The Sinister Urge (film)
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The Sinister Urge is a 1961 crime drama film that was written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr..
[edit] Synopsis
The film revolves around a series of murders of young women.
The killer, Dirk, works for a pornographer named Johnny Ryde. It is outright stated that Dirk's impulsive murders are a direct result of viewing pornographic pictures and films. This is stated both by Ryde's boss, Gloria Henderson, and the police (represented by Lt. Carson and Sgt. Stone).
Several subplots attempt to emerge during the course of the film: the ongoing police investigation into underground pornographic distribution (in one scene, a fight breaks out between two rivals, one of whom is played by Wood himself); Ryde's attempts to shoot porn (accompanied by his director Jaffe, an elderly man who is somewhat elfin in appearance); Gloria's rising concern about the out-of-control Dirk, which comes to a head when her overlords in "the Syndicate" order her to remove Dirk "permanent"; and in an obvious attempt to interject pathos into the film, the tribulations of a young girl from a small Midwestern town who starts out seeking a career as a legitimate actress, but who ends up making porn for Ryde and Gloria, before becoming one of Dirk's victims.
The film reaches its' climax when Gloria and Ryde attempt to remove Dirk by putting him in a car with faulty brakes. Dirk survives, and forces Ryde to blackmail Gloria. Dirk then murders Ryde, before being shot in the dark by Gloria, who assumed that she was shooting Ryde. The film ends with Gloria's disbelief that she shot the wrong man as the police arrest her.
[edit] Trivia
The film was featured in episode 613 of the cult television show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. The film prompted several memorable quotes from the show's trio of movie-watchers:
- When the police raid Jaffe's studio, they find dozens upon dozens of canisters of film, to which Mike remarks "Erich von Stroheim's Greed."
- During another sequence with Jaffe, one of the trio remarks "Person to Person with Irving Klaw."
- During the scene when the Midwestern girl approaches an agent for representation, Mike says in an exasperated tone, "Fine, I'll call Zanuck and get you a three-picture deal."
- One of the things that provided much humor in the episode is the apparent fact that the "pornographers" rarely have a woman disrobe beyond a bathing suit. For example: during her sequence, the Midwestern girl has the order "Now let's see those legs!" barked at her by Gloria. She barely raises her skirt to mid-thigh. Subsequently, she is shown being filmed by Jaffe wearing a multi-layered robe, to which Crow exasperatedly cries, "So they put her in more clothes than she's ever had on in her life!"
- Crow cries out, "Oh goody, this guy!" during a scene featuring nine-fingered actor Harvey B. Dunn in a small role. It's not shocking that Crow should recognize him; Dunn had previously appeared in two other MST3K "experiments": Bride of the Monster (another Wood film), and Teenagers From Outer Space.
Dino Fantini, who played Dirk Williams in the film, would later play the role of Gino Panzini in "Return to Peyton Place"
