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After a young girl is brutally murdered during her first communion, her strange and withdrawn older sister becomes the main suspect.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

Young Girl | Holy Communion | Veil | Suspicion | Yellow Coat

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
Ted Tinling	...	Detective Cranston
Mary Boylan	...	Mother Superior
Peter Bosche	...	Monsignor
Joseph Rossi	...	Father Joe
Marco Quazzo	...	Robert DeLorenze
Dick Boccelli	...	Hotel Clerk
Ronald Willoughby	...	Funeral Director
Sally Anne Golden	...	Policewoman
Lucy Hale	...	Church Soloist
Libby Fennelly	...	Nun
Maurice Yonowsky	...	Children Shelter Attendant
Beth Carlton	...	Children Shelter Attendant
Drew Roman	...	Policeman
Antonino Rocca	...	Funeral Director (billed as Funeral Attendant in closing credits)
Michael Weil	...	Funeral Attendant
Leslie Feigen M.D.	...	Doctor

Directed by
Alfred Sole

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

Produced by
Marc G. Greenberg	....	associate producer
Richard K. Rosenberg	....	executive producer
Richard K. Rosenberg	....	producer
Alfred Sole	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stephen Lawrence

Film Editing by
M. Edward Salier		(as Edward Salier)

Production Design by
John Lawless

Set Decoration by
Stephen Finon

Costume Design by
Michelle Cohen

Makeup Department
Barbara Battagliese	....	hair stylist
Larry Panucci	....	hair stylist
Anne Paul	....	makeup artist
Karen Sole	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rosemary Ritvo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adrienne Hamalian-Mangine	....	assistant director (as Adrienne Hamalian)

Sound Department
Dan Sable	....	sound editor
Mark Salwasser	....	sound
Larry Scharf	....	boom operator (as Lawrence Scharf)
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Bruck	....	electrician
Ralph Coleman	....	electrician
Stanley Fejnas	....	grip
John Friberg	....	camera operator
Chuck Hall	....	camera operator
Chris Hayes	....	assistant camera
Gary Michelin	....	camera loader
John Pascali	....	grip
Johnnie Rogers	....	key grip
William S. Scharf	....	electrician (as William Scharf)
Richard Schwartz	....	camera loader

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lenora Guarini	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
William S. Scharf	....	assistant editor (as William Scharf)
Richard Schwartz	....	apprentice editor

Other crew
Tim Baker	....	production secretary
Daniel Bregman	....	production assistant
Robert Burke Jr.	....	assistant to producer
Mary Collins	....	production assistant
Lori Cusack	....	production assistant
Judy Gordon	....	production assistant
Father Francis Gerard Greeley O.S.F.	....	religious advisor
Steven Hurewitz	....	production assistant
Charles Parmelli	....	technical advisor: City of Paterson
Tony Racco	....	production assistant
Randy Rothenberg	....	production assistant
Richard Schwartz	....	production assistant
Marilyn Spages	....	production secretary
Susan Thaler	....	assistant to director
Ken Threet	....	production assistant
Michael Weil	....	production assistant
Elizabeth Weizenegger	....	script supervisor
Murray Yedwab	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Harristown Funding

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Brothers (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Allied Artists Home Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Citadel Films (1981) (Canada) (theatrical) (cut version "Holy Terror")
• Viking Video Classics (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Genesis Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Movie Classics (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Jef Films International (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (VHS) (as "Alice, Sweet Alice")
• 23rd Century (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Hen's Tooth Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (????) (Australia) (theatrical)
• CMV Laservision (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cinema Classics (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• FHS Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Gems (1984) (USA) (VHS) (as "Alice Sweet Alice")
• Marquis Video (????) (Canada) (VHS) (cut version "Holy Terror")
• Opção (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Spotlite Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Illusions Inc.

Other Companies

• Magnofex  sound editing
• Richard Cataldi Agency  casting
• Friedman/Futch Casting Consultants  casting
• EFX Unlimited  opticals
• Joan Peckolick Design Inc.  title design
• Trans / Audio  sound re-recording
• C. Hannah Ltd. Inc.  vehicles
• Communion Productions Ltd.  production services furnished by
• The City of Paterson, New Jersey  thanks

Also Known As:

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

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R (DVD rating) | 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:

Crew or equipment visible: After Alphonso is stabbed he falls down on a coffee table causing it to collapse. A pair of hands is visible as they catch a falling fish bowl.

Quotes:

Catherine Spages: [about her ex-husband] I don't know why I'm so worried. I just can't imagine where he could be.
Mrs. Tredoni: Maybe you are afraid that God will send St. Michael to take another of your loved ones. When St. Michael took my little girl, I only thought of how cruel God was.
Catherine Spages: Mrs. Tredoni, I'm sorry. I never knew you had a little girl.
Mrs. Tredoni: God took her from me on the day of her first communion, don't you see? He waited until then to teach me that children pay for the sins of their parents. And then I was sent here to look after Father, not you!
[...]

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.