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 | Mass Murder | Police | Catholic

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:

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:

Features "Space: 1999" (1975)

In the name of…

Trust something this darkly warped to come from the creative juices brewing from the mind of Larry Cohen. The 70s through to the mid 80s was the pinnacle for Cohen, and "God Told Me to" would have to be ranking at the top of his greatest achievements. With a limited budget, Cohen resourcefully constructs a fascinatingly chilling, bewildering and off-kilter little winner. Talk about the strangest film Cohen has ever done, and probably his most ambitiously versatile in the story's ever-changing format of genres! Subtexts aplenty. And they manage some depth too.

The cryptic story is cleverly utilized, as the mystery holds together and the fearful psychological undercurrents of repressed faith make it rather interesting. Though it's so hard to follow due to that fractured story-telling. It shifts from grounded reality to utter weirdness, which has you totally feeling the confusion and frustration that the main protagonist would be going through trying to come to terms with what's going on. So does it make sense? I'm not quite sure, but hell it's entertaining and bizarre. Too much for me to worry about thinking of the bigger picture. But hey it makes great for repeat viewings! Some sequences can unsettle, while others thoughtfully delve into the characters at hand. A compact, but involving script is complicatedly put together and drives hard with an audaciously literal sense. Some of the dialogues actually raise most of the tension than some visual set-pieces involving violence and shocks. Cohen's capably understated direction is well presented and shines with his own distinctive personality, as he ably uses the authentic New York Locations with the use of intimately taut cinematography. He manages to install a haunting air throughout the whole feature, and Frank Cordell's dreamily sombre music score largely complements the atmospheric awe.

A quality cast lend solid performances. Tony Lo Bianco is undeniably excellent in the lead role of a religious NYPD detective. Sandy Dennis and Sylvia Sidney offer strong support. Sam Levene, Al Fann and James Dixon (a Cohen favourite) are also good. Richard Lynch appears in a small, but unusually striking part and Andy Kauffman in an out-of-the-ordinary performance.

Cohen's "God Told Me To" is a loopy, but challenging b-grade exploitation of the highest order. An unforgettable cult gem!