Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

God Told Me To

  • 19761976
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.4K
YOUR RATING
Sandy Dennis, Sam Levene, Tony Lo Bianco, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in God Told Me To (1976)
A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that "God told them to."
Play trailer1:01
1 Video
69 Photos
  • Crime
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi
A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that "God told them to."A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that "God told them to."A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that "God told them to."
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tony Lo Bianco
    • Deborah Raffin
    • Sandy Dennis
Top credits
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tony Lo Bianco
    • Deborah Raffin
    • Sandy Dennis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 75User reviews
    • 103Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Trailer

    Photos69

    Sandy Dennis, Sam Levene, Tony Lo Bianco, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)
    God Told Me To (1976)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tony Lo Bianco
    Tony Lo Bianco
    • Peter J. Nicholasas Peter J. Nicholas
    Deborah Raffin
    Deborah Raffin
    • Casey Forsteras Casey Forster
    Sandy Dennis
    Sandy Dennis
    • Martha Nicholasas Martha Nicholas
    Sylvia Sidney
    Sylvia Sidney
    • Elizabeth Mullinas Elizabeth Mullin
    Sam Levene
    Sam Levene
    • Everett Lukasas Everett Lukas
    Robert Drivas
    Robert Drivas
    • David Mortenas David Morten
    Mike Kellin
    Mike Kellin
    • Deputy Commissioneras Deputy Commissioner
    Richard Lynch
    Richard Lynch
    • Bernard Phillipsas Bernard Phillips
    Sammy Williams
    Sammy Williams
    • Harold Gormanas Harold Gorman
    Jo Flores Chase
    • Mrs. Gormanas Mrs. Gorman
    William Roerick
    • Richardsas Richards
    Lester Rawlins
    • Board Chairmanas Board Chairman
    Harry Bellaver
    Harry Bellaver
    • Cookieas Cookie
    George Patterson
    • Zeroas Zero
    Walter Steele
    • Junkieas Junkie
    John Heffernan
    • Bramwellas Bramwell
    Alan Cauldwell
    • Bramwell as a Youthas Bramwell as a Youth
    Robert Nichols
    Robert Nichols
    • Fletcheras Fletcher
    • Director
      • Larry Cohen
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    It's Alive
    5.8
    It's Alive
    Q: The Winged Serpent
    6.0
    Q: The Winged Serpent
    It Lives Again
    5.2
    It Lives Again
    Deathdream
    6.6
    Deathdream
    Terror in a Texas Town
    6.8
    Terror in a Texas Town
    The Stuff
    5.9
    The Stuff
    Bright Future
    6.7
    Bright Future
    Special Effects
    5.3
    Special Effects
    Bone
    6.7
    Bone
    Black Caesar
    6.4
    Black Caesar
    Deadly Illusion
    4.6
    Deadly Illusion
    It's Alive III: Island of the Alive
    4.8
    It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Larry Cohen, during the St. Patrick's Day Parade scene, he was organizing the crew, only to see Andy Kaufman, dressed in his policeman's uniform, antagonizing and making faces at the crowd. Some of the crowd members then attempted to jump the barricades and beat Kaufman, and Cohen had to hold them back.
    • Goofs
      The car in the flashback scenes was a 1951 Chevrolet, with post-1973 New York State license plates and registration. Briefly, it also turns into a 1939 Plymouth, when it hits a pothole.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Peter J. Nicholas: God told me to.

      [PETER J. NICOLAS Committed to Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Beacon, New York]

    • Crazy credits
      This motion picture is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Bernard Herrmann.
    • Connections
      Featured in Mad Ron's Prevues from Hell (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Sweet Momma Sweetlove
      Lyrics by Janelle Webb

      Music by Robert O. Ragland

      Performed by George Gentre Griffin

    User reviews75

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Interesting Cohen film
    Demon aka God Told Me To is extremely strange and weird film by the legendary director/screenwriter. His films are always unique and have a message which has to be found in the core of the film. Some of his films are "easier" to understand (The Stuff, Blind Alley) while others, like Demon, are far more difficult to see through.

    Strange killings committed by usual people start to take place, and all the killers have the same line/justification to say to police questioning. Policeman starts to investigate the cases and soon he's too deep in it to get safely back..

    I'm not sure if I can actually say what the film's about because it has to be seen many times before it can be fully understood. Main themes are at least duality in everybody's personality (good/bad) and the question that which part is the dominating one. Cohen wants people to stop and think and it is great that that kind of directors exist. He would never do just entertainment without brain. The weirdness of this film comes close to Lynch, but Cohen's work isn't as surrealistic as Lynch's. Demon and other Cohen flicks are highly recommended if you like independent cinema and intelligent and "difficult" films which are not so often produced nowadays.

    7 out of 10.
    helpful•13
    4
    • Bogey Man
    • May 10, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 22, 1976 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Demon
    • Filming locations
      • Broadway Station, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Larco Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $300,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Sandy Dennis, Sam Levene, Tony Lo Bianco, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in God Told Me To (1976)
    Top Gap
    By what name was God Told Me To (1976) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.