Love Me Deadly (1973)

Director:

Jacques Lacerte

Writer:

Jacques Lacerte (writer)

Release Date:

January 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The Most Shocking Occult Ordeal Ever Permitted on the Screen!

Plot:

A coven of devil-worshipping necrophiliacs moves to Los Angeles and sets up their base of operations out of a funeral home. |

Plot Keywords:

Necrophilia | Independent Film

Cast

Mary Charlotte Wilcox	...	Lindsay Finch (as Mary Wilcox)
Lyle Waggoner	...	Alex Martin
Christopher Stone	...	Wade Farrow
Timothy Scott	...	Fred McSweeney
Michael Pardue	...	Lindsay's Father
Dassa Cates	...	House keeper
Terri Anne Duvalis	...	Lindsay as a Child
Louis Joeffred	...	McSweeney's Collegue
Bruce Adams	...	McSweeney's Collegue
Barbara Fisher	...	Prostitute
Edith Sills	...	Alex's Mother
Irving Rosen	...	Dinner Guest
H.B. Halicki	...	Race Driver (as Toby Halicki)
William Quinn	...	Billy-Jo (as I. William Quinn)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Jacobs	...	Love Slave
Barbra Rae	...	Prostitute

Also Known As:

Secrets of the Death Room (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated (DVD rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Melrose, California, USA

Company:

United Talent Productions Ltd.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Mad Ron's Prevues from Hell (1987) (V)

Soundtrack:

Love Me Deadly

Interesting Film, If Nothing Else

I have a theory that this film got Lyle Waggoner dismissed from The Carol Burnett Show (he left the series the following season, by mutual agreement).

Regardless, by today's standards, it's not that shocking. The copy of the film I have seems to have been carefully edited, and not as violent or graphic as I recall it being in the theater production.

By 1973 standards, it was quite a shocker...very graphic and gory, complete with a gay subtext. As I recall, it was loosely based around a real-life Los Angeles "cult" of funeral home "lovers of dead" psychos. The story is fiction, but, who knows what goes on behind the closed doors at funeral homes? The acting isn't too bad, and it's fun watching Lyle play against type. The star is quite pretty, too, and she plays her role well. Her hunky boyfriend does a good job of...well, being prepared for cold sex (and so does poor Lyle).

In the right frame of mind, this comes across well. In fact, I'd love to see the original, uncut version one day, on widescreen DVD, but I ain't holdin' my breath. This is lurid stuff, and it ain't likely to see the DVD "light of day".

If you do see this "sicky", just don't take it too seriously, and it might be fun to watch.