"Alice, Sweet Alice", unfortunately listed here under its more tame alias "Communion", is a modest but sublime thriller that excellently fits in the superior horror decade that were the 70's. It's in fact a thriller with just that tad bit extra
Despite of the modest budget Alfred Sole had to work with, his film doesn't look dated like many others and the influence it had on the slasher sub-genre is amazing. Who killed little Karen Spages during her first communion service? This question with a seemly obvious answer keeps you entertained and especially frightened throughout almost the entire film. Too bad the story loses some of its impact around the hour, due to a few tedious sequences and unexciting dialogs. Luckily, Sole rapidly continues where he left off and delivers us a truly marvelous finale where even Hitchcock himself would show respect for. There's a terrific catholic atmosphere and symbolism featuring in this film, stressed extra by the chilling musical score. Although the movie more or less became famous because it introduces Brooke Shields, it's in fact Paula E. Sheppard who gives away a flawless and imposing acting performance as Alice. She has this brilliantly nihilistic glance in her eyes that makes you feel uncomfortable. "Alice Sweet Alice" is definitely a film I would recommend to every horror fan. It contains several highly memorable sequences like, for example, all the ones involving the fat filthy and perverted neighbor. Fundamental horror viewing for Gothic lovers.
171 Reviews
Children Shall Pay for the Sins of Their Parents
claudio_carvalho21 June 2008
Alice Spages (Paula Sheppard) is a rebel and problematic twelve year-old girl that lives with her divorced mother Catherine (Linda Miller) and her younger sister Karen (Brooke Shields). Catherine gives more attention to Karen, neglecting her older daughter. During the first communion of Karen, the girl is strangled by a woman dressed with a St. Michael's yellow coat and a mask. Alice takes her place in the line wearing her veil that she claims she had found on the floor and becomes the prime suspect of the police. When Catherine's sister Annie (Jane Lowry) is stabbed on the leg several times, she accuses Alice and the girl is sent to psychological evaluation under the protest of her parents and their friend Father Tom (Rudolph Willrich). Alice's father Dominick Spages (Nies McMaster) seeks evidences to prove the innocence of Alice.
"Communion" is a creepy and stylish horror movie of the 70's and practically the debut of Brooke Shields in the cinema with a minor but important participation. The dramatic story discloses insanity through weird characters in a period of heavy rain and using the Catholic principles of communion, sin and guilty, giving an atmosphere that recalls Dario Argento's movies. The relationship among Catherine, Father Tom and Dominick is not clear, especially because the Catholic Church requires celibate from the priests. In one moment, Catherine is ready to leave town alone, and she says to Father Tom that Alice would be better with him, giving an indication that Alice might be Tom's daughter. If my guess is right, the behavior of fanatic Catholic Annie that apparently blames Catherine for getting married pregnant of Alice is explained, and the conclusion is perfect, with Mrs. Tredoni saying that "children should pay for the sins of their parents"; calling Catherine of whore; and stabbing Father Tom. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Comunhão" ("Communion")
Note: On 29 May 2012, I saw this film again on DVD.
Note; On 06 Sep 2022, I saw this film again.
"Communion" is a creepy and stylish horror movie of the 70's and practically the debut of Brooke Shields in the cinema with a minor but important participation. The dramatic story discloses insanity through weird characters in a period of heavy rain and using the Catholic principles of communion, sin and guilty, giving an atmosphere that recalls Dario Argento's movies. The relationship among Catherine, Father Tom and Dominick is not clear, especially because the Catholic Church requires celibate from the priests. In one moment, Catherine is ready to leave town alone, and she says to Father Tom that Alice would be better with him, giving an indication that Alice might be Tom's daughter. If my guess is right, the behavior of fanatic Catholic Annie that apparently blames Catherine for getting married pregnant of Alice is explained, and the conclusion is perfect, with Mrs. Tredoni saying that "children should pay for the sins of their parents"; calling Catherine of whore; and stabbing Father Tom. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Comunhão" ("Communion")
Note: On 29 May 2012, I saw this film again on DVD.
Note; On 06 Sep 2022, I saw this film again.
What do you do with a problem like Alice?
ChrisInMiami25 January 2021
Alice is a 12 year old brat with a real mean streak...she bullies her younger sister (an 11 year old Brooke Shields) and terrorizes a reclusive neighbor. When her sister is murdered in church everyone begins to wonder if she's crossed the line from a tiny terror to a psychotic.
It's the simplicity of the story and near perfect execution that made this a cult classic. It's got ambiance, a wonderful accompanying score, creative camera work (although a little too much of people looking directly into the camera). Paula Sheppard shines as Alice and sometimes just the look on her face gives you the feeling she's thinking up new ways to traumatize people. It's got great subtext with sibling rivalry, children coping with divorced parents and religious faith. Some of the editing feels a bit stiff and some of the acting is subpar but in a story like this it can add a bit to the 'creepy' factor.
I think this is one of those movies that gets a little better with age. 6.5 in 1976 7.5 in 2021
It's the simplicity of the story and near perfect execution that made this a cult classic. It's got ambiance, a wonderful accompanying score, creative camera work (although a little too much of people looking directly into the camera). Paula Sheppard shines as Alice and sometimes just the look on her face gives you the feeling she's thinking up new ways to traumatize people. It's got great subtext with sibling rivalry, children coping with divorced parents and religious faith. Some of the editing feels a bit stiff and some of the acting is subpar but in a story like this it can add a bit to the 'creepy' factor.
I think this is one of those movies that gets a little better with age. 6.5 in 1976 7.5 in 2021
Truly disturbing mix of psychosis and anti-catholic vitriol
thomandybish28 February 2001
Warning: Spoilers
While most horror films deliver momentary shock, this low budget flick, one of the first to feature Brook Shields, really works. I went around for several days after seeing it very, very chilled by it. Director Sole should be noted for his superb Hitchcockian style(proof that he was influenced by Hitch: a movie poster of PSYCHO, subtly placed in a scene). Camera angles, minor character development, the use of religious imagery to convey a sense of dis-ease--this is one helluva little film. Alice lives with her divorced mother and sister Karen in early 1960's New Jersey. Karen is enjoying all the attentions that normally accompany a Catholic girl's first communion, and Alice, a volatile and moody girl, is jealous of her sister. As Karen waits in an side room with the other girls waiting to enter the church sanctuary to receive her first communion, a figure in a yellow hooded raincoat and clear mask strangles Karen with her rosary, stuffs her corpse in a bench, and places a lighted candle inside with the body. And all in the first thirty minutes of the movie! Of course, Alice is seen slipping into the church late, and the suspicion begins. Has she or hasn't she. The scene where the gruesome burned corpse is discovered is great, with a shot of a fan blowing the smoke into the congregation. The juxtaposition of the sacred with the profane(or insane, as the case may be)was and is disturbing. The scenes in the apartment of Karen and Alice's mother are claustrophobic, as are those in the priest's rooms. The exteriors of city streets are filmed under overcast skies. And the other characters . . . the bald, grotesquely obese landlord, who mopes around his apartment in urine-stained bermuda shorts with numerous cats while playing selections from SHOWBOAT on a Victrola, could have been the main character in another horror film. But a big part of this film's disturbing vibe comes from the stridently anti-Catholic tone. The fact that the killer attacks and kills Karen in a church on her first communion is bad enough, but the tone is such that Catholic ritual and tradition takes on an insane, chilling patina. Psychosis and tradition meld into a weird brew that gives more chills than a dozen chainsaw wielding maniacs. If you crave an intelligent, well-crafted pyschological horror film brimming with disturbing atmosphere and twisted imagery, this is the one.
Nasty little 70's chiller....
flicklover2 February 2021
I had never heard of Alice Sweet Alice until a a while back when it was on a list of overlooked horror films. I had never heard it mentioned as even a cult classic but I was intrigued. The 1970's produced some pretty good horror films. I went in with pretty low expectations and even though I can't say that this film blew me away I do think that it is better than your average slasher film.
I do know that the original title was Communion but they chose Alice Sweet Alice which is a lame title in my opinion. The film is about a spoiled 12 year old girl named Alice played by Paula Sheppard. She is jealous of her angelic 10 year old sister Karen who is played by Brooke Shields. One of her church's priests Father Tom gives Karen his mother's crucifix and Alice is very jealous. Alice torments Karen by taking one of her dolls and scaring her by wearing a weird translucent mask and a raincoat. She threatens Karen not to tell anyone. All of this is set up to make Alice look like a bad seed. On the day of her First Communion, Karen is strangled to death in the church transept by a person wearing a translucent mask and a yellow raincoat. Her body is stuffed into a bench compartment near the confessionals, which is set on fire with a candle, but not before her crucifix is ripped from her neck. This first murder is not gory but is very brutal. Alice comes into the church to receive her communion but is found to have Karen's veil. The film is pointing to her as the killer so obviously that it is not hard to figure she's really innocent. But of course she's so unlikable that the film leaves the possibility open. We see Alice's mother Catherine played by Linda Miller dealing with her grief along with her sister Annie who loves in to help. She does not get along at all with Alice. Catherine us divorced, but her ex husband Dominick comes to the funeral and wants to find out more about Karen's murder. The whole film is set up in a sort of melodramatic way. The performances are good but border on camp in some scenes. The killer keeps appearing going after others in Alice's life. The film is very tense and creepy at times. It also has alot of religious imagery. I don't think that directpr Alfred Sole is a big fan of Catholicism, he deals with sin, guilt and especially hypocrisy. Even though the film does have a simple even cheap.look it is well made. The image of the translucent mask and tge raincoat is very creepy. The film throws some clues on who the killer is but really wants to.keep the possibility that it could be Alice. When it us revealed who the killer actually is it is kind of confusing but all I can say is that the motivation is very similar to what was seen in David Fincher's Se7en. The final 30 minutes kind of lags a little butthe story is pretty involving.
The film is not really that bloody but the violence it does have is pretty brutal. It is a film that has been largely ignored in the mainstream but I think it is one of the better early slasher horror films of the 70's. At times,, it actually feels very much like an Italian giallo.
Very creepy and effective.
Grade: B
I do know that the original title was Communion but they chose Alice Sweet Alice which is a lame title in my opinion. The film is about a spoiled 12 year old girl named Alice played by Paula Sheppard. She is jealous of her angelic 10 year old sister Karen who is played by Brooke Shields. One of her church's priests Father Tom gives Karen his mother's crucifix and Alice is very jealous. Alice torments Karen by taking one of her dolls and scaring her by wearing a weird translucent mask and a raincoat. She threatens Karen not to tell anyone. All of this is set up to make Alice look like a bad seed. On the day of her First Communion, Karen is strangled to death in the church transept by a person wearing a translucent mask and a yellow raincoat. Her body is stuffed into a bench compartment near the confessionals, which is set on fire with a candle, but not before her crucifix is ripped from her neck. This first murder is not gory but is very brutal. Alice comes into the church to receive her communion but is found to have Karen's veil. The film is pointing to her as the killer so obviously that it is not hard to figure she's really innocent. But of course she's so unlikable that the film leaves the possibility open. We see Alice's mother Catherine played by Linda Miller dealing with her grief along with her sister Annie who loves in to help. She does not get along at all with Alice. Catherine us divorced, but her ex husband Dominick comes to the funeral and wants to find out more about Karen's murder. The whole film is set up in a sort of melodramatic way. The performances are good but border on camp in some scenes. The killer keeps appearing going after others in Alice's life. The film is very tense and creepy at times. It also has alot of religious imagery. I don't think that directpr Alfred Sole is a big fan of Catholicism, he deals with sin, guilt and especially hypocrisy. Even though the film does have a simple even cheap.look it is well made. The image of the translucent mask and tge raincoat is very creepy. The film throws some clues on who the killer is but really wants to.keep the possibility that it could be Alice. When it us revealed who the killer actually is it is kind of confusing but all I can say is that the motivation is very similar to what was seen in David Fincher's Se7en. The final 30 minutes kind of lags a little butthe story is pretty involving.
The film is not really that bloody but the violence it does have is pretty brutal. It is a film that has been largely ignored in the mainstream but I think it is one of the better early slasher horror films of the 70's. At times,, it actually feels very much like an Italian giallo.
Very creepy and effective.
Grade: B
So much more than Brooke Shields' first movie
bensonmum217 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
- A little girl is waiting in line to receive her first communion. Suddenly, she is grabbed from behind and murdered. All of the evidence seems to point toward the girl's sister, Alice. Next, Alice's Aunt is attacked in the stairwell of her apartment building. Again, the suspicion falls on Alice. Alice's parents have little choice - they commit her to a psychiatric hospital. Will this stop the killings?
- Alice, Sweet Alice is an American style giallo. The identity of the killer is hidden behind a yellow raincoat and mask. In this kind of movie, I like to play along and try to guess who the killer is. When I'm wrong (which is the usual case), at least the killer turns out to be someone I had suspected at some point during the movie. When the killer is finally revealed in Alice, Sweet Alice, I must say that it was a total shock to me. The only problem with the revelation of the killer is that it comes a little too early. The suspense that the director has worked at building is dampened severely once we know who the killer is.
- Paula E. Shepherd, in her first ever movie role, plays Alice. Seldom do you see someone with so little experience play a role so flawlessly. She is so deliciously evil as the crazed Alice. It's a shame she didn't make more of these kind of movies.
- Unfortunately, Alice, Sweet Alice is best known as the first movie in which Brooke Shields appeared. It's a shame because the movie is so much more than that.
An American giallo.
BA_Harrison15 February 2017
After a young Catholic girl, Karen (Brooke Shields), is brutally murdered during communion, suspicion falls on her emotionally disturbed older sister Alice (Paula E. Sheppard).
Director Alfred Sole's Alice Sweet Alice is the closest thing you will find to an American giallo: the death scenes are sudden and brutal, the score is haunting, the killer is distinctive in creepy plastic mask and yellow raincoat, and the film's overall atmosphere and aesthetic is redolent of many a Euro thriller/horror.
Admittedly, the film falls short of the best work of maestros Argento and Bava, the motive for the killings a little weak, and the pacing a tad pedestrian, while the identity of the killer is revealed way too early for my liking (true giallos generally wait until the very end before letting the cat out of the bag), but Sole conducts matters with an assured hand, presenting some striking visuals, and his cast give solid performances (with the exception of Jane Lowry as Alice's Aunt Annie, whose histrionics are waaaayy OTT).
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for Alphonso DeNoble as morbidly obese, cat-loving pervert Mr. Alphonso, who is wonderfully grotesque.
Director Alfred Sole's Alice Sweet Alice is the closest thing you will find to an American giallo: the death scenes are sudden and brutal, the score is haunting, the killer is distinctive in creepy plastic mask and yellow raincoat, and the film's overall atmosphere and aesthetic is redolent of many a Euro thriller/horror.
Admittedly, the film falls short of the best work of maestros Argento and Bava, the motive for the killings a little weak, and the pacing a tad pedestrian, while the identity of the killer is revealed way too early for my liking (true giallos generally wait until the very end before letting the cat out of the bag), but Sole conducts matters with an assured hand, presenting some striking visuals, and his cast give solid performances (with the exception of Jane Lowry as Alice's Aunt Annie, whose histrionics are waaaayy OTT).
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for Alphonso DeNoble as morbidly obese, cat-loving pervert Mr. Alphonso, who is wonderfully grotesque.
I don't play with dolls anymore
begob24 August 2021
Suspicion falls on the sister of a girl killed during her first holy communion ...
Much to enjoy in this movie. It has the lurid brutality that the '70s specialised in, with a worrying line in sexual inappropriateness, and makes no bones about its bleak outlook.
The cinematography is intriguing, with my favourite composition a big knife in the kitchen foreground as a line of three females draws the eye into the frame. Plenty of little touches of the cruel or grotesque, including a kitten lapping the fresh blood of a peculiar murder victim. And also that period habit of intriguing snap-shots of by-standers: the mental hospital orderly's watchful face, and the cousin's dumbfounded look at the final communion service.
The performances are good, with many scenes of raised voices that jangle the nerves. But the over-ripe music gives the impression of numerous string instruments being furiously sawed-in-half.
The real problem is the preposterous plot, which even on its own terms falls between the stools of police procedural and psychological portrait. For me, Alice's story was the main event, and I found my interest drifting as the plot jumped the track to become a sort of blood-drenched Scooby Doo mystery. In the end, I don't class this as a horror, but as psychological thriller - and a cheap one at that.
Overall: Harrowing disturbance descends into daft commotion.
Much to enjoy in this movie. It has the lurid brutality that the '70s specialised in, with a worrying line in sexual inappropriateness, and makes no bones about its bleak outlook.
The cinematography is intriguing, with my favourite composition a big knife in the kitchen foreground as a line of three females draws the eye into the frame. Plenty of little touches of the cruel or grotesque, including a kitten lapping the fresh blood of a peculiar murder victim. And also that period habit of intriguing snap-shots of by-standers: the mental hospital orderly's watchful face, and the cousin's dumbfounded look at the final communion service.
The performances are good, with many scenes of raised voices that jangle the nerves. But the over-ripe music gives the impression of numerous string instruments being furiously sawed-in-half.
The real problem is the preposterous plot, which even on its own terms falls between the stools of police procedural and psychological portrait. For me, Alice's story was the main event, and I found my interest drifting as the plot jumped the track to become a sort of blood-drenched Scooby Doo mystery. In the end, I don't class this as a horror, but as psychological thriller - and a cheap one at that.
Overall: Harrowing disturbance descends into daft commotion.
Easy To Miss, Hard To Forget.
drownsoda9031 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"Alice, Sweet Alice" (aka "Communion"), is an excellent horror film. It was years before "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th", and for some reason this movie stuck with me. I saw it years ago, and just re-rented it recently, and found it to be better on the second viewing.
This film revolves around Alice Spages, a 12 year old girl. She comes from a divorced, strict Catholic family, and her little sister, Karen, gets most of the attention, while Alice is sort of left in the dark. We get the idea that Alice might have some problems and you can surely tell she is jealous of her sister. Then, on Karen's first holy communion, she is strangled to death and lit on fire in the church by someone wearing a yellow rain slicker and a creepy plastic mask. The police believe Alice had something to do with her sister's murder, and commit her as their target. Then, the mysterious person in the yellow rain slicker strikes again, this time stabbing Alice's Aunt while she's walking down the stairs of an apartment complex. As more murders continue, we begin to question - could a 12 year old girl really be capable of murder? Or could it be someone else?
I can say this movie is pretty disturbing, seeing an innocent girl murdered in a church before her first communion is quite sinister. Director Alfred Sole gives the viewer some heavy Catholic imagery throughout the film, contrasting it with the brutal events taking place. There is obviously much thought and detail put into the complex characters, as well as the complicated but intriguing plot. The score is extremely eerie, just listening to the score alone is enough to give anyone the chills. Without the score I think this movie would have lost much of the ambiance that it has. Alice's sister, Karen, is played by a very young Brooke Shields, and this movie is probably most known for having her name branded on it, even though she dies very soon in the film. Paula Sheppard (who was actually 19 years old at the time) plays Alice, Karen's violently jealous sister, and her performance is probably the best of the entire film. I absolutely loved the staircase attack on Alice's aunt, it was unexpected and very well done.
Overall, "Alice, Sweet Alice" is an effective Catholic shocker that has been either forgotten about or is very unknown. A spooky score, some eerie religious imagery, and a brutal staircase slashing make this a complete classic. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up the Anchor Bay DVD release, because now it's long out of print and nearly impossible to find. The DVD release is great, if you're able to get your hands on it (for a reasonable price), definitely get it. 9/10.
This film revolves around Alice Spages, a 12 year old girl. She comes from a divorced, strict Catholic family, and her little sister, Karen, gets most of the attention, while Alice is sort of left in the dark. We get the idea that Alice might have some problems and you can surely tell she is jealous of her sister. Then, on Karen's first holy communion, she is strangled to death and lit on fire in the church by someone wearing a yellow rain slicker and a creepy plastic mask. The police believe Alice had something to do with her sister's murder, and commit her as their target. Then, the mysterious person in the yellow rain slicker strikes again, this time stabbing Alice's Aunt while she's walking down the stairs of an apartment complex. As more murders continue, we begin to question - could a 12 year old girl really be capable of murder? Or could it be someone else?
I can say this movie is pretty disturbing, seeing an innocent girl murdered in a church before her first communion is quite sinister. Director Alfred Sole gives the viewer some heavy Catholic imagery throughout the film, contrasting it with the brutal events taking place. There is obviously much thought and detail put into the complex characters, as well as the complicated but intriguing plot. The score is extremely eerie, just listening to the score alone is enough to give anyone the chills. Without the score I think this movie would have lost much of the ambiance that it has. Alice's sister, Karen, is played by a very young Brooke Shields, and this movie is probably most known for having her name branded on it, even though she dies very soon in the film. Paula Sheppard (who was actually 19 years old at the time) plays Alice, Karen's violently jealous sister, and her performance is probably the best of the entire film. I absolutely loved the staircase attack on Alice's aunt, it was unexpected and very well done.
Overall, "Alice, Sweet Alice" is an effective Catholic shocker that has been either forgotten about or is very unknown. A spooky score, some eerie religious imagery, and a brutal staircase slashing make this a complete classic. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up the Anchor Bay DVD release, because now it's long out of print and nearly impossible to find. The DVD release is great, if you're able to get your hands on it (for a reasonable price), definitely get it. 9/10.
Classic 70's Horror!
vengeance2018 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Saw this years back online & thought it was pretty good. I recently watched it on DVD after 8 years & still think it's good.
The film follows Alice Spager, a 12-year-old girl who is a suspected of killing her younger sister Karen during her first commission at church. What then follows is a long investigation by police, but they find that the perpatrator isn't who they think it is as bodies start to pile.
I found the film to be pretty good. It's gritty, creepy & sinister in all its forms. While it does drag at a good couple of points, lacks a body count & isn't exactly gore infested, it has about enough to keep you invested. The film could be shorter as its 1 hour & 40 minute runtime is quite long given the amount of action & deaths seen in the film.
Overall, it's definetly good, one of the great classics of the 70's.
7/10.
The film follows Alice Spager, a 12-year-old girl who is a suspected of killing her younger sister Karen during her first commission at church. What then follows is a long investigation by police, but they find that the perpatrator isn't who they think it is as bodies start to pile.
I found the film to be pretty good. It's gritty, creepy & sinister in all its forms. While it does drag at a good couple of points, lacks a body count & isn't exactly gore infested, it has about enough to keep you invested. The film could be shorter as its 1 hour & 40 minute runtime is quite long given the amount of action & deaths seen in the film.
Overall, it's definetly good, one of the great classics of the 70's.
7/10.
The first half of the film works well but is unfortunately undone by the uninteresting plot twists.
andyland3521 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I can remember first seeing the image of a girl in a yellow raincoat wearing a translucent mask and thinking it was one of the creepiest things I had ever seen. I was very curious to finally watch the film that contained this frightening image. Alice, Sweet Alice starts off very shocking and very dramatic in the first half. The story of a young girl suspected of having murdered her younger sister during first communion was horrifying and at times difficult to watch. Unfortunately the plot deviates from that storyline and the movie loses most of it's emotional resonance and becomes yet another silly slasher film. The first half of the film works well but is unfortunately undone by the uninteresting plot twists.
One of the most powerful horror films ever made!
alanmora29 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
From beginning credits to the final segment, Alfered Sole's "Alice Sweet Alice" is a chillingly gripping horror flick. With it's haunting soundtrack, alarming murder scenes, and horrifying Catholic imagery this movie will be forever embedded in your mind. It also boasts the very first screen appearance of a young Brooke Shields, who has a very brief role as young Karen Spages, a young girl who is brutally murdered in church during her first Communion. This murder sets the pace for the entire film. There are no wasted segments or "fillers" in "Alice Sweet Alice" each scene is essential and captivates your attention. The characters grab your attention as well from the morbidly obese Mr. Alfonso the landlord to the manipulative and constantly interfering Aunt Annie. Of course, the character of Alice is the most intriguing as the viewer wonders whether this strange young girl is truly capable of cold blooded acts of murder or is there something even more sinister happening? There are lots of surprises and shocks that will grab the attention of first-time viewers and leave most horror fans coming back for more and there is also a surprisingly generous amount of blood-letting in this film. This film came in at #88 on Bravo's list of the top 100 scariest moments in cinema history.
One of the early slashers
gedikreverdi17 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I like whodunnits particularly. I liked the mask and the yellow impermeable and they looked really creepy together. I don't know which town it was but it was different in a good war as there was a waterfall by an old ruined building and constant rain made everything looked more creepy. I was sure that it was Alice and the film is about how her parents can't deal with this fact. But it was the old lady taking care of the father at the church. She revealed herself at the ruined building where she dropped Alice's father to the ground after she stabbed her. She lost her child on her first communion and she just snapped because there's not much about the motive behind her murders. She just thought they're sinners and their children pay for their sins. She killed Alice's little sister on her first communion and then Alice's mother's creepy landlord was stabbed by her which made me quite happy to be honest. Then at the church the mass gathered and the detectives and the father wanted to bate her. When she noticed, she stabbed the father in the neck and hugged him. I liked the family drama of Alice's parents, an estranged father, a hysterical aunt with an obese daughter. This is simply one of the early slashers (it even predates Halloween) and it makes it even more important. But I think the killer revealed herself a bit too early. We should keep guessing after making sure it's not Alice because she was put in a mental facility at the time of her father's murder.
Nasty, bloody and weird.
gridoon5 May 2001
This exceedingly unpleasant slasher thriller has a memorable, unnerving atmosphere and does deliver some shocks, but it's so gory and nasty that it leaves you in a foul mood. You don't get any pleasure from this film; you get only suffering, blood and hysteria. The scene where the killer smashes a victim's teeth with a brick or the bloody climactic murder just went too far for my taste. The film also has a nice creepy score, which in some parts is all-too-reminiscent of Bernard Herrmann's work for "Psycho", and director Sole also seems to have been influenced by that Hitchcock classic. (**)
catholic killings.
killercharm12 May 2020
Yahoo! One of my all-time favorites. Made in the 70s but set in the 60s in an uber-catholic world during the Kennedy administration, this movie is about catholic killings. It's magnif. Paula Sheppard is incredible, a wonderful actress at so young. Gotta love Brooke Shields. Such aplomb. She's like her own damn cult. The direction is many-layered. Asides like the landlord downstairs feel so right. That scene in the stairway when the aunt is stabbed is amaze! You can watch events on two different levels. The music is choice. A young girl is murdered during her first communion, right there in the church. Her barely-psycho sister is blamed but it doesn't quite fit. This is only the first murder.
Brilliant from the Atmospheric Opening Credits to the Chilling Final Frame
eibon097 June 2001
Warning: Spoilers
Creepy little sleeper that's heavily inspired by Nicholas Roeg's seminal Don't Look Now(1972). There is a lot of focus on the motif of innocnece and guilt. One of the most religious horror films ever made. The ideals of the church play a prominent role in the plot of the film. Like in Don't Look Now(1972), there is the image of a child with a rain coat wearing a mask. Every character in the film with the exception of Father Tom is unlikable and unsympathetic. The main character Alice is the creepiest protagonist to appear in a horror movie. There is a interesting Oedipus relationship between Mrs. Tredoni and Father Tom.
The direction by Alfred Sole is excellent and the story is compelling to follow. Linda Miller does a fine job as the mother of Alice, Catherine. There are some parts of the film that remind me of the giallo, Don't Torture A Duckling(1972). Both Alice Sweet Alice(1976) and Don't Torture A Duckling(1972) deal in their own way with the loss of innocence motif. Better than most horror movies done in the mid to late 1990s. The late Paula E. Sheppard gives a powerful and scary performance as the title character, Alice. The murder scenes are well filmed and realisticly staged. Alice Sweet Alice(1976) was known mostly as the film debut for future model and actress Brooke Shields.
The character of Karen is extremely unlikable. Its easy in the first act of the story to sympathize with Alice because she treated horribly by her mother compared to her sister. Brooke Shields plays her character very well. The attempted murder of Aunt Annie played by Jane Lowry is stylish and unpredictable. Alice although not a murder by the end of the film is someone who is capable of murder. The mask worn by the killer predates the masks worn by the murderer in Halloween(1978), and Valentine(2001). Even some parts of the story reminds me of Halloween(1978). Alice Sweet Alice(1976) is an emotionally fullfilling horror pic that has developed a cult following over the years.
The direction by Alfred Sole is excellent and the story is compelling to follow. Linda Miller does a fine job as the mother of Alice, Catherine. There are some parts of the film that remind me of the giallo, Don't Torture A Duckling(1972). Both Alice Sweet Alice(1976) and Don't Torture A Duckling(1972) deal in their own way with the loss of innocence motif. Better than most horror movies done in the mid to late 1990s. The late Paula E. Sheppard gives a powerful and scary performance as the title character, Alice. The murder scenes are well filmed and realisticly staged. Alice Sweet Alice(1976) was known mostly as the film debut for future model and actress Brooke Shields.
The character of Karen is extremely unlikable. Its easy in the first act of the story to sympathize with Alice because she treated horribly by her mother compared to her sister. Brooke Shields plays her character very well. The attempted murder of Aunt Annie played by Jane Lowry is stylish and unpredictable. Alice although not a murder by the end of the film is someone who is capable of murder. The mask worn by the killer predates the masks worn by the murderer in Halloween(1978), and Valentine(2001). Even some parts of the story reminds me of Halloween(1978). Alice Sweet Alice(1976) is an emotionally fullfilling horror pic that has developed a cult following over the years.
deliberate horror
SnoopyStyle25 July 2021
Alice Spages is a 12-year-old. Her younger sister Karen (Brooke Shields) is their mother's favorite. Their parents are divorced. Karen is brutally murdered before her First Holy Communion by a masked adult in a yellow raincoat. Alice is the prime suspect due to circumstances.
This is very early in Brooke Shields' career. If only they had a crystal ball, they would put her in the lead. Instead, she's in a minor role and gets killed off quite early. In general, the acting is forced. Everyone is dialed up to eleven. It may be a director's direction. He's trying to push uncomfortableness into every shot. It's all very deliberate but it does feel forced. It gives an interesting mannered tone to this small horror. My best description would be John Waters doing horror. That's what it feels like. It certainly has an anti-church theme. If there is one way to improve this, it would be to hide the original adult killer. The audience should be kept in the dark wondering if Alice could have actually done the murder. One can guess at her disturbed mind or revenge motive. It would add another layer to this movie.
This is very early in Brooke Shields' career. If only they had a crystal ball, they would put her in the lead. Instead, she's in a minor role and gets killed off quite early. In general, the acting is forced. Everyone is dialed up to eleven. It may be a director's direction. He's trying to push uncomfortableness into every shot. It's all very deliberate but it does feel forced. It gives an interesting mannered tone to this small horror. My best description would be John Waters doing horror. That's what it feels like. It certainly has an anti-church theme. If there is one way to improve this, it would be to hide the original adult killer. The audience should be kept in the dark wondering if Alice could have actually done the murder. One can guess at her disturbed mind or revenge motive. It would add another layer to this movie.
Interesting horror film
preppy-330 August 2007
This movie takes place in 1961 in NJ. Karen (Brooke Shields in her first film) is about to receive her first communion. However she is brutally killed before that and the prime suspect is her 12 year old sister Alice (Paula Sheppard) who hated her. Then more murders start to happen and all of the clues point to Alice...
Hard to see and interesting cult movie. It was made on a very low budget and it shows. The sets are cheap and some of the actors aren't that good--Jane Lowry as Aunt Annie was just one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. But there is some good acting (Linda Miller, Niles McMaster and Sheppard were all good), it has some very bizarre characters (Mr. Alphonse is hard to forget), creepy murders (the mask the killer wears scared me) and is VERY anti-Catholic. That may or may not be a selling point to you. The script is good too and it all leads to a truly disturbing ending. And it was fun to see Lillian Roth as a pathologist! Beware some of the prints out there--some are cut. I saw the uncut one but it had seriously drained color and muffled sound. Still it's worth seeking out if you're a horror fan.
Hard to see and interesting cult movie. It was made on a very low budget and it shows. The sets are cheap and some of the actors aren't that good--Jane Lowry as Aunt Annie was just one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. But there is some good acting (Linda Miller, Niles McMaster and Sheppard were all good), it has some very bizarre characters (Mr. Alphonse is hard to forget), creepy murders (the mask the killer wears scared me) and is VERY anti-Catholic. That may or may not be a selling point to you. The script is good too and it all leads to a truly disturbing ending. And it was fun to see Lillian Roth as a pathologist! Beware some of the prints out there--some are cut. I saw the uncut one but it had seriously drained color and muffled sound. Still it's worth seeking out if you're a horror fan.
nothing great, but a decent little flick
edburtjr24 August 2007
Alice sweet Alice is a movie with a very eerie feel to it, which in part is due from the atmosphere and the low-budget. Though Brooke Shields gets top billing she's not in the film too long plus she's pre puberty so don't expect to see her prancing around like in 'Blue Lagoon'. This is a slasher flick with a little twist and a very strong catholic slant to it. The story is told pretty well and the main character(Alice) does a great job,looking up her bio it seems she didn't stick with acting. The landlord in the movie was one of the most disgusting, strange people i've seen on film. The killer's mask and raincoat was pretty scary and the film was effective in setting up a few suspenseful scenes. I would of graded this movie higher, but the dad and the cops annoyed me and there was a little overacting buy the mom and aunt. Good not great.
Compelling until the final body falls
fertilecelluloid4 December 2005
This is a brilliant, original, thought-provoking horror movie that has festered in obscurity for some time. Despite a laserdisc release and a slew of alternate titles -- "Alice Sweet Alice" and "Holy Terror" are but two -- it is still virtually unknown.
At the time of its release, PR wags made a big deal that it featured Brook Shields in her first on-screen role. PR wags did not make a big deal of the fact that there had not been anything like it ever before and that it featured an amazing newcomer, Paula E. Sheppard, in a chilling role as a deeply disturbed schoolgirl who may or may not be responsible for a slew of gory murders. Add to those a strong Catholic subtext and hints of child abuse and you've got one incredible ninety minutes of mental and physical mayhem.
Director Alfred Sole, who also made the flawed but fascinating "Tanya's Island" and the rotten "Thursday the 12th" (aka "Pandemonium") creates unbelievable tension and always places his characters (who are very well written) before the horror. Plotting, characterization and suspense are so expertly mixed the film doesn't even feel like a genre piece at times ; instead, it feels like a European drama...but one circling a potent giallo.
As noted, Sheppard is superb as Alice; Linda Miller is exemplary as Alice's tormented mother Catherine and Jane Lowry as the domineering Aunt Annie turns in a powerhouse performance. And playing Alice's obese, perverted neighbor to chilling perfection is the late Alphonso DeNoble. The scene in which he comes close to molesting Alice is priceless for its economy and authenticity.
From the excellent photography to the super-creepy score by Stephen Lawrence, "Communion" is compelling until the final body hits the church floor.
At the time of its release, PR wags made a big deal that it featured Brook Shields in her first on-screen role. PR wags did not make a big deal of the fact that there had not been anything like it ever before and that it featured an amazing newcomer, Paula E. Sheppard, in a chilling role as a deeply disturbed schoolgirl who may or may not be responsible for a slew of gory murders. Add to those a strong Catholic subtext and hints of child abuse and you've got one incredible ninety minutes of mental and physical mayhem.
Director Alfred Sole, who also made the flawed but fascinating "Tanya's Island" and the rotten "Thursday the 12th" (aka "Pandemonium") creates unbelievable tension and always places his characters (who are very well written) before the horror. Plotting, characterization and suspense are so expertly mixed the film doesn't even feel like a genre piece at times ; instead, it feels like a European drama...but one circling a potent giallo.
As noted, Sheppard is superb as Alice; Linda Miller is exemplary as Alice's tormented mother Catherine and Jane Lowry as the domineering Aunt Annie turns in a powerhouse performance. And playing Alice's obese, perverted neighbor to chilling perfection is the late Alphonso DeNoble. The scene in which he comes close to molesting Alice is priceless for its economy and authenticity.
From the excellent photography to the super-creepy score by Stephen Lawrence, "Communion" is compelling until the final body hits the church floor.
Communion a Much Better Title!
BaronBl00d14 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I liked this film for a number of reasons, but first let me look at some of its flaws. The story is intriguing, evocative, and at the same time immensely confusing - at one point I threw my hands in the air in utter disbelief of what I was seeing. The director I think became too secure in what he was shooting so as to not fulfill his duty to narrative structure - making reasonable sense of everything. But the film has a lot going for it. Is it a great film? I would say not, but it is a good film. It requires multiple viewings to see everything(though there will be no more sense made out of some things). The story details the life of an adolescent girl named Alice. Alice is having troubles at school, is a borderline schizo, and likes being mean to people. Her sister dies at a Communion service in a brutal fashion. We see a girl in a bright yellow rain coat with a translucent mask on kill Brooke Shields(no need to go on about that minor casting information) and then place the body in a chest and put a lit candle inside. Soon smoke engulfs the Communion service and from there on we have a story of people believing Alice is guilty of the crime and more crimes of course. The resolution is way out there, and I for one had no idea at all where the story was going. I still didn't know where it was going at the film's end. But what transforms this picture beyond this muddled script is the director's artistic vision and his ability to create some very creepy atmosphere. Alfred Soles uses his camera very effectively adding all kinds of religious symbolism, in particular Roman Catholic Church imagery. I was really very impressed with many of the scenes. The death scenes were done in striking fashion. The mask and rain coat, usually something that would not be scary, were very eerie. Some of the things going on in the film transcended just being weird to being downright bizarre. The Alphonso de Noble character - a man who must way well-over 400 pounds caring for a room of cats and listening to music from the forties. He played this unsavory man in a most unsettling way. Catch the greasy spot on his trousers. Yuck! There were other equally bizarre characters, shots, and plot threads. The young girl playing Alice, Paula E. Shepperd, did a very good job and the rest of the cast, though not great, did very workmanlike jobs. The story will keep many from liking the film, but Soles had just enough "spin" if you will to catch my interest and maintain it. I really am surprised he didn't direct a lot more after this as his film is really well-shot.
Alice, boring Alice
prod7422 July 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I've heard a lot about this movie so I bought it on DVD. Fortunately I got it very cheap or I would be very sad right now. I've heard that this is a little horror gem, a good movie with suspense and many twists and that it has a great ending. This couldn't be further from the truth (at least in my opinion).
THE GOOD: The story is interesting and has a lot of potential. This could have been a much better film.
THE BAD: The direction and camerwork are nothing special. Not bad but not really good either. The acting is below average and sometimes comes close to awful. The dialog is stupid. The movie is unbalanced. It starts as a horror movie, it continues as a family drama, then goes back to horror. The characters are flat and undeveloped. The killings are very unoriginal and not at all scary. The effects suck.
THE WORST: *****SPOILERS****** You can tell from the start that Alice didn't kill her sister since the killer is double her size. Duh! There goes the plot's main twist. And even if you overlook that, the killer's identity is revealed halfway through the film rendering Alice irrelevant for the rest of the story. The killer's motives are very thin and she is hardly believable. Some reviewers say that the end and the identity of the killer was unpredictable. Of course it was unpredictable. The bad guy was one of the extras. Who could predict that?
Anyway, I'm tired of saying bad things about this movie so I'll just sum it up in one word: BORING. Skip this one unless you want to check for yourself what's this movie all about. I give it 4 out of 10.
THE GOOD: The story is interesting and has a lot of potential. This could have been a much better film.
THE BAD: The direction and camerwork are nothing special. Not bad but not really good either. The acting is below average and sometimes comes close to awful. The dialog is stupid. The movie is unbalanced. It starts as a horror movie, it continues as a family drama, then goes back to horror. The characters are flat and undeveloped. The killings are very unoriginal and not at all scary. The effects suck.
THE WORST: *****SPOILERS****** You can tell from the start that Alice didn't kill her sister since the killer is double her size. Duh! There goes the plot's main twist. And even if you overlook that, the killer's identity is revealed halfway through the film rendering Alice irrelevant for the rest of the story. The killer's motives are very thin and she is hardly believable. Some reviewers say that the end and the identity of the killer was unpredictable. Of course it was unpredictable. The bad guy was one of the extras. Who could predict that?
Anyway, I'm tired of saying bad things about this movie so I'll just sum it up in one word: BORING. Skip this one unless you want to check for yourself what's this movie all about. I give it 4 out of 10.
A Low Budget Horror Masterpiece
johnbaxter-8321218 August 2021
Alice, Sweet Alice is a hard movie to forget. Dealing with religious repression, mental illness, and child murder might make it sound like a depressing chore to sit through but director, Alfred Sole, loads the film with so many memorable images and set pieces and keeps things both gritty and grounded, but elevated and a bit campy at the same time which throws the viewer out of whack. There are also some very surprising deaths and attack scenes that you don't see coming and that's always a plus in a film like this.
Decent murder mystery.
Fella_shibby26 January 2017
I first saw this on a VHS. Revisited it recently on a DVD. The film is atmospheric n creepy, the killings r brutal n strong. There is psychological tension that makes it more of a giallo. The movie was decent inspite of its low budget. The acting was good. The killer is effective and creepy with the use of yellow raincoat and creepy mask, being an excellent stand out image and invoking a sense of dread whenever it appears on-screen. The warehouse scene really scared me. The twisting plot and suspense should be enough to get you caught up in it and keep you guessing. All in all its a decent murder mystery. The female who played the aunt kept on screaming. Is she in the hall of fame for scream queen?
Not impressed
Maciste_Brother23 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
ALICE, SWEET ALICE is often cited as a hidden gem of a movie that's mostly unknown to the vast moviegoing public. Well, there's a reason why ASA is mostly forgotten: it's because it's not that great. If you've already seen Dario Argento's DEEP RED or any other slashers or gialli of the past 20 years, ASA seems pretty derivative. There were a couple of original touches, like the setting, but the overacting from the unknown cast really made things only worse. The acting can be described as hysterical. Everyone seems to be screaming their lines. The story is filled with massive plot-holes (how did the killer know Alice would be in the basement while the killer attacked the aunt? It's just impossible). Once the identity of the killer is revealed, the film, like DEEP RED, falls apart because the killer is simply not believable for one second. It's totally LUDICROUS!
The funny part is that I pretty much figured out who the killer was before the revelation but I didn't want to believe the folks behind this movie were actually dumb enough to go in that direction. It was quite easy to figure out who the killer was actually: the killer is the ONLY person who was frightened by Alice when she's wearing that semi-transparent mask. Simple. In fact, that's the problem with the whole movie: it's too simple. The murders are nothing spectacular. The killer's identity wasn't difficult to figure out. The killer's motivation was laughable. The ending is melodramatically over-the-top. All in all, there's very little to recommend ALICE, SWEET ALICE. It's a fairly routine slasher that hasn't stood the test of time.
The funny part is that I pretty much figured out who the killer was before the revelation but I didn't want to believe the folks behind this movie were actually dumb enough to go in that direction. It was quite easy to figure out who the killer was actually: the killer is the ONLY person who was frightened by Alice when she's wearing that semi-transparent mask. Simple. In fact, that's the problem with the whole movie: it's too simple. The murders are nothing spectacular. The killer's identity wasn't difficult to figure out. The killer's motivation was laughable. The ending is melodramatically over-the-top. All in all, there's very little to recommend ALICE, SWEET ALICE. It's a fairly routine slasher that hasn't stood the test of time.
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