Directed by David A. Prior, who co-wrote the story with Lawrence L. Simeone, Raw Nerve is a straight-up American giallo even if it doesn't have the fashion, great music or psychosexual trappings. But inside its heart lies yellow blood even if its killer uses a shotgun.
For years, a shotgun killer has been murdering women in Alabama. Jimmy Clayton (Ted Prior) has psychic visions of the cimes and meets with Captain Gavin (Glenn Ford in his last appearance) and Lt. Detective Bruce Ellis (Jan-Michael Vincent). They don't take him seriously and nearly jail him as a suspect. The only person who seems to believe him is reporter Gloria Freedman (Sandahl Bergman), who is coincidentally Ellis' ex-wife. She interviews Jimmy and soon falls in bed with him.
Meanwhile, Clayton's friend Blake Garrett (Randall "Tex" Cobb) has been warning Gloria to stay away from Jimmy and even kidnaps Jimmy's sister Gina (Traci Lords) for her own protection. Blake is cornered in a parking garage and tells Jimmy that he promised to protect his friend and his sister, but he let them down. He dies as he drives his truck off the building, leaving behind a shotgun that proves he's the killer.
But there's ten minutes left.
Gloria dresses up to take Jimmy on a date and Jimmy reveals that he's really Billy, another personality, the one who killed his parents and all of the young women. Just as he's about to choke her, Ellis shoots him dead.
This has it all and by all, I mean Glenn Ford being grumpy with everyone, former Elvis bodyguard Red West, hints of incest, an incredible hall of mirrors murder to start the movie, red heels triggering the killer, Tex Cobb cracking open a warm beer before killing himself and Bergman stamping and screaming in place to get Jimmy's attention, as well as that outfit she wears at the end. She's really a genre actress that more people should have a crush on.
For years, a shotgun killer has been murdering women in Alabama. Jimmy Clayton (Ted Prior) has psychic visions of the cimes and meets with Captain Gavin (Glenn Ford in his last appearance) and Lt. Detective Bruce Ellis (Jan-Michael Vincent). They don't take him seriously and nearly jail him as a suspect. The only person who seems to believe him is reporter Gloria Freedman (Sandahl Bergman), who is coincidentally Ellis' ex-wife. She interviews Jimmy and soon falls in bed with him.
Meanwhile, Clayton's friend Blake Garrett (Randall "Tex" Cobb) has been warning Gloria to stay away from Jimmy and even kidnaps Jimmy's sister Gina (Traci Lords) for her own protection. Blake is cornered in a parking garage and tells Jimmy that he promised to protect his friend and his sister, but he let them down. He dies as he drives his truck off the building, leaving behind a shotgun that proves he's the killer.
But there's ten minutes left.
Gloria dresses up to take Jimmy on a date and Jimmy reveals that he's really Billy, another personality, the one who killed his parents and all of the young women. Just as he's about to choke her, Ellis shoots him dead.
This has it all and by all, I mean Glenn Ford being grumpy with everyone, former Elvis bodyguard Red West, hints of incest, an incredible hall of mirrors murder to start the movie, red heels triggering the killer, Tex Cobb cracking open a warm beer before killing himself and Bergman stamping and screaming in place to get Jimmy's attention, as well as that outfit she wears at the end. She's really a genre actress that more people should have a crush on.