The Pyx (1973)

A detective investigating the death of a heroin-addicted prostitute uncovers evidence pointing to the existence of a murderous devil cult.

Director:

Harvey Hart

Writers:

Robert Schlitt (screenplay), John Buell (novel)

Stars:

Karen Black, Christopher Plummer, Donald Pilon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Karen Black	...	Elizabeth Lucy
Christopher Plummer	...	Dt. Sgt. Jim Henderson
Donald Pilon	...	Dt. Sgt. Pierre Paquette
Jean-Louis Roux	...	Keerson
Yvette Brind'amour	...	Meg
Jacques Godin	...	Superintendent
Lee Broker	...	Herbie Lefram
Terry Haig	...	Jimmy
Robin Gammell	...	Worther
Louise Rinfret	...	Sandra
Gerard Parkes
Francine Morand	...	(as Francine Moran)
Thérèse Morange
Henry Gamer
Jean Dubost

Storyline

Montréal Police Detective Sergeant Jim Henderson is the lead investigator into the death of a scantily-clad young woman found outside an apartment building, the initial belief being that she was pushed from the unoccupied twentieth floor penthouse balcony. Henderson's partner, Detective Sergeant Pierre Paquette, recognizes her as a prostitute, who they eventually will learn has the working name Elizabeth Lucy, a junkie and one of Meg Latimer's girls. In questioning Meg and another one of her girls, Laura, Henderson and Paquette will also learn that Elizabeth was a non-practicing Catholic, much like Henderson himself, despite the fact that a crucifix on a chain was around her neck and pyx tightly clutched in her hand when she was discovered. The story of Henderson and Paquette investigating the murder, which gets them and their associates into mortal danger the further they get into the investigation, is interwoven with the story of how Elizabeth ended up dead outside that apartment ...

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Plot Keywords:

bare breasts | death of a murderer | falling to one's death | murdered by a policeman | murdered by police | 

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Taglines:

See It...Find Out What It Means!

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French

Release Date:

October 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hooker Cult Murders

Filming Locations:

Saint Lawrence River

Box Office

Budget:

CAD1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Host Productions Quebec

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally announced in 1963 for James Mason to star in and produce.

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: The international DVD release by Telefilm is missing a scene (probably lost by a damaged print of the movie), when Christopher Plummer's character (Henderson) goes back to the apartment and finds a reel-to-reel tape with a Gregorian chant on it. It plays out and he accidentally drops it just before he hides when he hears footsteps. This is a fairly crucial scene in this movie.

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Connections

Featured in Midnight Movie Madness: 50 Movie Mega Pack (2016)

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Soundtracks

I Was Touched By Your Passing Through
Written by Karen Black
Performed by Karen Black

User Reviews

what was with that crazy Devil Worship music????

Now that Im a grown up I'm beginning to appreciate Karen Black for the fabulous Scream Queen she is. Many of my childhood memories are of scarey movies I used to watch on TV and then not be able to sleep. One is BURNT OFFERINGS a very spooky Karen Black flick. I also remember Karen running from the Evil Zuni doll in the freaky deaky TRILOGY OF TERROR. So when I found out Karen was in THE PYX I just knew I had to buy a copy(eBay). I was SO disappointed. This movie...a sort of whodunit...although they let us know WHO did it and WHY...is sort of muddled, for lack of a better word. Because it uses flashbacks between Karens life and the investigation after her death its pretty confusing. We also know that karens charactor, Elizabeth dies in the beginning of the movie, so when we are seeing her sad life unfold we know how the story ends, and we can guess when the phonecall comes for her to go to a strange place that this is how and why she will die. The box captions lead you to believe they'll be alot of deparvity with sex and drugs and homosexuality. Well, first up...Elizabeth has a friend who just HAPPENS to be gay. Thats the big homosexual angle. As for the sex, I believe they show her with one "customer" (and then a scene where she strips for a potential customer...then gets dressed again. So no big sex angle there. Then theres the drugs: I belive we see Elizabeth shoot up once. So there goes that angle. In fact, the scene where Elizabeth is shot up and having flashback dreams we see how sad and lonely she is. Then when she gets the "strange calling" it seems she KNOWS something bad is going to happen to her (the church scene) and is prepared to meet her fate, because her life was not so wonderful anyway (although she DOES believe in God she tells us through tears). When Elizabeth arrives at the Black Mass there is strange eerie Satanic Cult-type music, that I would've run screaming from. It sets up a good atmosphere. Then a sped-up Alvin-and-the-Chipmunks-type track of Satanic Worship music comes on and it it SO distracting it almost turns a serious scene FUNNY!!! When karen dies the scene is so choppy that you feel CHEATED that you hung on for an hour and a half...they really should've done more with that scene! One * out of five.