The Sinister Urge (1960)

User Rating:

1.9/10   

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writer:

Edward D. Wood Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

8 December 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Branded for Torture...A SMUT PICTURE!

Plot:

A flunky for a porno movie ring starts murdering the smut films' lead actresses.

Plot Keywords:

Police | MST3K | Naive | Murder | Cult Favorite

Cast

Kenne Duncan	...	Lt. Matt Carson
Duke Moore	...	Sgt. Randy Stone (as James 'Duke' Moore)
Jean Fontaine	...	Gloria Henderson
Carl Anthony	...	Johnny Ryde
Dino Fantini	...	Dirk Williams
Jeanne Willardson	...	Mary Smith
Harvey B. Dunn	...	Mr. Romaine
Reed Howes	...	Police Inspector
Fred Mason	...	Officer Kline
Vic McGee	...	Syndicate man
Harry Keaton	...	Jaffe (as Harry Keatan)
Conrad Brooks	...	Connie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vickie Baker	...	Kid at Diner (uncredited)
Jean Baree	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Henry Bederski	...	Kid at Diner (uncredited)
Honey Bee	...	Kid at Diner (uncredited)
Judy Berares	...	Frances (uncredited)
Betty Boatner	...	Shirley (uncredited)
Johnny Carpenter	...	Kid at Diner (uncredited)
Toni Costello	...	Model (uncredited)
Carole Gallos	...	(uncredited)
Claudette Gifford	...	(uncredited)
Henry Kekoanui	...	Dark stud (uncredited)
Rick Lamson	...	(uncredited)
Carmen Lee	...	(uncredited)
April Lynn	...	Model (uncredited)
Paul Main	...	Paul (uncredited)
Sylvia Marenco	...	Model (uncredited)
Candy Paige	...	(uncredited)
Clayton Peca	...	Undercover Policeman (uncredited)
Kathy Randall	...	Model (uncredited)
Nick Raymond	...	Syndicate man #2 (uncredited)
Oma Soffian	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Raphael Sporer	...	(uncredited)
Vonnie Starr	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Rhea Walker	...	(uncredited)
Lisa Page Ward	...	(uncredited)
Kenneth Willardson	...	Theatrical agent (uncredited)
Edward D. Wood Jr.	...	Man in fight (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward D. Wood Jr.		(as E.D. Wood)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edward D. Wood Jr.		writer (as E.D. Wood)

Produced by
Roy Reid	....	executive producer
Edward D. Wood Jr.	....	associate producer (as E.D. Wood)

Original Music by
Michael Terr		(as Manuel Francisco)

Cinematography by
William C. Thompson

Film Editing by
John Soh

Art Department
J.B. Finch	....	set dresser
Jerome Lapari	....	set designer

Sound Department
Sam Kopetzky	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Ray Mercer	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Larry Smith	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eileen Younger	....	wardrobe

Production Companies

• Headliner Productions

Distributors

• Headliner Productions (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Home Theatre (1980) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Hellborn
The Young and the Immoral

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park Observatory, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Headliner Productions

Trivia:

The Pizza Joint sequences were shot in 1956 for the unfinished film Rock and Roll Hell, also known as Hellborn.

Goofs:

Continuity: Police leave the police station in a black and white Ford and arrive at the City Park in a black and white Dodge.

Quotes:

[Mary sees Ed Wood posters on pornographer Johnny Ride's office wall.]
Mary Smith: Are gangster and horror films all you produce?
Johnny Ryde: Those are made by friends of mine. I think you'll find my type of picture entirely different.

Movie Connections:

References Bride of the Monster (1955)

Smuttily yours

I really think smut gets a bad rep. This Ed Wood schlocker attempts to correlate the smut racket and the ills of society's problems. Well, at least back in 1961. Of course, this isn't shown so well and Ed delivers his usual bland scenes of dialogue where the characters are trying to further progress the story. Or were they trading borscht pie recipes? Well this all adds up to a movie that seems like a 10 hour skin grafting session.

Is it bad? Of course, no question. Or was it made out to be that way? After seeing Ed Wood's works, it looks like his actors are giving serious, genuine performances, but there's a sense that they're having fun with it (that is until Ed explained how he was going to pay them). Characters galore range from crazed psychotic who really intimate with a switchblade to 9 fingered wonder Harvey B Dunn who adds new meaning to `giving the bird'. Some scenes are so kampy, it's funny. An interview with naïve actress really had me laughing when the interviewer slyly explains what type of film they'll be shooting. Also, a group of teeners (aka more of Ed's extras) witness a fight break out for no reason!! To try and explain the hilarity of this scene would not do it justice. Count how many desk scenes there are till your wall paint starts peeling! And that Kline, can he steal a scene or what?

Ah, but let's not forget Jean Fontaine as Gloria. Her grating voice really adds a menacing presence (I will never look at a leotard the same way ever again). Maybe smut wasn't the problem and Gloria was the root of the problem? Well, that or her seal tight ensemble displayed throughout the movie! Listening to Gloria's logic and way of reasoning makes me realize that caning may not be such a bad thing after all. And her great line "Dirk? No, that can't be Dirk. Uh-uh. No, that's not Dirk. No" is well worth the price of admission.

There's so much more like shooting on the smut set of scantily clad (?) actresses, abrupt jump cuts, a police raid (HA HA HA), the Syndicate….oh man, some directors wish they could create movies with the flair Ed Wood had. I'm starting to see method in Ed's madness.