Criminally Insane (1975)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Nick Millard

Writer:

Nick Millard (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

She's 250 Pounds of Maniacal Fury!

Plot:

An obese woman recently released from an insane asylum kills anyone who attempts to get her to stop eating.

Plot Keywords:

Food | Kill | Obese Woman | Eating | Granddaughter

Cast

Priscilla Alden	...	Ethel Janowski
Michael Flood	...	John
Jane Lambert	...	Mrs. Janowski
Robert Copple
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Detective (as C.L. Lefleur)
Ginna Martine	...	Mrs. Kendley (as Gina Martine)
Cliff McDonald
Charles Egan	...	Drunk Man
Sonny La Rocca
Sandra Shotwell	...	Nurse
Lisa Farros

Runtime:

61 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Oakland, California, USA

Company:

I.R.M.I. Films Corporation

Quotes:

Ethel Janowski: My heart is just fine as long as my stomach is not empty.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Criminally Insane 2 (1987)

A gem of a bad movie.

Made in 1973 but not released until a couple of years later, CRIMINALLY INSANE is probably the most famous movie made and released by IRMI Films of Pacifica, California. The film stars Bay Area actress Priscilla Alden as Ethel Janowski, an immensely obese misanthrope who is prematurely released from a mental institution and sent to live with her grandmother. Ethel's insatiable appetite for food causes problems for her grandmother, who promptly restricts her granddaughter's feeding habits. Big mistake! Ethel does away with granny and any other visitor that enters the house. Unforgettable ending.

This is probably the cheapest film I've ever seen (and believe me, I know cheap): the entire film has a grainy "home movie" quality, the music sounds like two musicians constantly tuning their instruments, negative printing is used for a dream sequence, and the acting is pitiful, except Alden, who gives a wonderfully demented and memorable performance as Ethel. This picture is extremely pathetic and even though I've never had the nerve to tell anyone else that I own the film (much less played it for anyone), I still find it very compelling viewing. There's some "other worldly" quality to it that makes it quite unique (and satisfying, if you've got really low standards like me). Don't say you weren't warned!

The exact same cast and crew returned for CRAZY FAT ETHEL II, and a loosely related film called DEATH NURSE (both released in 1987 and both starring Alden).