The Love Butcher (Schizophren, 1975)

German Schröder Media 2019 DVD edition



FUN serial killer and maybe proto Slasher indie low-budget horror made in 1975 but kept on the shelves for many years before finally
being released in 1982. Co-directed by Don Jones and Mikel Angel and the film could be done with tongue in cheek and almost as a
killing comedy. The film takes place in the LA suburbs and a bunch of snotty women hires the freaky looking Caleb (Erik Stern) a bald
strange old man with thick glasses to do their gardening. He mumbles to himself and he's constantly mistreated, harassed by his
employers. Caleb is a nutcase and schizophrenic and after putting on a wig he turns into his other identity, Lester (Erik Stern).

Lester Leaps In

Handsome Lester is full of confidence, he's a handsome ladies man and he, disguised in various outfits, can lure any woman to let him
in into their houses where he murder them using an assortment of gardening tools as weapons.
Mary the 6th victim of a serial killer is found in her garden with a pitchfork through her belly, and another victim is killed by a Scythe.

The Police led by Captain Donald Stark (a badly acting Edward Roehm) and local crime reporter Russell (Jeremiah Beecher) are
investigating the killings, but without much success. Why would the Police show any interest for the weirdo looking, strong, big
but crippled oddly behaving gardener to all the victims. Why? He only worked at all the crime scenes, but NO, nope.
Russ girlfriend Florence (Kay Neer) is the only one who's nice to Caleb and does that make her The Final Girl? One thing is for sure
with this strange film, nothing is for sure, and that's a good thing.

Erik Stern gives an unhinged and interesting/good performance as the schizoid Caleb/Lester. With Caleb talking to his imaginary
brother Lester home in his shoddy room one gets a strong claustrophobic feeling of loneliness and insanity. Psycho horror with
elements of Herschell Gordon Lewis and William Lustig. This could well have inspired Lustig when he made Maniac and with the
scenes where Joe Spinell talks to his dolls. And the end was great, i didn't see that coming.

Well, this film takes place in some LA suburb, Los Angeles, and lonely women gladly let total strangers come into their houses,
NOT so likely maybe, as .... Lester disguised as The Puerto Rican door to door record salesman, ha, ha.

The DVD presents the film in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio with a DD 2.0 English audio, no extras, region 2, reversible
sleeve without the FSK logo (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft - FSK)

 

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