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IMDbPro

Paholainen

Original title: God Told Me To
  • 19761976
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
Andy Kaufman, Sam Levene, Richard Lynch, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in Paholainen (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
72 Photos
CrimeHorrorSci-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
5.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tony Lo Bianco
    • Deborah Raffin
    • Sandy Dennis
  • Director
    • Larry Cohen
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tony Lo Bianco
    • Deborah Raffin
    • Sandy Dennis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 76User reviews
    • 114Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Watch Trailer

    Photos72

    Sandy Dennis, Sam Levene, Tony Lo Bianco, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Tony Lo Bianco in Paholainen (1976)
    Sandy Dennis in Paholainen (1976)
    Deborah Raffin in Paholainen (1976)
    Jo Flores Chase in Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)
    Paholainen (1976)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tony Lo Bianco
    Tony Lo Bianco
    • Peter J. Nicholas
    Deborah Raffin
    Deborah Raffin
    • Casey Forster
    Sandy Dennis
    Sandy Dennis
    • Martha Nicholas
    Sylvia Sidney
    Sylvia Sidney
    • Elizabeth Mullin
    Sam Levene
    Sam Levene
    • Everett Lukas
    Robert Drivas
    Robert Drivas
    • David Morten
    Mike Kellin
    Mike Kellin
    • Deputy Commissioner
    Richard Lynch
    Richard Lynch
    • Bernard Phillips
    Sammy Williams
    Sammy Williams
    • Harold Gorman
    Jo Flores Chase
    • Mrs. Gorman
    William Roerick
    • Richards
    Lester Rawlins
    • Board Chairman
    Harry Bellaver
    Harry Bellaver
    • Cookie
    George Patterson
    • Zero
    Walter Steele
    • Junkie
    John Heffernan
    • Bramwell
    Alan Cauldwell
    • Bramwell as a Youth
    Robert Nichols
    Robert Nichols
    • Fletcher
    • Director
      • Larry Cohen
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen(original screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    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 reviews76

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Its insane concept makes this movie work.
    Let me tell you, that if this was a movie that got done with a bigger budget to spend and some more well known names in it, this movie would had been absolutely considered to be a classic one within its genre.

    You really probably beforehand don't expect much good to come from this movie. It's a '70's movie with the title "God Told Me To" and the main premise makes it sound as if this is your average typical exploitation flick about a killer on the loose. But you'll be surprised at what sudden turns this movie makes throughout. It actually starts to combine lots of different genre elements, such as horror, thriller but above all things also science-fiction. Here is mostly were the movie start to get interesting and surprising to watch. It's a real refreshingly original movie, that truly deserves some more attention and recognition.

    But also simple fact about this movie remains is that it's a quite cheaply done one and you can really tell that. It's the sort of cheap '70's movie that for instance used different camera's, none of which were the same, so the movie its look changes throughout the movie a few times. The interior and exterior shots especially differ. It's cheapness can been seen back in basically about everything, such as also in the directing and acting and this is what mostly harms the movie.

    But yet, once you really start to get into this movie, you'll start to forgive the movie for its cheap look and lesser moments. It simply has a great concept and a refreshing approach. This all should be good enough to still make you thoroughly enjoy watching this movie.

    The movie can get quite messy and confusing to watch at times but it's hard to say if you can really blame the writer or director for this, since lots of '70's movies were basically just being that way. It also sort of adds to the style and atmosphere of this movie its unlikely and refreshing story and approach.

    It's also fun to note that this movie features late comedian Andy Kaufman's first movie appearance. It's really about a 2 second part but it's fun to notice nevertheless.

    A surprisingly good and refreshingly original movie.

    8/10

    http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
    helpful•15
    2
    • Boba_Fett1138
    • Oct 28, 2010

    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

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

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Andy Kaufman, Sam Levene, Richard Lynch, Deborah Raffin, and Sylvia Sidney in Paholainen (1976)
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