A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed
by random citizens who claim that "God told them to." CRIME/HORROR
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God Told Me To (1976)Written and Directed by Larry Cohen
Starring Tony Lo Bianco, Deborah Raffin, Sandy Dennis, Sylvia Sidney |
God Told Me To is a total genre bender dealing with horror, crime, drama, and science fiction. It was written and directed by Larry Cohen who famously had control of his projects and often shot in the middle of New York City, which totally adds to the fear that this film instills in the audience. The 70’s might be my favorite decade in general when it comes to film and God Told Me To is most certainly a gem from that era.
Peter Nicholas is a NYPD detective who immediately gets thrown into chaos as he is trying to talk a sniper off of a tower. This film starts with a shocking image and continues to go down a dark rabbit hole of religion and murder. Peter keeps tripping up on gruesome crimes with the consistent pattern of the perpetrator claiming that “God told them” to act in violence. Peter chases the truth until he is forced to confront his greatest fear. God Told Me To is a film that deserves a serious reevaluation among the horror community. It’s got a super intense tone the entire time that is wicked effective. Tony Lo Bianco does a fantastic job as Peter, showing just how frightened one would be when faced with murder and religion intertwined. The music is extremely powerful thanks to Frank Cordell and the film itself was dedicated to the legendary composer, Bernard Herrmann. If you enjoy a twisted story or 70’s hidden gems then check this one out. |