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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82MVFDEV_Vs

The triumph of this movie, which is really pretty darn good, in in the casting of Arch Hall jr as the antagonist. If you saw Eegah and/or Wild guitar, and theres a very good chance you did if you post here alot, you know that while he does have very nice hair, there was something off about ol arch jr as a teen idol.  Mainly, he has kind of an ...interesting face. lotta CHARACTER you might say.


If anyone was meant to play a serial killer in a movie, it was he. Not surprisingly this is several levels above his previous movies in all normal manners of judgement.

Based on real events, Hall Jr plays a demented and yes sadistic guy who torments a young (ish) couple, or they kinda become a couple during the thing, seemingly to entertain himself and his equally crazy girlfriend. The one hostage lady looks uncannily like my friend Dave's wife but unlike her is pretty annoying. This made it a little hard to be upset when she was tormented which was pretty often (see trailer). The male lead is a normal guy who is kind of struggling towards beefcake but alas so far away. I can't remember what he's supposed to be, a teacher or salesman or something.

It's the hostage scenerio where the guy has the gun drawn the whole time and the people try and reason with him and he's crazy and what are we going to do and so forth. It is trashy and violent and while not too overtly sexual was pretty risque, certainly more than most movies in 1963. A guy holding a couple hostage is by now not the freshest scenerio but you can forgive them considering it was made a thousand years ago and it's solid and entertaining.

The print netflix sent was a little messed up for some reason, mainly the second half. I don't know if it was the transfer or what but it was a little distracting.

4.5/5

I own this on DVD and ever since I first saw it online I thought it was an overlooked gem.
i would never watch it with anybody from my generation since most kids would be bored to tears. I did watch it with my parents and they wouldn't stop obsessing over Arch's hair.

Just need a movie called "The Masochist".

The SADIST was way ahead of it's time!
(oh yeah,it was loosly based on Charles Starkweather and Carol Fugate-who lives here in Michigan now!)
Another film based on Charles and Carol was the Martin Sheen/Sissy Spacek film BADLANDS.

The people who made that movie really knew what they we're doing.
The transformation of the Cabbage Patch Elvis into the Sadist was simply amazing.
I'm surprised Arch Hall Jr. didn't take on more rolls for this kind of character acting!

It's so funny to think the same guy who was the star in the unintentional riot Wild Guitar was the Sadist.
Honestly, Wild Guitar is such a riot because he's so ugly and everyone keeps telling him how handsome he is in it, there's just too mcuh stuff to rip on about that movie. The fact that this multi-billion record company is ran out of some guys home office, and the newest star has to live in the same place as the execs.  Geez.

Love this movie and have this on blu-ray...I can see Arch Hall,Jr. doing more roles like this.

Job was teacher if I remember correctly.  I think math to be more specific. 

The movie is actually surprising I didn't really think I would like it as much as I did.  It had that torment that really brought the idea across and Hall Jr. played the character very well.  I was more then a little creeped out by him.  I saw it on Youtube if there is anyone who hasn't seen it yet. 

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcV5n9g1gdE

I have this in one of the Mill Creek 50 Movie Packs.  The DVD quality is very good and I definitely enjoyed the novie.

Everyone talks about Arch Hall's performance, and it's good--or at least, appropriate to the character--but it's really an excellent script that makes this one work.  It basically plays out in real time, on one set, with only a handful of actors, but the tension just keeps building and building.  Hall Jr. seems dumb but he's always one step ahead of the heroes; the movie's always giving us hope the hostages can escape then snatching it away. 

Also, the picture looks pretty damn good, thanks to Vilmos Zsigmond, who would go on to win a cinematography Oscar for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.  Every bead of sweat on Arch's greasy little forehead is in perfect focus.