Der Mittagsmörder (1963)
5KDer Mittagsmörder: Directed by James Landis. With Arch Hall Jr., Richard Alden, Marilyn Manning, Don Russell. Three people driving into Los Angeles for a Dodgers game have car trouble and pull off into an old wrecking yard where they are held at bay by a bloodthirsty psycho and his crazy girlfriend.
“While Iu0026#39;ve long been familiar with z-movies u0026quot;Eegah!u0026quot; and u0026quot;The Wild Guitar,u0026quot; this film, from the same people, slipped under my radar for years which is really a shame. Every bit as good as any big-studio, low-budget production from the era (perhaps even better than most), u0026quot;The Sadistu0026quot; is truly a gem thatu0026#39;ll never receive the recognition it deserves.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLoosely based on serial killer Charles Starkweather, Arch Hall Jr plays Charlie Tibbs, a psychotic delinquent who, aided by his girlfriend, holds three travelers hostage at gunpoint as they attempt to fix their broken-down car, which Charlie intends to use for his getaway. The film is slowly paced and has little plot, but thereu0026#39;s so much going for it particularly as the tension begins to mount. The acting is fantastic all around, not the hokey z-acting that I anticipated. The characterizations are rich and layered, Hall being a completely convincing standout (despite his u0026quot;Cabbage Patch Kidu0026quot; looks). The cinematography is fantastically detailed, with a variety of haunting visuals and innovative shots. The musical score is unobtrusive and perfectly suits the on screen action (and lack thereof).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe thing that astounds me most is how well this film has aged. The junkyard location is sort of timeless, the dialogue isnu0026#39;t stilted and dated like most other films of the era and no pop culture (except Coca-Cola) date it to any specific place and time. Even u0026quot;Psycho,u0026quot; a film whose success theyu0026#39;d intended to ride the coattails of, is far more dated than this one. Itu0026#39;s a psychological character movie, pure and simple. And itu0026#39;s because of the simplicity of the whole thing that itu0026#39;ll continue to stand the test of time. The one and only complaint that I have is the title, that doesnu0026#39;t quite suit it. Nonetheless, itu0026#39;s a great classic thriller and I hope that it will find the audience that it deserves on DVD.”
