The Pyx (1973)

A police detective uncovers a sinister occult explanation behind the mysterious death of a heroin-addicted prostitute.

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:

The Demons Hunger

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Karen Black consulted with an ex-heroin addict to research her role.

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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 Katarina's Nightmare Theater: The Pyx (2011)

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Soundtracks

It All Turned Out The Way I Planned It
Written by Karen Black
Performed by Karen Black

User Reviews

Well-Done Mystery

I really enjoyed this somewhat little known Canadian film about a Montreal police detective hot on the trail of a prostitute's death. Christopher Plummer does an excellent job as the cop trying to find out who killed Karen Black. Black is dead in the beginning of the film ,and the film alternates between what Plummer is doing in real time and flashback-type sequences with Black going through everything that happened up until her death. Black is lovely and adequate in her role, and the point of view used with her AFTER she was killed was quite inventive. But it is Plummer's performance which really seizes the film and makes it into something more than a regular murder mystery movie. Plummer discovers by piece by piece of evidence that Black became the victim of some sort of cult. Director Harvey Hart does an able job with the script creating tense scenes when needed and alternating shooting continuity between the two story lines. The film should not be over-looked. The biggest problem with the film for me is the opening credits which seems to drone on forever and accompanied by the most boring film song I have heard in a long. long time.

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French

Release Date:

October 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Pyx

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