10 Rillington Place (1971)

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Summary:

If you happen to be a woman seeking medical alternatives for debilitating illness.
Reginald Christie is not the person you want to go to.
In fact, any appointment with him will certainly be your last.

As for his new, groundbreaking health treatments. They're a gas!
No, really. It's domestic gas harvested from a line in his home.
The gas is administered through a homemade breathing mask.
Rendering his "patients" unconscious, allowing him the opportunity to get his kicks before strangling them to death.

Christie later buries the bodies in one of two places, his backyard or within the walls
of his home that he often rents rooms out of. Making it the perfect ploy to lure more victims.
Which brings us to the Evans' family.

Timothy Evans along with his wife Beryl and their young daughter,
see the ad for Mr. Christie's rental space.
Being that Timothy is an undereducated man, barely clinging to the job he currently has.
The young couple settle for the run down space.
Where they are immediately greeted with a troubling dilemma.
Beryl finds that she is pregnant again, with a child they cannot afford.
This makes her desperate to have an abortion.

Christie gets wind of their predicament, and offers his services to Beryl.
Along with reassurance that his trials in the world war's 1 & 2,
have left him with ample experience in the medical field. Especially in regards to "terminations."

That certainly does not bode well, does it? ;)

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Decision:

This film is so many different degrees of wrong, I don't know where to start.
But, I'll try! :P

1. Art imitates life in this movie. These events really occurred.
John Christie actually existed, killing around 8 women.

2. Timothy Evans' botched trial and execution actually contributed to the UK's abolishment of the death penalty in the 60s. So, if you know anyone who's still all for capitol punishment. Show them this film.

3. Imagine the jovial, almost santa-esque creator of Jurassic park (Richard Attenborough) being a genuinely creepy, madman. Convulsing with pleasure as he's torturing his female victims.

Without being over the top with it's depictions of violence or sex,
this feature still exudes an oppressive creepiness.
It's roots in reality also make it extremely disturbing.

This British classic is highly recommended viewing!

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Availability: Thankfully, this title is available from a multitude of online retailers.
Yay!

Price: 13-17$ (which is nothing, considering this is a classic!)

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Screen Captures: (No copyright infringement intended.)