularly find this movie, rated X by British censors, to be that frightening or sadistic, and it's laborious to sit through, while also occurring mostly at night (it looks like the filmmakers used the "day for night" technique), a murky viewing experience for a good deal of the running time. It's slow and uneventful, with the nutcases going on and on about their dreams. Sure these creeps take the teenage girls, in their nightgowns, forcing them on tables or the floor, delighting in the power they have because of the dreams they inhabit (or believe they inhabit). The gowns split down the middle to unveil the teenagers' breasts as the psychos decide to enjoy what they think the dreams allow them to. One girl is held down, her gown slowly ripped open as the sicko smiles fiendishly, resulting in sexual molestation. Two girls are told by Pete, one of the climbers, that the path to the village is safe, but one of the teenagers is chased away, her run futile as he catches up, ending in strangulation as her gown splits open—this is really as depraved and exploitative as the film gets, girls' gowns splitting down the middle, breasts revealed, a small bit of rape and strangulation to a few of them. Never really quite as potent as these films have a tendency of being, KILLER'S MOON shows how the climbers, because they are not insane, are able to outsmart the wackos who continue to believe they exist within a dream and therefore can do whatever their hearts desire. The weapons of execution include fire, a scythe, butcher knife, ax, and, as mentioned previously, hands—this might be enough to attract interested slasher fans and those who enjoy any exploitation they can get their hands on.
Drab but surreal proto-slasher
drownsoda904 July 2023
"Killer's Moon" focuses on a group of schoolgirls who become stranded on a field trip and spend the night in a sprawling, isolated hotel in the Lake District. Unlucky for them, four escaped psychiatric patients dosed on LSD are roaming the nearby woods.
Released barely two months after John Carpenter's "Halloween," "Killer's Moon" is something of an unsung British proto-slasher with a more blunt exploitation edge to it. The plot setup makes for a prime slasher scenario, and while the film doesn't fully ensconce itself in the nascent template, there are certainly shades of it throughout.
The killers and their motives here are certainly strange, and constitute one of the film's more unique elements. The four psychopaths are high on LSD (which has been used experimentally by their psychiatrists to treat their mental illnesses), and believe themselves to be in a shared dreamworld where they can live out their sick fantasies without consequence. The fact that they often appear similar to the motley crew of "A Clockwork Orange" makes it all the more strange.
The film is bolstered by a number of dreary nighttime sequences (many of which appear to have been shot near dawn, under a blue-tinged sky) and atmospheric, spooky forest locations, as well as the gothic and isolated hotel. Where the film falters a bit is in its screenplay and pacing. Despite the horrific things occurring, including rape of minors, the film doesn't achieve any tangible fever pitch; its tone often remains too plodding at times given the nature of the material. Some of the characters appear and disappear throughout, including one of the schoolgirls who winds up finding shelter with a trio of tourists camping nearby, which gives the film a slightly disjointed feel. Both the adult and youth cast here are fairly strong, and a number of famous faces appear throughout, including David Jackson, JoAnne Good, and Lisa Vanderpump.
Like the rest of it, the film's finale is similarly low-velocity, and the suspense suffers for it. However, there are still plenty of reasons why "Killer's Moon" is worth watching for genre fans. Its atmosphere is intoxicating, and the dark cinematography and locations add a great deal of production value. It is also tinged with enough veritable weirdness that it's simply hard to stop watching. 6/10.
Released barely two months after John Carpenter's "Halloween," "Killer's Moon" is something of an unsung British proto-slasher with a more blunt exploitation edge to it. The plot setup makes for a prime slasher scenario, and while the film doesn't fully ensconce itself in the nascent template, there are certainly shades of it throughout.
The killers and their motives here are certainly strange, and constitute one of the film's more unique elements. The four psychopaths are high on LSD (which has been used experimentally by their psychiatrists to treat their mental illnesses), and believe themselves to be in a shared dreamworld where they can live out their sick fantasies without consequence. The fact that they often appear similar to the motley crew of "A Clockwork Orange" makes it all the more strange.
The film is bolstered by a number of dreary nighttime sequences (many of which appear to have been shot near dawn, under a blue-tinged sky) and atmospheric, spooky forest locations, as well as the gothic and isolated hotel. Where the film falters a bit is in its screenplay and pacing. Despite the horrific things occurring, including rape of minors, the film doesn't achieve any tangible fever pitch; its tone often remains too plodding at times given the nature of the material. Some of the characters appear and disappear throughout, including one of the schoolgirls who winds up finding shelter with a trio of tourists camping nearby, which gives the film a slightly disjointed feel. Both the adult and youth cast here are fairly strong, and a number of famous faces appear throughout, including David Jackson, JoAnne Good, and Lisa Vanderpump.
Like the rest of it, the film's finale is similarly low-velocity, and the suspense suffers for it. However, there are still plenty of reasons why "Killer's Moon" is worth watching for genre fans. Its atmosphere is intoxicating, and the dark cinematography and locations add a great deal of production value. It is also tinged with enough veritable weirdness that it's simply hard to stop watching. 6/10.
There is potential in there
acidburn-1012 January 2015
It's always fun unearthing obscure slashers, especially British ones, there are quite a few gems out there, but amongst them is also a load of crap that deserves to be buried. "Killer's Moon" however falls somewhere in-between, it's not a terrible movie by any means, there are hints of greatness and potential in there, but it's just wedged between mediocrity.
The storyline has four escaped mental patients who under the influence of LSD roam the English country side and comes across a bus load of school girls stranded at a hotel in the middle of nowhere.
The first half of the movie is quite subdued and does well at keeping the mental patients mysterious, by not showing them, instead showing what they've done (especially to the dog), which was very disturbing and upsetting but it did keep the viewer intrigued and then when they do finally show their faces as they enter the hotel, it is quite terrifying and exciting. The acts of rape and violence are quite unsettling to watch, but sadly none of the school girls standout, as none of them are concentrated on long enough for me or any-one to care about, to be honest I couldn't even remember any of their names. Then of course there's characters that disappears for such long lengths of time, that by the time you do see them, well they are just forgotten about and of course what did happen to the games-keeper, he just seemed to vanish and also the hotel owner (who does turn up at the end) like an after thought, but when did that happen.
All in all "Killer's Moon" is not a bad movie, but not that great either and if you're into this sort of movie, well let's just say there are much better out there.
The storyline has four escaped mental patients who under the influence of LSD roam the English country side and comes across a bus load of school girls stranded at a hotel in the middle of nowhere.
The first half of the movie is quite subdued and does well at keeping the mental patients mysterious, by not showing them, instead showing what they've done (especially to the dog), which was very disturbing and upsetting but it did keep the viewer intrigued and then when they do finally show their faces as they enter the hotel, it is quite terrifying and exciting. The acts of rape and violence are quite unsettling to watch, but sadly none of the school girls standout, as none of them are concentrated on long enough for me or any-one to care about, to be honest I couldn't even remember any of their names. Then of course there's characters that disappears for such long lengths of time, that by the time you do see them, well they are just forgotten about and of course what did happen to the games-keeper, he just seemed to vanish and also the hotel owner (who does turn up at the end) like an after thought, but when did that happen.
All in all "Killer's Moon" is not a bad movie, but not that great either and if you're into this sort of movie, well let's just say there are much better out there.
You people are all crazy. Killer's Moon is a genre classic
colin_keltie18 November 2005
Now come on. Killer's Moon occupies a special spot in my heart for a number of reasons. Firstly, I was ten years old when it came out, and being mad for the horror flick, I remember wishing I was just that little bit bigger: big enough to blag my way into an "X" so I could see for myself what all this lurid stuff was really about! Happily, being a glandular freak, it wasn't too much longer before I was able to enjoy an illicit euroslash treat down the local fleapit whilst supposedly going to see "Empire Strikes Back". Hah! So years later I've caught up with Killer's Moon (around about 1985 as it goes) and y'know what? It has never disappointed me since. It's got its charming little flaws: so what? So it's not a highly polished, taught, edge-of-the-seat number: so what? The Hollywood machine, in the years since 1978, has learned to squeeze out dozens of highly polished, taught, edge-of-the-seat numbers - most of which are excrement. You tell me in all honesty that "The Ring 2" or "Cursed" are better efforts than Killer's Moon and I'll eat the dog's remaining legs.
What Killer's Moon does for me is takes me back to reading 2000ad, watching "Crown Court" and catching trailers for "Food of the Gods/Squirm (from Friday)" and wishing I was grown up enough to see them. Now I am grown up enough to see them, they are every bit as good as I expected.
So, away with your effete whining. Honestly, some of you moan it's sick, others moan it's not graphic enough, others moan that it's inept. What it's got is a lot of heart and soul (and half naked ladies). Killer's Moon is the "Eddie the Eagle" of genre cinema: you kind of know it's rubbish, but it leaves you with a warm glow, cheering it on.
Killer's Moon will always make my top five, and I'm never wrong about anything, so put that in your collective pipes and smoke it!
What Killer's Moon does for me is takes me back to reading 2000ad, watching "Crown Court" and catching trailers for "Food of the Gods/Squirm (from Friday)" and wishing I was grown up enough to see them. Now I am grown up enough to see them, they are every bit as good as I expected.
So, away with your effete whining. Honestly, some of you moan it's sick, others moan it's not graphic enough, others moan that it's inept. What it's got is a lot of heart and soul (and half naked ladies). Killer's Moon is the "Eddie the Eagle" of genre cinema: you kind of know it's rubbish, but it leaves you with a warm glow, cheering it on.
Killer's Moon will always make my top five, and I'm never wrong about anything, so put that in your collective pipes and smoke it!
Comedic gold!
rolfosterberg1 September 2022
4 LSD stoned psychos escape from their "Dream therapy " believing they are dreaming. They come across a group of stranded girls and mayhem ensues,
Now, this has been called Uks sleaziest film, video nasty aso.. But come on! Yes, there are rapes and murders but in some weird way you just cant take it serious!
From funny dialogue to one person fainting time and time again, to a three legged dog and a wardrobe straight from A clockwork orange!
Its obviously played for laughs. And even Birkinshaw says in an interview that they made it for fun! To entertain!
In sweden it was on the video nasty list but there's nothing here to warrant that title.
I was truly entertained thruout the 90min runtime! And i would recommend it to fans of over the top 70:ies cinema!
Just expect plotholes, goofy effects and overacting galore!
From funny dialogue to one person fainting time and time again, to a three legged dog and a wardrobe straight from A clockwork orange!
Its obviously played for laughs. And even Birkinshaw says in an interview that they made it for fun! To entertain!
In sweden it was on the video nasty list but there's nothing here to warrant that title.
I was truly entertained thruout the 90min runtime! And i would recommend it to fans of over the top 70:ies cinema!
Just expect plotholes, goofy effects and overacting galore!
"Was my performance lacking? It usually is."
parry_na28 March 2022
Drugs, psychopathic criminals, underage sex - it's all going on in this low-budget British shocker. One of the schoolgirls is played by Jane Haydon, sister of horror legend Linda (most famous perhaps for her role as Angel Blake in 'Blood on Satan's Claw').
A busload of stranded girls spend the night in an unfinished hotel 'in the wilds of nowhere', where nearby asylum inmates, tanked up with LSD as part of their experimental therapy, escape and cause horrific carnage.
The escaped inmates' atrocities are very much in the style of the ultra-violence on display in 'The Clockwork Orange', where this film takes a lot of its cues - especially main escapee Mr. Trubshawe (David Jackson - possibly most famous for playing Gan early on in BBC TV space opera Blake's 7). Apart from the subject matter being distinctly unsavoury, there is a lack of pace to the proceedings.
Some of dialogue is alarming. "See - you're better," one girl assures her friend who has just been raped, when she accepts a cup of coffee.
With all this going on, events are surprisingly slow and turgid. Never quite aspiring to the disturbing levels of 'A Clockwork Orange', this is ultimately an average rip-off. My score is 5 out of 10.
A busload of stranded girls spend the night in an unfinished hotel 'in the wilds of nowhere', where nearby asylum inmates, tanked up with LSD as part of their experimental therapy, escape and cause horrific carnage.
The escaped inmates' atrocities are very much in the style of the ultra-violence on display in 'The Clockwork Orange', where this film takes a lot of its cues - especially main escapee Mr. Trubshawe (David Jackson - possibly most famous for playing Gan early on in BBC TV space opera Blake's 7). Apart from the subject matter being distinctly unsavoury, there is a lack of pace to the proceedings.
Some of dialogue is alarming. "See - you're better," one girl assures her friend who has just been raped, when she accepts a cup of coffee.
With all this going on, events are surprisingly slow and turgid. Never quite aspiring to the disturbing levels of 'A Clockwork Orange', this is ultimately an average rip-off. My score is 5 out of 10.
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