CRIMINALLY INSANE {1975}

"250 POUNDS OF MANIACAL FURY!"  Priscilla Alden.  The great and powerful!  All hail the queen of CRIMINALLY INSANE:  the shoestring budget 1975 classic directed by Nick Millard (SATAN'S BLACK WEDDING).  Where has this movie been all my life?!?  Doesn't matter.  I have it in my life now and there it shall stay!  Ethel Janowski (Priscilla Alden) is recently released from an insane asylum and goes back home to live with mother (Jane Lambert).  Ethel grouses about how they were trying to kill her in there by insisting she only eat a boiled egg and a slice of dry toast for a meal.  Mother insists they were doing it to help Ethel loses weight.  Why should she lose weight, Ethel demands.  "Because of your heart, dear" mother offers.  "My heart is just fine," Ethel retorts, "as long as my stomach's not empty!"  You tell her, Ethel!!!

Ethel wakes up in the middle of the night wanting a snack but finds all the kitchen cabinets have been locked.  Mother informs Ethel that from now on she will provide only reasonable meals until Ethel learns to control her eating.  That's not gonna fly with Ethel who promptly buries a knife into Mother's back and relieves her of the key.  After num-numming her well-deserved snack, Ethel drags Mother's bloody body up the stairs and into her bedroom and promptly locks it in.  Now Ethel is free to eat whatever and whenever she pleases.  All except for that pesky unpaid grocery bill.  When the delivery boy comes with her weekly grocery order and says that his boss needs $80 in unpaid grocery bills before Ethel gets her food . . . well, let's just say it doesn't end well for the delivery boy!  His body joins Mother in her bedroom.  Soon, Ethel's estranged sister shows up to stay for a while.  Sis is a bit of a ho, tho, and soon enough starts bringing her tricks back to the house.  All well and good, at least the money she makes will pay some bills.  And then Sis's abusive boyfriend/pimp shows up to stay.  And the bodies in Mother's bedroom are beginning to smell . . .

Sleazy and grimy as all get out, CRIMINALLY INSANE features a truly wonderful performance by Priscille Alden -- one of my all-time favourite horror performances, if I'm honest.  Far from being the villain, Ethel is the hero and the audience is with her all the way.  All the other characters are pretty unpleasant and Ethel is just so damn lovable . . . even when she's slicing up people!  What could be more relatable than Ethel's simple desire to be left alone and enjoy her meal?!?!?!  Truly one of my favourite films I've seen this year, CRIMINALLY INSANE is a film you just can't miss!