Study time. Where did it start? Two years before I was born, that’s when. From a period perspective it feels strange, almost like watching a modern period film. I guess in some ways this was one of the films that began both the final-girl and slut-slaughter tropes that have lasted so long? And holy-moly, why anyone paid babysitters here is beyond me… they apparently only exist to cause chaos in your home.
I do like a character who is just undeniably evil… no explanations needed, no motivations clearly conveyed… just we looked in his eyes and we knew. It’s something that’s not done as much in a less religious world I guess, because we like there to be a coherent backstory, not just a tick-a-box “evil.” But it’s kinda cool. We may never know, and he’s evil. And well evil he is.
There’s a lot of sex. A lot of stabbing and strangulation. Interesting offscreen tension…. There are a surprising number of bad things that happen that are not actually shown in any detail.
I guess for its time it is a solid horror… and I’m sure it did a lot of begetting.
J* gives it 3 stars.
<review written in 2018>