Directed by:
William LustigCinematography:
Robert LindsayComposer:
Jay ChattawayCast:
Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro, Abigail Clayton, Kelly Piper, Tom Savini, William Lustig, Sharon Mitchell, Carol Henry, Rita Montone, Hyla Marrow, Randy Jurgensen (more)VOD (1)
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Following the disturbing story of blue-collar serial killer Frank (Joe Spinell), William Lustig’s violent slasher movie has become a cult classic in the ranks of the horror film fandom. In a plot which weaves in elements of Peeping Tom and Taxi Driver this early 80s horror fully delivers both a chilling character study and a gory exploitation piece. (88 Films)
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Straight psychological slasher (those words don’t go very well together, but I don’t know how else to describe it) with a great Joe Spinell in the main role. The murder scenes are good, and two of them are actually excellent, it’s a shame that they aren’t supported by a better story, but let’s not kid ourselves: the psychology is good, the story not so. Without any doubt, the atmosphere reaches its peak with the toilet scene, I almost couldn’t breathe because of the tension; if the entire film was like that, it would be among my top favourite. 70% and I’m rounding up to four stars because of the poster, it’s really great.
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Summer of Frank doesn’t quite live up to the portrayal of a mass murderer like Henry. While the director’s roots in the porn industry are evident, the film lacks the cleverness and raw intensity of McNaughton’s work, making the murderous activities of the grumbling Spinell—who skillfully alternates between a full-on psycho and hints of charm—quickly wear thin. One extra scalp nailed to the wall for Tom Savini's masks and the Taxi Driver vibes, but overall, it misses the mark.
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This movie comes from the family of works like The Prowler (1981) and The Toolbox Murders (1978) – it is a brutal splatter slasher, depravedly relishing the most violent murders of randomly selected victims. The film follows the murderer from the first minute to the last and, by making us listen to his constant growling, pretends to be a psychological probe into his mind... ahem. There is one effective scene (the jump on a car with a shotgun), one scene with suspense that actually works (the underground restrooms) and an unexpected, surprisingly good ending – these are the things that salvage this piece of B-movie crap, so I’m giving it two stars.
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Photo © Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2020)
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