07 December 2024
Scream Bloody Murder (1973)
87 min.
Directed by Marc B. Ray.
With Fred Holbert, Leigh Mitchell, Robert Knox, Ron Bastone, Suzette Hamilton.
This low budget horror isn't half bad.

As a momma-obsessed child, Matthew loses his left hand after intentionally killing his own father with a runaway tractor.

Now grown, Matthew (Holbert) and his hook-for-an-arm return home from a mental hospital only to find his mother remarried.

Furious, he slays both ma and his new stepdad and sets out on a murderous spree - seemingly spurred on by the ghosts of those he's claimed.

Matthew's deranged wrath seems to calm somewhat when he meets artist/hooker Vera (Mitchell). But surely his neurosis won't be quelled for long.

A surprisingly feisty little drive-in terror, this benefits from Mitchell's solid performance as the tortured heroine, while Holbert tows a nice line as the psycho without ever going over the top.

Kudos also to the creative editing during the kills which help to maximize shock value.

Gets a half star for both the healthy bodycount and depressing ending.

Aka Claw of Terror.

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