HAUNTS (1977)

It is time to delve back into my 50 pack of Chilling Movies. It's been awhile, but I had some free time to put something in the old DVD player. HAUNTS is the one I picked. I was in the mood for a slasher flick and this one said that it had a guy whacking the locals with a pair of scissors. Giving the killer an A for originality, I was ready to watch.
My crap radar popped up when I saw that Aldo Ray and Cameron Mitchell were both in the flick. At least there would be some epic scenery chewing. That can always be fun.
Anyway, the leading lady, May Britt, plays Ingrid, a repressed, pious older lady that lives on a farm with her dad who is Cameron Mitchell. Seems that someone is indeed killing people with scissors.
I had to give them props as the first killer is interrupted by someone going out to the pantry for jam. The killer attacks her, but is interrupted in a second kill by the rest of the household. In formulaic slasher flicks he would have whacked the girl. The originality I spoke of early proved itself early on.
In fact the entire film is original. And confusing. I'm pretty sure there was more than one killer which made for a muddled mess, but still original. The ending is so out of left field that it isn't funny.
Cameron Mitchell gives a magnificent performance. Sweating, twitching and looking extremely uncomfortable. Aldo Ray starts out right over the top and there is nowhere else to go but up and that doesn't stop Mr. Ray.
Sure, the print is washed out and the sound is, well terrible would be a compliment, but it has it's own backwoods charm to it. I have to say that at no time does it seem to be cribbing from any other flick I have seen. I looked everywhere for pics for the flick, but only came up with one of Cameron Mitchell. It looks good though compared to the condition of the print that I have of the film.
This is one of the gem's of this box set and it makes me glad that I got it.
I'll try to do better in getting the rest of these reviewed. Since concluding one of my busier blogs I have a considerable amount of free time.