The Sadist

Introduction

1999 was something of a watershed for previously banned films in Britain as the BBFC granted certificates to The Exorcist, Straw Dogs, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Driller Killer and The Sadist which had all previously been banned on home video (A Clockwork Orange was also released on DVD following Stanley Kubrick's death, but that had been withdrawn by Kubrick, not banned).

The Sadist (1963) is a low budget thriller by James Landis, produced by Arch Hall Sr. and starring his son Arch Hall Jr. and niece Helen Hovey. Three school teachers are driving to L.A. to see a Dodgers ballgame when their car breaks down but, before it dies, they manage to get it to a garage/junkyard. As one begins to fix it, another looks around to find the place empty though there are two used plates on the table and a pie is still warm.

From out of nowhere a young man and his girlfriend appear and begin tormenting the three teachers at gunpoint. Told in real time and based on the real life murderers Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, who inspired the later films Badlands (1973) and Natural Born Killers (1994), this is its first release on DVD in the UK since the ban was lifted.

Video

Although a cheap exploitation movie, The Sadist looks like a much more accomplished film because of the work of legendary cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (CE3K, McCabe and Mrs Miller, Deliverance). Zsigmond uses lighting, both natural and artificial, to great effect, making the events look like they take place in real time and there is great use of shadow and angles.

This transfer apparently came from Joe Dante's personal 35mm copy and, whilst the picture has a fair amount of graining and other detritus, it looks very good and the artefacts aren't a problem. It's a shame the picture isn't anamorphic but this doesn't really detract from the film.

Audio

The Dolby Digital mono track is largely clear though there is the occasional pop or hiss but the soundtrack is one of the standout features, with a terrific score which really keeps the tension high.

Extra Features

The only feature is a commentary with Vilmos Zsigmond and I expected a dry and bitty affair so was pleased when it was introduced by someone else who acts as a moderator, prompting Zsigmond for information about this film, his career in general and attitude towards black and white vs. colour. Interestingly he prefers monochrome and thinks that Deliverance could easily have been shot in black and white with the same effect.

The DVD apparently comes with a booklet (I was only provided with an extract in a Word document which contains an interesting and informative piece of an essay about the film and its production).

Conclusion

The Sadist was a cheap exploitation film, costing just $33,000 and starring only one professional actor yet it is an extremely affecting and tense thriller, with a remarkable performance by Arch Hall Jr. at its centre. He really comes across as a psychopathic killer, his mood switching between scenes and displaying a hint of sexual aggression. In the role of his girlfriend Judy, Marilyn Manning gives the character an immature side, accurate as Caril Fugate was only 14 when she took up with Starkweather, though Judy is reported on the police radios as being 18.

This is well directed by James Landis who gets the best out of his inexperienced cast and allows Zsigmond to shoot it how he wants, using tight close-ups and deep focus to really enhance the stress of the situation. For such a simple film, all shot on one location and with only five characters, it has the power to unsettle and keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the end. Highly recommended.