HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN
UK, 1975, 104 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Sharp, Susan Penhaligon, Stephanie Beacham.
Directed by Pete Walker.
English director Pete W alker has a penchant and a reputation for odd horror thrillers. Schizo and The House of Mortal Sin were written by British Film Institute critic David Mc Gillivray. The central characters are mad - audiences are fascinated by watching the madness act itself out in bizarre and gory killings. Father Meldrum of the 'House of Mortal Sin' provides a textbook of offences for moral theologians (and there are continuous references to updating and Vatican II). Schizo is a straightforward and, at times, as sensational as it sounds. Titles are plain and Walker is not prone to subtlety in theme or treatment. But who really expects subtlety anyway?
1. The title and its emphasis? The purpose of making this film in terms of entertainment, thriller, murder mystery, horror? How effectively did it blend these ingredients? Did it exploit them?
2. How interesting was the picture of the Catholic Church: the role and function of priests, the role of confession and the abuse of the power, the presentation of the other sacraments? Life in the presbytery, the style of priestly living of the conservative old priest and the modern young priest? The effect of the Vatican Council? The effect of this kind of cinematic presentation of priests as villains, and as disturbed in their vocation? A reflection of the 60s and the 70s?
3. How well did the film present and explore issues of murder and madness? Were the characters and events plausible? Psychologically, religiously?
4. The introduction and atmosphere of the opening death? Its violence, its history? The comparison of the ordinariness of Jenny and Vanessa? What kind of girl was each? Her work, shock, personalities, morals? The relationship of Jenny with her boyfriend? The encounter with Fr. Bernard? How credible a man and a priest was Bernard? The modern young priest, his willingness to help, his relationship with Fr. Meldrum, his living in a flat, his entanglement with Jenny, the overtones of sexuality? Was he effective as a priest? Dedicated?
7. Fr. Meldrum as the centre of the film? As an older priest, his way of life and style, personality? The revelation in the encounter with Jenny in the confession, his preoccupation with sexuality and sin, his eagerness to hear details, the surprise of his having tapes, his using them for blackmail? His demented wanting to help and convert? His operating with the logic of madness? How horrifying was this? The abuse of power and a self-appointed guardian of morals? How seemingly blasphemous were the killings? The use of the various sacred implements: the incense, the censor, the rosary, the poison in the Eucharist, the murdering of the two mothers by the communion? Audience response to this? Plausibility? The film's comment on sexuality and religion, moral stances, conscience, modern society and who makes the judgement about morals?
10. The skill of the screenplay in presenting Fr. Meldrum and his credibility? The fact that he always had answers to what had happened and protected himself?
11. The build-up to the various deaths: Jenny's boyfriend and his burial, Miss Brabazon, her role in the presbytery, her hold over Fr. Meldrum, her work with his mother, her being killed and being accused as the murderess? The murder and his mother, of Vanessa, the threat to Jenny?
12. The irony of the ending with Fr. Meldrum reassuring Bernard about the obstacles to his vocation being gone, of his remaining, the preservation of the status quo?
13. The menace of the ending as Fr. Meldrum went to murder Jenny? What did this leave the audience with?
14. Is the thriller and the horror film a good vehicle to explore issues like morals, sexuality and religion? Is there an implication at the end that the status quo looks all right but underneath religion there is all kind of abuse?
