Naked Massacre (aka Born for Hell) (1976) d. Heroux, Denis (Germany)
Luridly titled shocker loosely based on the 1966 Richard Speck murders of seven Chicago nurses, effectively relocated to war-torn Belfast. Matthew Carierre (sporting a Speck-like “Born for Hell” tattoo) tenders an effectively chilling performance as an embittered, unbalanced and misogynistic AWOL Vietnam vet terrorizing and killing
a houseful of attractive ladies one by one.
Far from the cheap thrills of the ’80s slashers to come, the situation is played deadly serious here, and the tangible emotional and physical suffering of the victims—combined with the dark, grainy photography—ups the sleaze factor considerably. (Unfortunately, the dialogue doesn’t always synch up, which can prove a little distracting, but in some ways it provides a welcome disconnect from the onscreen nihilism.) Strong stuff with a true heart of darkness, a killing cousin to flicks like Last House on the Left, Night Train Murders and I Spit on Your Grave.
