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Schizoid (film)

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox film

| name = Schizoid

| image = Schizoid-movie-poster-md.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| native_name =

| director = David Paulsen

| producer =

| writer = David Paulsen

| starring =

| music = Craig Hundley

| cinematography = Norman Leigh

| editing =

| studio = Golan-Globus Productions

| distributor = Cannon Group

| released =

| runtime = 89 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $350,000

| gross =

}}

'Schizoid' is a 1980 American slasher film directed and written by David Paulsen, and starring Klaus Kinski, Marianna Hill, Craig Wasson, Christopher Lloyd, and Donna Wilkes. It follows a Los Angeles advice columnist who is subject to a series of threatening anonymous letters, while members of a group therapy she attends are being stalked and murdered by a killer armed with shearing scissors.

Plot



Recently-divorced Los Angeles advice columnist Julie Caffret begins attending group therapy sessions led by the widowed Dr. Pieter Fales, a German psychologist. The sessions are held in Pieter's spacious house, which he shares with his teenage daughter, Alison. Members of the group include Gilbert, a lonely handyman who works in Julie's apartment building; Pat, a Wellesley College graduate employed as a stripper, and with whom Pieter carries on a secret sexual relationship; and Rosemary Boyle, a spinster.

After one of the sessions, one of the female members of the therapy group is stalked by an unseen motorist while riding a bicycle on a country dirt road, and is chased into an abandoned house, where she is brutally stabbed to death with a pair of scissors. A short time later, a teenage couple having sex in the garage of the abandoned house find the woman's dead body. Meanwhile, Julie is disturbed after she begins receiving a number of anonymous cut-and-paste notes threatening murder and assault. Finding little help from authorities, Julie ponders responding to the anonymous letter writer in her advice column. Doug, her ex-husband with whom she works with at the newspaper, warns her against this, fearing it will only lead to further harassment.

Late one night after leaving the strip club, Pat is stalked by the unseen motorist, who chases her through an alleyway. She attempts to flee, but is cornered by the assailant, who stabs her to death. Julie grows close to Pieter, and is invited by him to his house for a formal dinner. However, the meal goes awry when Alison, dressed in her deceased mother's clothing, rages at her father for inviting Julie there on the anniversary of her mother's death.

Later, Doug witnesses Julie and Pieter engaging in sex when he peers through the window of her apartment. The next day, Rosemary, while relaxing in her hot tub, is stalked by the killer, who slashes her to death with scissors. In his office, Pieter discovers a paper clipping lying on the floor, and begins to suspect Alison may be the one sending Julie the threatening letters. He confronts her, and asks if she is responsible for the deaths of his patients. Alison vehemently denies any involvement and, despondent, locks herself in the garage and turns on her car, attempting suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. However, she decides against it, and backs the car through the garage door before speeding away.

Julie publishes her office phone number in her advice column, hoping for a call from the killer that police can trace. Doug, though initially reluctant to the idea, agrees to help Julie and listen in on any phone calls. Julie receives a call from Alison, who asks if she can come speak with her. Alison arrives and confronts Julie and Doug, threatening them with a pistol. Moments later, Pieter calls the office, and rushes there when Julie says Alison's name. Pieter arrives and finds the office in disarray, but nobody in sight. Doug, brandishing Alison's pistol, begins to shoot at Pieter as he stalks him through the officeit is reveled that Doug is in fact the killer, motivated by Julie's sharing of details regarding the deterioration of their marriage, and what he perceives as a slight against his character.

Police and investigators descend on the office building as Doug threatens Pieter with a pistol, while Julie and Alison, who were kidnapped by Doug and bound-and-gagged in a supply room, manage to free themselves. Pieter and Doug engage in a violent fight, which Julie and Alison stumble upon. As Doug gains control of Pieter, Alison stabs him to death with a pair of scissors, saving her father's life. Seconds later, police burst into the office, as Pieter, Julie, and Alison embrace.

Cast



Production



In a February 20, 1980 issue of 'The Hollywood Reporter', the film was announced as to start its principal photography on 13 March 1980 under the title 'Molded to Murder'. It was announced in March that the film's title had been changed to 'Murder by Mail'. The film was announced for sale at the Cannes International Film Festival Market, but was not screened for potential buyers.

Flo Lawrence said she felt somehow abused by Klaus Kinski in the scene just after the topless dancing one:"Kinski starts grabbing me and touching me in places that he had no business touching me. My acting chops went out the window, I should have slapped him, but I was just so shocked and no one yelled 'Cut' at that point."

Release



'Schizoid' was first shown in Detroit and Cleveland on 5 September 1980. It later opened in Los Angeles on 10 October 1980. 'The Hollywood Reporter' announced that in its first month on release the film grossed over $4 million in the United States.

Reception



Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert discussed the film on an October 23, 1980 episode of 'Sneak Previews', and they found the film "gruesome and despicable" and "expressing hatred for woman."

References



Sources



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