God Told Me To (1976)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writer:

Larry Cohen (writer)

Release Date:

11 July 1979 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Sci-Fi | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't let it control you!

Plot:

A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that "God told them to."

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Sniper | Catholic | Mass Murder | Police

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Tony Lo Bianco	...	Det. Lt. Peter J. Nicholas
Deborah Raffin	...	Casey Forster
Sandy Dennis	...	Martha Nicholas
Sylvia Sidney	...	Elizabeth Mullin
Sam Levene	...	Everett Lukas
Robert Drivas	...	David Morten
Mike Kellin	...	Deputy Police Commissioner
Richard Lynch	...	Bernard Phillips
Sammy Williams	...	Harold Gorman
Jo Flores Chase	...	Mrs. Gorman
William Roerick	...	Richards
Lester Rawlins	...	Board chairman
Harry Bellaver	...	Cookie
George Patterson	...	Zero
Walter Steele	...	Junkie in Harlem pool hall

Also Known As:

Demon

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R | France:-16 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Jewish Press Building - 1309 44th Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Tony Lo Bianco accidentally broke actor William Roerick's rib performing CPR in the heart attack scene.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The car in the flashback scenes was a 1951 Chevrolet, with post-1973 New York State license plates and registration. Briefly, it also turns into a 1939 Plymouth, when it hits a pothole.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fiona on Fire (1978)

Larry Cohen's best and one of the most underrated horror/exploitation movies of the 1970s. This is a must see for genre fans!

I must have seen close to twenty movie written and/or directed by Larry Cohen ('Q', 'Black Caesar', 'Maniac Cop', 'It's Alive!', 'Best Seller', 'The Stuff', 'Uncle Sam',etc.etc.) and I have greatly enjoyed most of them, but 'God Told Me To' is without a doubt his best movie. It's an extraordinarily original picture, one of the best low budget horror movies of all time. Horror movie? Horror, mystery, science fiction, whatever you want to call it! Tony Lo Bianco plays a religious cop who is faced with a seemingly random series of murders committed by various people who, when asked why, simply say "God told me to". This is just the beginning of a very strange and fascinating story that will leave the viewer continually guessing! Lo Bianco was a last minute replacement for Robert Forster who was sacked after two days filming and a personality clash with Cohen. Lo Bianco gives a terrific performance, his best in my opinion after 'The Honeymoon Killers'. The movie features a strong supporting cast: Deborah Raffin, Sandy Dennis, screen veterans Sylvia Sidney and Sam Levene, plus cult favourite Richard Lynch ('Scarecrow', 'Open Season', 'The Ninth Configuration'), and even the movie debut of the enigmatic comedian Andy Kaufman. 'God Told Me To' is one of the 1970s most underrated horror/exploitation movies. Any fan of the genre must, I repeat MUST, see it!