Why on earth are most comments on this "Killer Nun" so exaggeratedly harsh? It's certainly true that this film differs immensely from all the other Nunsploitation-movies made previously, with a story that doesn't involve Satan-worshiping nuns for once and a remarkably lesser amount of graphic sex, but that doesn't mean it's inferior exploitation! On the contrary, I strongly believe the story of "Killer Nun" actually works for a change, since it's loosely based on a factual Belgian serial-killer case about a mentally unstable hospital-convent nurse who turns to murder after imagining an incurable disease. Actress Anita Ekberg, who I think she resembles Kathleen Turner, plays the respected sister Gertrude but she's no longer the devoted nurse/nun she used to be. She's convinced she has cancer, gets addicted to morphine and starts to do ungodly things, like mistreating her patients and even sexually provoking men as well as her young roommate. When some patients are found dead, even Mother Superior begins to doubt sister Gertrude. "Killer Nun" is atmospheric, but often very slow and admittedly the substance might be too scant to fill a whole horror movie with. Peculiar as well is that director Giulio Berruti hints at several controversial topics (lesbianism, masochism...) but eventually evades to show anything, and this is probably the reason why so many horror fans claim "Killer Nun" is a boring and eventless film. Nevertheless, this rare Italian exploitation gem features a terrific musical score as well as a handful of gory sequences (that were largely cut in post "video-nasties" versions). The acting is far above normal 70's euro-horror standards, with Ekberg, Joe Dallesandro and beauty Paola Morra all in great roles. As far as I'm concerned, this is a good and underrated film!
Review of The Killer Nun
