| God Told Me To...(1976) Directed by Larry Cohen. |
| �God told me to��. It�s the tried and true excuse of many an abortion clinic bomber or random nut throughout the years. It�s also the title of yet another intriguing exploitation classic from cult director Larry Cohen. He brought us the kick-arse blaxploitation classic �Black Caesar�. He gave us mutant killer babies in the �It�s Alive� series. He even gave us a mythical Aztec God in �Q- The Winged Serpent�. And in �God Told Me To��, he brings more religiously inspired mayhem to the screen. The film opens with a Charles Whitman style sniper picking off innocent New Yorkers from atop a water tower in Manhattan. Despite never having been a marksman, the angry young man�s aim seems to be guided by some higher power. Even though his rifle is ancient and the sights are out, every shot is a kill for the unbalanced Harold Gorman. Detective Peter Nicholas is the most internally tortured catholic since the young priest in �The Exorcist�. As the only person in authority silly enough to go near the Manhattan sniper, Peter ascends the water tower unarmed to try and talk a man down who is clearly nuttier than squirrel s**t. He talks him down alright. After confiding to Peter that God told him to shoot people instead of tin cans, Harold takes a swan dive off the water tower that would rate at least an 8.5 from any self respecting Olympic judge. But Harold isn�t alone in his zealous murderous inclinations. Elsewhere in the city, a family man blows his wife and kids away with a shotgun. He later explains to Detective Nicholas that the lord asked him to sacrifice them, and who was he to argue? With that nasty business out of the way, it�s time for a bizarre cameo. In his first onscreen role, comedian Andy Kaufman shows up as a cop who goes on a shooting spree during the St. Paddy�s day parade. Having seen �My Breakfast With Blassie� quite a few times, I just couldn�t take this scene seriously. Especially when a dying Kaufman utters his last words of �God told me to��. To say much more about this film would probably give a little too much away. Stomp Visual have just released this one in Australia on DVD with a host of interesting extras including an informative commentary by Larry Cohen, a Larry Cohen bio & filmography, trailers, and t.v. spots. This is another satisfying Blue Underground disc. All in all, �God Told Me To�� is entertaining, thought provoking, and full of social commentary. Everything that good exploitation should be. Entertainment : 3.5 out of 4 Watchability : 2.5 out of 4 Overall : 3 out of 4 Reviewed by Blake |