The Strangler's Wife (2002) (V)

Director:

Michael Allosso

Writers:

J. Mark Dickison (story)
Jay Laird (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 February 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot Keywords:

Strangle | Police | Murder | Serial Killer | Nude Model

Cast

Sarah Huling	...	Mae, The Strangler's Wife
Ciaran Crawford	...	Kevin, The Strangler
Christy Scott Cashman	...	Sarah Gilmore, Reporter
Nivya Frabetti	...	Elana Johnson
Bob Zawistowski	...	Detective Porter
R. Michael Wresinski	...	Mae's Father (as R. Michael Wrezinski)
Whitney Pinardi	...	Victim 1, Alice
Gina Peluso	...	Victim 2, Mary
Linda Carmichael	...	Victim 3, Phyllis
Elizabeth Cromwell	...	Victim 4, Tina
Ann Gottleib	...	Victim 5, Laptop Woman
Jennifer Allison	...	Cell Phone Woman
Constantine Maroulis	...	Detective's Assistant
Michael Saenz	...	Elana's Boyfriend
Gigi Marcantonio	...	Girl at Art Class

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and sexuality, and for language.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

CityScape Motion Picture Education

Trivia:

Cameo: [Marc Schleicher]man at bar checking out Mae

Movie Connections:

Features The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)

Soundtrack:

Crawl All Over You

Ya know... this ain't too shabby!

I picked this up for business reasons, but I'll be damned if it wasn't a taut, little thriller that's actually far deeper than it would let on. You think it's a little scream-and-boob-fest about a serial killer, but in fact it turns out to be a rather interesting discourse on marriage, incest, control, sex and body image. Not bad at all, really! One minor problem I had with the picture... I know it's not a police procedural, but MAN the cops seem dumb: the guy's leaving evidence all over the place and a reporter seems to trump the cop in this. But, like I say, it's not a police procedural, the filmmakers get most things right. The principal cast is quite good, in particular the lead couple. And the soundtrack, while occasionally intrusive, is really quite impressive. I don't know how this film did so much with so little. Very few missteps in this film. These people should be congratulated. It didn't FEEL direct-to-video. It felt *shudder* like an art movie. And it's a damn sight better than the Swimming Pool, that overrated piece of French tripe that had just as much breastage, and a completely useless plot.