Rituals (1978)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Absolutely brilliant

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Five doctors on a wilderness outing are stalked by disfigured, crazed killers.The only purpose of my writing this review is to stress the importance of watching a quality copy of a film. While this movie sits at 6 out of 10 (a decent rating, especially by horror standards), I cannot commit to anything more than a 5 because I simply was not able to see the film. I would probably have only given it a 4 if it was not for Hal Holbrook in a starring role.I watched this on CrypticTV, which is an incredible service for catching horror movies free on the internet or through devices like the Roku. Unfortunately, the version they used (presumably public domain) was so blurry that more often than not the screen was filled with green or brown splotches.

Very good, intelligent Deliverance-type backwoods catastrophe flick. The simple fact that they got their boots stolen changed everything. From here, they had to back track to find help. Along the way, they are being stalked and toyed with by a sadistic fiend. The dialogue is interesting and authentic - these are doctors speaking and the script makes this clear. All too real. These men begin to unravel as the toll continues. The suffering is laid bare and is not for the squeamish. The ordeal continues day after day and the suspense is unrelenting. It was filmed on a shoestring budget and it showed. Had it benefited from better direction, editing, and cinematography, it would have been a classic. As is, it's still a very good film.

A bunch of guys going hiking in the woods. Boy, does that sound familiar. Cue the banjos. Oops, this movie takes place in Batchawana Bay, Ontario, Canada, so I guess no banjos.I never could understand why people would work hard all year so they could go in the woods to pretend they are homeless, but I am glad they do or we would not have a good slasher movie to watch.It starts with a prank. Someone stole their boots. D.J. (Gary Reineke) brought tennies, so he goes off for help. While he is gone, a bee hive gets thrown into the camp. One camper (Ken James) gone.The rest start off to find D.J. I'm not sure I would want to depend upon Martin (Robin Gammell), the alcoholic, and Mitzi (Lawrence Dane). What kind of name is Mitzi for a guy anyway? Thongs just keep getting harder as one man gets injured and the other have to carry him. Who is stalking them? OMG! A head on a stick.Hal Holbrook was magnificent in this gripping tale.

Five doctor friends go hiking in the wilderness where they are stalked and terrorized by an unseen killer.Rituals, also known as The Creeper, is a rather forgotten and underrated early slasher flick. While the premise may seem like the formula, stereotype backwoods killer story this film actually came along before the time of Friday the 13th and its countless followers. Rituals really owes its inspiration in part to Deliverance, but it is hardly the rip-off of that classic movie that some critics would have you think. It has a gritty, low budget atmosphere and some effectively nightmarish moments in its plot (head on a stick, anyone?). The film is also rather gruesome, particularly in the rare uncut version of the film. It has plenty of creepy mood to keep it from being the routine slasher outing.However there are a few flaws. First, in all versions of the film that I've ever seen the lighting in the climax of the movie is so dim that it's difficult to understand what is happening. Second, the plot is very thinly written and the characters aren't sympathetic in the slightest. Also, the editing is very rough.Never the less, the effective atmosphere and chills come to the rescue and save this woodsy slasher. Not bad, but best enjoyed by the dedicated horror fans.** 1/2 out of ****