Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

SCHIZO

SCHIZO (1976). Director: Pete Walker.

Samantha (Lynne Frederick of No Blade of Grass) is engaged to be married to Alan Falconer (John Leyton), but she can't shake a feeling of doom or the fear that she is being stalked by her crazy "stepfather," Haskin (Jack Watson of Tower of Evil). Sam seeks advice and comfort from her friend Beth (Stephanie Beacham of Inseminoid) and another friend, Leonard (John Fraser) who happens to be a handy psychiatrist. There's also a young psychic lady named Joy (Trisha Mortimer) who tries to give Samantha a desperate warning. Then bodies start dropping all around Sam ... Schizo is, if nothing else, suspenseful as it drops in its red herrings and clues as to the true identity of the maniac, but it's not especially memorable. Walker also directed The Comeback and House of Whipcord. His movies always just seem to miss.

Verdict: Half entertaining. **1/2.

2 comments:

angelman66 said...

I LOVE cheesy horror flicks, especially of the 1970s variety...will look for this one. Stephanie Beacham is an added plus--I always enjoyed her back in the 80s on Dynasty and The Colbys. A very classy dame, obviously slumming in this slasher pic! ;-)

William said...

Beacham, like Joan Collins, did a lot of low-rent movies before she was rescued by television. I always thought her big cat- fight with Collins on "Dynasty" was hilarious. They made very good adversaries.