Killer Nun (1979)
Written By: DMG
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Giulio Berruti
Producer: Enzo Gallo
Screenplay: Giulio Berruti, Alberto Tarallo
Date Released: May 10, 1979
Cast:
Anita Ekberg as Sister Gertrude
Joe Dallesandro as Dr. Patrick Roland
Alida Valli as Mother Superior
Paola Morra as Sister Mathieu
Lou Castel as Peter
Massimo Serato as Dr. Poirret
Daniele Dublino as Director
Laura Nucci as Baroness
Rating = 2/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
Killer Nun (1979) is about a Nun named Sister Gurtrude, who runs a hospital ward for other sisters and patients within a convent. However, her desire for lust and murder goes rampant. Soon her appetite for killing becomes uncontrollable and multiple patients fall victim to her torturous ways.
Gore Factor
Killer Nun (1979) has some scenes of blood, although very minor. There is one scene that is impressionable. In this scene, one patient’s face is penetrated with small needles and then cut with a syringe. In another scene, a crippled patient is struggling to climb the stairs as the nun takes away his crutches. The film’s focus is geared more towards suspense and shock rather than outright gore. There are also quite a few scenes involving nudity.
The Grave Review
According to sources, the film, Killer Nun, was banned in the UK and classified as a “video nasty” for its exploitation and violent content. It also likely did not help that the film used the context of nuns and the church as the setting of this provocative film. In totality, the film was highly controversial for the 1970s. As an Italian-based horror film, there may have also been less regulations on this kind of film.
Oddly, some of the dialogue is Killer Nun is quite humorous. It is always interesting to see the sense of humor from other countries brought into the film. The acting was subpar, but respectable. The true focus of the film was not necessarily on the performances of the actors and actresses but rather the shock value of showing scenes of violence and nudity.
The story at a whole had an interesting plot and was a story which you could relate to true crime occurrences. For example, Jane Toppan, although not a nun, was a nurse who killed several of her patients during her lifetime. Although tried for murder, she was found not guilty for reasons of insanity. Killer Nun has a similar outcome. Although it may only be a coincidence that these two stories are similar, one can relate the true crime story to the movie.
In addition, the pace of Killer Nun is slow at certain points in the film. In addition, the execution of the story is sometimes a little confusing. However, the film did incorporate a fun twist at the end.
Overall, Kill Nun is a mediocre film at best, but if you are a fan of exploitation films, this may be one you would like to check out.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Killer Nun (1979) two graves out of five graves.
Do you like our review of the film, Killer Nun? Comment Below.
Join the Conversation