Communion (1976)

Director:

Alfred Sole

Writers:

Rosemary Ritvo (original screenplay) &
Alfred Sole (original screenplay)

Release Date:

13 November 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

If You Survive This Night... Nothing Will Scare You Again.

Plot:

After a young girl is brutally murdered during her first communion, her strange and withdrawn older sister becomes the main suspect.

Plot Keywords:

Mistaken Identity | Landlord | Raincoat | Lie Detector | Shoes

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Linda Miller	...	Catherine Spages
Mildred Clinton	...	Mrs. Tredoni
Paula E. Sheppard	...	Alice Spages (as Paula Sheppard)
Niles McMaster	...	Dominick 'Dom' Spages
Jane Lowry	...	Aunt Annie DeLorenze
Rudolph Willrich	...	Father Tom
Michael Hardstark	...	Detective Spina
Alphonso DeNoble	...	Mr. Alphonso
Gary Allen	...	Jim DeLorenze
Brooke Shields	...	Karen Spages
Louisa Horton	...	Dr. Whitman
Tom Signorelli	...	Detective Brennan
Lillian Roth	...	Pathologist (as Miss Lillian Roth)
Patrick Gorman	...	Father Pat
Kathy Rich	...	Angela DeLorenze

Also Known As:

Alice Sweet Alice (USA) (reissue title)
Holy Terror (USA) (cut version)

Runtime:

98 min | Argentina:108 min | Spain:83 min | Australia:106 min | USA:108 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

1 James Street, Paterson, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Harristown Funding

Trivia:

The knife used in the film was created by Alfred Sole's neighbor, who was an engineer, and was designed with a retractable blade. It was the only knife used in the film; the filmmakers never made any duplicates.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the opening credits Atonino Rocca is credited as the funeral director but in the ending credits he's credited as a funeral attendant.

Quotes:

Mrs. Tredoni: [Alice scares Mrs. Tredoni with a grinning mask] Oh, you nasty child! Out of my kitchen!

Movie Connections:

References Don't Look Now (1973)

Soundtrack:

Three Little Fishies

Finest of it's kind...

"Alice, Sweet Alice" is the first horror movie i ever saw, and i've seen many since. But nothing, in my book, compares to this classic, as-yet-undiscovered little gem. First off, the acting is SUPERB, and Puala Sheppard's portrayal of Alice is close to flawless. Second, the atmosphere is amazing, offset by an excellent and eerily haunting musical score. If you are a fan of 70's horror, this one is the best of it's kind, not only for the aforementioned, but also because it captures the essence of the 70's both in it's rainy, New Jersey setting, and in the grainy feel of the way it was filmed. Talks of a proposed sequel to this movie are in the works for 2005, and although it will most likely be doomed to straight-to-video hell, i am still eagerly anticipating it with high hopes. Original and entertaining, although some may find it slow paced for their taste, i gave it 10/10 *'s because in my opinion, it's a near-masterpiece.