THE SINISTER URGE

(director/writer: Ed Wood Jr.; cinematographer: William Thompson; editor: ; music: Manuel Francisco; cast: Kenne Duncan (Lt. Carson), Jean Fontaine (Gloria Henderson), Carl Anthony (Johnny Ryde), Duke Moore (Sgt. Randy Stone), Dino Fantini (Dirk Williams), Jeanne Willardson (Mary Smith), Harry Keatan (Jaffe); Runtime: 82; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Ed Wood Jr.; Admit One VHS (Passport); 1960)

“An amusing film for those who prefer bad films over good ones.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

An amusing film for those who prefer bad films over good ones. Fans of the celebrated maven of bad film-making, the revered today infamous director of Plan 9, should get a charge out of this Ed Wood Jr.(“Orgy of the Dead”/”The Transvestite”/”Bride of the Monster”) exploitation crime thriller. It’s that Woodsian, as it covers the porn racket.

After three girl models posing nude for girlie mags are killed, the crime is investigated by Lt. Carson (Kenne Duncan). The violent crime annoys society furthermore because the pornographers are distributing their illicit smut to high school kids in ice cream parlors. The plan by the police is to rid the community of smut and nab the killer. The police thereby raid all porn studios and try to bring in the biggest porn racketeer, linked to the mob, the porn queen Gloria Henderson (Jean Fontaine).

We learn through the sleazy porn director’s (Carl Anthony) warning to Gloria, that the killer is her sex-crazed psychopath henchman (Dino Fantini). These three misfits turn against each other, and after two are mistakenly killed the police arrest the porn queen and thereby the community is rid of the pornographers.

This obscure slight film was shot in four days and on a shoe-string budget. It’s ineptly shot and acted, which only adds to its perverse charm.

REVIEWED ON 9/23/2015 GRADE: B-