Communion (1976)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Alfred Sole

Writers:

Rosemary Ritvo (original screenplay) &
Alfred Sole (original screenplay)

Release Date:

13 November 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

If You Survive This Night... Nothing Will Scare You Again.

Plot:

After a young girl is brutally murdered during her first communion, her strange and withdrawn older sister becomes the main suspect.

Plot Keywords:

Mistaken Identity | New Jersey | Raincoat | 1960s | Shoes

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Linda Miller	...	Catherine Spages
Mildred Clinton	...	Mrs. Tredoni
Paula E. Sheppard	...	Alice Spages (as Paula Sheppard)
Niles McMaster	...	Dominick 'Dom' Spages
Jane Lowry	...	Aunt Annie DeLorenze
Rudolph Willrich	...	Father Tom
Michael Hardstark	...	Detective Spina
Alphonso DeNoble	...	Mr. Alphonso
Gary Allen	...	Jim DeLorenze
Brooke Shields	...	Karen Spages
Louisa Horton	...	Dr. Whitman
Tom Signorelli	...	Detective Brennan
Lillian Roth	...	Pathologist (as Miss Lillian Roth)
Patrick Gorman	...	Father Pat
Kathy Rich	...	Angela DeLorenze

Also Known As:

Alice Sweet Alice (USA) (reissue title)
Holy Terror (USA) (cut version)

Runtime:

98 min | Spain:83 min | Argentina:108 min | Australia:106 min | USA:108 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

1 James Street, Paterson, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Harristown Funding

Trivia:

Paula E. Sheppard, who played 12-year-old Alice, was 19 during the making of the film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Mrs. Tredoni answers the door for Catherine at the rectory, the boom mike is visible in a mirror.

Quotes:

Mr. Alphonso: [to Alice who has brought a rent check from her mother to him] Give me that check!
Mr. Alphonso: [Alice crunches the check in her hands as he grabs it] You little bitch! Look what you've done to this check!

Movie Connections:

References Psycho (1960)

Soundtrack:

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

Impossible to just dismiss once you've seen it.

A very subtle, character-driven drama / thriller / murder mystery about disturbed young Alice (Paula Sheppard), who comes under suspicion for the grisly murder of her doted-on sister Karen (Brooke Shields, in her first film role), strangled and set afire - inside a church, no less.

Noteworthy for the heavy Catholic imagery throughout, as well as a quietly sinister mood and feel, this film's brief bursts of graphic violence are definitely jarring. The acting is better than one might expect for an independent genre picture, with Sheppard genuinely believable in her role, and Jane Lowry stomping on the scenery quite effectively as her nasty Aunt Annie. A prominent supporting character is that of an obese, cat loving pervert, Mr. Alphonse, and this has to rank as one of the more memorable creeps I've seen portrayed in film.

While I found it a little slow moving for my liking, it's still worth sticking with. It's an intriguing little picture, refreshingly unpredictable. I dare say, even the revelation of the killers' identity might take some viewers by surprise. It leads to an undeniably powerful final freeze frame.

The director, Alfred Sole, ultimately went into production design instead of sticking with directing, which is a little too bad, given that he only directed a few other films, one of them being the star-studded slasher spoof "Pandemonium".

One thing I definitely enjoyed was the low-key, melodic music score by Stephen Lawrence, also helping it to stick in the memory.

Overall, it should be noted for more than the trivia value (i.e. Shields's debut); it's worth looking into for those who have yet to see it. Recommended viewing.

7/10