I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses (1978)

Director:

Murray Markowitz

Writer:

Murray Markowitz (written by)

Release Date:

8 September 1978 (Canada)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A bizarre love, a strange death.

Plot Keywords:

Police Detective | Development | Caress | Attraction | Courtroom

Cast

Elke Sommer	...	Magdalene Kruschen
Donald Pilon	...	Charles Kruschen
Chuck Shamata	...	Gershen Isen
George Touliatos	...	Tibor Zanopek
Cindy Girling	...	Pauline Corte
George Chuvalo	...	George Weiller
Cec Linder	...	Chief Parker
Richard Davidson	...	Barrington
Miguel Fernandes	...	John MacGregor (as Miguel Fernández)
Michelle Fansett	...	Johanna Lugar
Corinna Carlson	...	Angela Kruschen
Linda Sorenson	...	Cynthia
Susan Hogan	...	Secretary
Larry Solway	...	Newscaster
Ned Conlon	...	Judge

Also Known As:

Drop Dead, Dearest (UK)
Left for Dead

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:X (cut version) (original rating) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada

Trivia:

The film was listed in the UK as an official video nasty. It was eventually released (as "Drop Dead Dearest") in 1986 by Heron Video after 1 min 6 secs of BBFC cuts to edit shots of head blows and clubbings, and to shorten a scene of a woman's dead body being sexually caressed.

When they met, it was moider!

Successful businessman Charles Kruschen (Donald Pilon) is accused of bludgeoning to death his beautiful but manipulative model wife Magdalene (Elke Sommer). As the trial draws to a close, Charles reflects on the events leading up to the terrible incident...

A supposed dramatic account of a real life murder case, Canadian courtroom drama I Miss You Hugs And Kisses could be mistaken for the kind of mid-afternoon entertainment normally lapped up by bored housewives and easily pleased geriatrics: with its unexceptional whodunit plot crammed with intrigue, adultery, blackmail, and murder, one could be excused for thinking that Angela Lansbury or Dick Van Dyke might pop up in the final reel to solve the case.

However, the lurid treatment given by director Murray Markowitz to his well-worn material ensures that this particular mystery features no such familiar household names and will always remain an unlikely choice for daytime TV. In fact, in the UK, I Miss You Hugs And Kisses was considered so upsetting that it was even included on the official DPP Video Nasty List. Beat that, Jessica Fletcher!

During the series of flashbacks that are used to flesh out the story whilst also revealing a collection of equally viable suspects, viewers are treated to graphic killings (Sommers head is staved in and a young woman is stabbed in the stomach), nudity and sex, genuine slaughterhouse footage, and even a touch of necrophilia (one of the possible murderers, an escaped lunatic, enjoys raping his victims after he has killed them). Although not overly shocking by today's standards, these scenes seem so out of place in this otherwise routine thriller that they actually manage to be disturbing.

I Miss you Hugs And Kisses hasn't garnered much praise here on IMDb, and it is true that, with an ending that completely fails to resolve issues, the film can leave viewers feeling extremely frustrated, but I still say give it a go: it's certainly not the worst film on the Video Nasty list.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.