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How sad is this?

Good movie but grossly overrated

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

The very pretty Lynne Frederick plays Samantha, a young ice skater about to be married to Alan Falconer (John Leyton). The event isn't a happy one for everybody; a man named William Haskin (Jack Watson) reads about it in the paper and is upset enough to travel South to London. Samantha begins to be terrorized, and people in her life begin to die, and it would seem that Haskin is responsible. Or is that really the case?Given that the movie is about mental illness, it seems that the conclusion is going to be a foregone one, which blunts a fair bit of the suspense. Pete Walker, one of the masters of exploitation and horror in British cinema of the 1970s, otherwise does a decent job executing what could only be described as a psychological slasher film. (Albeit one that predates the slasher film cycle of the late 70s and early 80s.) It's got some reasonably entertaining gore, and a little bit of sex. Playing Samanthas' mother, actress Wendy Gilmore shows us the goods more than once. The pacing may not be to all tastes, as this goes on a little longer than perhaps it should have. (Another burden on a movie that doesn't really offer any major surprises.)The acting, at least, is up to snuff. Frederick is appealing in the lead, and vulnerable; it's not too hard to sympathize with her. Supporting performances are engaging, especially from Stephanie Beacham as Samantha and Alans' friend Beth, and John Fraser as the caring psychiatrist Leonard. Watson is also solid as a fairly menacing character.Must viewing for fans of the British shockers of the time, and Walker completists, but not on the level of his most interesting work, "House of Whipcord". One does miss Walkers' regular actress Sheila Keith, who doesn't turn up here.Seven out of 10.

I must confess I am new to Pete Walker and this is only the second of his films that I have seen, the other being Frightmare. Regarding the earlier film, I was extremely impressed by his handling of the story and stylish visuals and direction throughout. Quality acting--better than is usual with this type of film from the era--was a surprising bonus. The same can be said for Schizo--well, mostly.The acting here is also very good. Lynne Frederick as Samantha was really quite excellent as the doe-eyed (and very attractive) young newlywed figure skater who is the film's central focus. The actors around her do admirable work also. It seems--and other reviews here mention this--that Walker had a particular talent for drawing good performances from even the most unhailed actors; this was clear in Frightmare (e.g. Kim Butcher as Debbie) but is also clear here.Where this film is arguably weaker than Frightmare, is with regard to the storyline. While red herrings are quite amply peppered about the place--or, rather, the viewer is lead to suspect various possible culprits: the cleaning lady, the new husband etc.--the ultimate answer is hardly surprising. BUT, I must confess that I didn't realize until quite late in the game. This is something of an embarrassing admission as, when I did realize, it was an "of course, how stupid of me" moment. That being said, the cliché in question was less of a cliché in 1976 and jaded horror film viewers in the decades since are less likely to not see it coming (myself excepted, I suppose). In my defense, I think I allowed Walker to take me on his trip and I blindly followed. Perhaps this is why I enjoyed the film so much and was so impressed with his direction. In short, if you let him suck you in, Schizo will impact upon you; but, if you see through the smoke and mirrors early on, the film can only underwhelm, at least plot-wise. Unfortunately, let's face it, most experienced horror/thriller viewers probably WILL see through the plot early on. I say, unfortunately, because it will then take something away from what is a well-crafted film.One feature that interested me was the focus on the relationships in the film; particularly the notion of infidelity. The characters of Leonard and Beth are friends of the newlyweds and are presented in the midst of an extra-marital affair. Leonard has a wife somewhere who we never meet. There are suggestions of intimacy beyond mere friendship between Samantha's husband, Alan, and Beth also. Furthermore, Samantha's suspected tormentor is her mother's boyfriend at the time (her childhood), not a father or even a step-father. Now, I know these things are all quite normal and commonplace in the real world, but film-makers rarely take these paths, certainly not in what is just a slasher/shocker/horror flick after all. That the Leonard-Beth infidelity is almost wholly accepted; that the Alan-Beth relationship is merely suggested and never played up or focused on; that mention is never made of the role of Samantha's ACTUAL father; these elements interest me as a departure from the cinematic norm, especially in the Britain of the mid-70s.Another feature that impressed me with Schizo (and Frightmare also) was Walker's visual alacrity. It's remarkable how fine direction can lift what could have been a very run-of-the-mill thriller to something a little finer. Walker's camera does a fine job following Samantha around the house with jump-scares ever suggested but never occurring, at least not where and when we expect them. Watching the film, I came to feel that the intimacy with which we come to know that house, with its several layers (and wonderfully kitsch 70s decor!), corners at the tops of stairs, closets under stairs, and ample places for shadows to hide, suggests something of the schizophrenic mind--a suggestion that I should possibly have seen as a big fat signposted clue! Possibly, but Walker is quite subtle here. Certainly subtler than Nicolas Roeg's earlier masterpiece, "Don't Look Now". Having mentioned that film, I wonder if Samantha's raincoat is a nod to Roeg's classic. Considering the muted grays, browns and dark colors usually preferred by our protagonist, I highly suspect the raincoat is a very literal reference to "Don't Look Now", especially as it will be worn by a creepy psychic.Aside from Roeg, there is plenty of Bava, and Italian gialli in general, on display here. As a huge fan of this sub-genre and the work of Bava in particular (that's Mario, of course, not Lamberto!), that may further explain my enjoyment of Schizo.There are certain questions that could be asked. What happened to the ice skating? Why didn't the mother's boyfriend 'take certain steps'? How could nobody suspect/see/catch the often bumbling tormentor? But these are small matters that can probably be adequately explained away by most viewers.To conclude, Schizo is a stylish film that shows the touch of a quality director. Many aspects of the characters that it presents are intriguing and interesting to the point that it raises the film well above average fare of the era (and since!). Walker does a superb job of slowly building a sense of menace throughout the film and sprinkles enough red herrings for us to (perhaps) convince ourselves that really we're not at all sure who the killer is. However, the storyline and how it unfolds will most probably make it of break it for most viewers. I do hope nonetheless that those who see the end coming can at least take notice of how classily Walker gets us there.

Not really prime Pete Walker; rather an attempt by the director to do a stalker / slasher picture, after the Italian giallo fashion.Walker does treat us to some surprising and vivid scenes, ample shock moments and a fine use of locations - mid-70s Britain is once again a fascinatingly grim locale, as in some many films of the era! However, the crucial 'twist' is rather poor, straining all credibility that the film had.The uncannily ubiquitous Jack Watson is actually quite sinister though, and Stephanie Beacham once more plays the very middle-class friend type as in other British horrors of the era. Lynne Frederick - to be wed to Peter Sellers the following year - is another of PW's sexy heroine-in-peril leads and, like many such characters, is not incapable or entirely cardboard. John Leyton, singer of the stupendously eerie Joe Meek-produced #1 hit 'Johnny Remember Me' (1961), is bizarrely cast as Frederick's husband, providing as much screen presence as the elusive Zeppo Marx. Sheila Keith is missing.While this is a definite retreat from PW's previous nasty fairy tales - "House of Whipcord", - it still has a certain appeal for those who don't mind a bit of well-crafted 1970s exploitation. Those who view films purely in terms of gender politics should obviously stay well clear!

Psychological terror tale from popular British cult director Pete Walker concerning the effects of a supposedly paroled murderer on an ice skating pro, recently married to a garment factory boss.Lynne Frederick is Samantha, celebrated "Ice Queen" tormented by William Haskin(Jack Watson), the man convicted for the savage knife-stabbing of her mother. It seems as if Haskin's goal is to terrorize and kill Samantha, finishing what he started ten years prior to her mother. But, everything might not be as it seems and Samantha's newlywed husband, Alan(John Leyton)and gal pal, Beth(Stephanie Beacham, adding a bit of star power to the little thriller)are starting to question her sanity. When people Samantha knows start turning up dead, murdered in horrible ways(..sliced throat, hair pin through the eye, hammer clubbing to a skull), could she be next on the list? Director Pete Walker establishes a weird vibe, and his camera-work is tightly confined and, often, quite claustrophobic, shooting the cast really close, capturing nuances in the expressive faces of both Frederick and Watson, noting that often what is not shown is just as important as what is(..especially in the case of Samantha whose odd behavioral shifts are important to the overall story). The spine-chilling score, by Stanley Myers, adds just the right tone to the proceedings.Samantha's mood swings give Walker's movie an extra strange quality that only adds punch to the crazy twist. The motivation for the murders is pure Walker, a sordid sexual scenario sets off the horrors that will take place. One of Walker's more violent movies, and Frederick is nude several times to , both adding sizzle to his shocker. Something you'd might see on a chiller theater program, perfect midnight movie viewing. I'm guessing, Schizo is great drive-in fare. John Fraser is Samantha's reliable shrink and Queenie Watts her eccentric housekeeper, Mrs Wallace, both receiving gruesome fates. While Beacham has a secondary role, it's important as she sleuths for Samantha, hoping to put the whole "stalker" nonsense to rest, endangering herself in the process.