Alice Sweet Alice (1976)

In 1960s New Jersey, a withdrawn adolescent girl is suspected of her younger sister's brutal murder during her first communion, as well as a series of stabbings that follow.

Director:

Alfred Sole

Writers:

Rosemary Ritvo (original screenplay), Alfred Sole (original screenplay)

Stars:

Linda Miller, Mildred Clinton, Paula E. Sheppard

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Linda Miller	...	Catherine Spages
Mildred Clinton	...	Mrs. Tredoni
Paula E. Sheppard	...	Alice Spages (as Paula Sheppard)
Niles McMaster	...	Dom Spages
Jane Lowry	...	Aunt Annie DeLorenze
Rudolph Willrich	...	Father Tom
Michael Hardstark	...	Detective Spina
Alphonso DeNoble	...	Mr. Alphonso
Gary Allen	...	Jim DeLorenze
Brooke Shields	...	Karen Spages
Louisa Horton	...	Dr. Whitman
Tom Signorelli	...	Detective Brennan
Lillian Roth	...	Pathologist (as Miss Lillian Roth also)
Patrick Gorman	...	Father Pat
Kathy Rich	...	Angela DeLorenze

Storyline

Alice Spages is a withdrawn 12 year old girl who lives with her mother, Catherine, and her younger sister, Karen. Karen gets most of the attention from her mother, and Alice is often left out of the spotlight. But when Karen is found brutally murdered in a church before her first holy communion, all suspicions are turned towards Alice. But is a twelve year old girl really capable of such savagery? As more people begin to die at the hands of a merciless killer, Alice's family and the police don't know what to believe.

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Plot Keywords:

first communion | masked killer | 1960s | sister sister relationship | kitten | 

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Taglines:

If You Survive This Night... Nothing Will Scare You Again.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Holy Terror

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$340,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harristown Funding

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 108 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Columbia Pictures was set to release the movie (as "Communion"), but pulled out for legal reasons. When Allied Artists picked it up, director Alfred Sole demanded a title change so that the audience wouldn't think it was seeing a religious film. The book adaptation retains the film's original title.

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Goofs

After Alphonso is stabbed he falls down on a coffee table causing it to collapse. A pair of hands is visible as they catch a falling fish bowl.

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Quotes

Mrs. Tredoni: Bless me Father, for I have sinned.
Father Tom: We're only hearing the children this morning.
Mrs. Tredoni: ...Bless me Father, for I have sinned.

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Crazy Credits

During the ending credits there is no music and the screen doesn't turn black, the last frame of the film remains in the background forever.

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Alternate Versions

"Communion" was re-released (after Brooke Shields became famous in "Pretty Baby") in its original uncut form as "Alice, Sweet Alice" in 1978 and then in a cut form as "Holy Terror" in 1981 (after the Brooke Shields' hit "The Blue Lagoon").

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Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Top 20 Bronze Age Horror (2016)

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Soundtracks

Three Little Fishies
By Kay Kyser

User Reviews

A thrilling and over-looked gem.

Terrifically good sleeper horror from director Alfred Sole rises to a level much higher than it's low-budget appearance.

Is young Alice the masked murderer that's targeting her family?

Communion, better known as Alice Sweet Alice, is an engulfing and sharply-made shocker that seems to have been lost over the years. The story is a splendidly twisted murder mystery that boasts a good amount of suspense and some well-rounded characters. Sole directs this movie with some true skill and style, with lots of inventive cinematography and making great use of the rustic filming locations of Paterson, New Jersey. He also uses the imagery of the killer's mask and the catholic symbols in a creepily effective manner. There's plenty of good shocks to be had in this film as well, in fact the horrific stairwell-knifing is powerful to Hitchcockian proportions. This film is so well-made that it's a wonder Sole hasn't gone on to become better known in the cinematic world. The elegant music score is also a great addition to this thriller.

Cast-wise the film is great as well. Paula Sheppard (who was 19 years old at the time) plays her bratty 12 year old character very convincingly. Linda Miller is strong as Sheppard's understandably distraught mother. Mildred Clinton is excellent as the stern house keeper. Niles McMaster is good as Sheppard's estranged father, as is Jane Lowry as the hateful aunt. Rudolph Willrich is also memorable as father Tom. Look for young Brook Shields as Alice's little sister.

Communion is a striking and haunting little thriller that deserves a wider audience. For horror and thriller fans a like, it's a great find!

*** 1/2 out of ****