I’d heard of this movie years ago, seeing a picture of it in
a book on horror films and recalling the ad campaign when it came out in
theaters. Being young at the time it didn’t register much with my interests and
it wasn’t until years went by that I wondered what it was about and if it were
any good. With this release from Twilight Time that curiosity finally had a
chance to be satiated and I got to discover the answer to that questions.
Based in the real life account of serial killer John
Christie (Richard Attenborough) it tells the story of a man that everyone
considered a mild mannered older gent who along with his wife lives at the
address in the title. To make ends meet they rent out an apartment on the upper
floor to tenants. Unknown to his wife is that John has been killing those same
tenants and burying them in the backyard.
Passing himself off as a medical expert, having had some
small amount of training in the military, Christie lures women to his home for
treatment for various illnesses. What they end up with instead is being
murdered. What was probably more controversial at the time the film was
released is the fact that Christie also found sexual release in handling the
bodies once they were deceased. Nothing blatant mind you but the topic is
obvious.
Into the lives of Christie and his wife enter Beryl and Tim
Evans (Judy Geeson and John Hurt). The pair are doing their best to make ends
meet and have a new baby along with them. Renting the upstairs apartment Beryl
becomes the focus of Christie whose intentions we are well aware of. Not only
is this a horrifying situation involving a new mother and child, the end result
which we know will happen, he convinces Tim that he is to blame for it all.
The question that follows is what will be the undoing of
Christie? Since history tells us he was revealed and captured, how did this
happen? And what of the family’s whose lives he touched? What of Tim who blames
himself for the events that took place at 1 Rillington Place?
The film is not one for a generation of quick cuts and fast
paced storytelling. This is a slow burn, revealing the motives, passions and mysteries
that surrounded John Christie. He’s not a sympathetic character at all but a
curiosity instead. How he was able to not only take the lives of people but
keep it hidden to the extent that he did is chilling.
All involved play their roles to the hilt. Hurt, an actor
that most were unfamiliar with at the time, is the most animated of the bunch.
Geeson, whose most well-known role prior was in TO SIR WITH LOVE, turns in a
fine performance as well. But it is Attenborough who we focus on as the star of
the film. His cold and calculating killer is one that sends chills in the
methodic taking of lives he goes through. It makes you realize that once again
it is rarely the manic screamer that we have to worry about and more often the
neighbor who is described in words like “he always seemed like such a nice
guy”.
As with every film released by Twilight Time they’ve done an
amazing job with the transfer here, a crisp and clean version of the film that
has never been done before. They are also limiting the number of copies
available so if you’re interested pick up one before they’re gone.
Click here to order.
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