Lady Psycho Killer is awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed my viewing, but I’d understand if you fail to agree. It’s a fluid yet complex mash-up of horror, drama and comedy that can be closely equated to American Psycho 2 meets Clueless. In the second feature film from director Nathan Oliver, a young college student (Kate Daley) goes on a maddening, bloody journey of self discovery. As she learns more and more about her dark desires and how she views the world – and the men – around her, the body count rises at an alarming rate behind the back of her new lover. Between the hacking and slashing and the voice-overs playing in her head, Lady Psycho Killer is a psychological horror-comedy that gets it right! Produced by Red Clay Productions and Sandy Productions, Lady Psycho Killer is a gory, absurd drama that demonstrates that women can be just as heinous as men.
Based on the screenplay by Nathan Oliver and Albert Melamed, Lady Psycho Killer also doubles as a sexy adventure, where the lead character and likable villain, Ella, finds that sprucing up her looks makes her more desirable – and prey will literally flock to her. In one of the campiest scenes in the flick, porn legend Ron Jeremy shares the stage with sensual goddess Bianca Beauchamp, before it’s time for Ella to steal the stage. This sultry, sexualized subplot gives Lady Psycho Killer an edge over the competition in its category, because it closely mirrors the feel of late 1980’s slasher flicks – which I assume this particularl title was partially inspired by. While I’m on this subject, I’d like to highlight Ron Jeremy for a second. With over 1,500 adult films to his resume and roles in over 30 horror films, Ron’s always just shown up, recited lines, and gone home. I can honestly say that his role here impressed me. If anything, Lady Psycho Killer boasts Jeremy’s most successful acting performance to date.
So, what does Lady Psycho Killer have to offer besides a successful mash-up of genres and a layer of 1980’s sensuality? Well, the murderer is a woman, and that’s definitely something that isn’t highlighted nearly enough. And Ella is the perfect woman for the job as she’s cunning, calculated and easy on the eyes. She’s a queen chameleon and that’s what makes her so deadly. She already has the men in her trap before they realize it, and her blade slices and dices just as fast as any man’s. It’s also funny to listen to Ella’s internal narratives. She thinks she’s getting smarter, but in reality she’s diving off the deep end at a more accelerated rate. Perhaps this is due to the love and support of her family, her mother and boyfriend, who basically turn a bind eye to her killing sprees. It’s odd to find a sense of family and comfort in a movie like this, but it works. It’s another testament to the screenwriting talents of Nathan Oliver and Albert Melamed. Lady Psycho Killer reels you in from every angle imaginable, from start to finish, from body one to body seven.
Lady Psycho Killer was produced by Albert Melamed, Bruno Rosato and Danny Rossner with cinematographer Richard Duquette. Kate Daley does an amazing job in her first role starring as Ella alongside Dennis Andres, Daniel Baldwin, Bianca Beauchamp, Meredith Heinrich, Ron Jeremy, Michael Madsen (Kill Bill, Resevoir Dogs, Species) and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Halloween, Silent Night). Quite frankly, it was the perfect storm and better than I expected it to be. I’m trying to rake my brain for any criticisms, but I can’t find one. For an independent film, this one is as good as it gets. The entire production team and talented actors took several shots in the dark, and every risk payed off in a tremendous way. The same way American Psycho 2 and Clueless can be viewed over and over again, Lady Psycho Killer has laughs, life lessons and gore built into its core, resulting in a movie that’s worth the price of purchase. Although, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel. Final Score: 7.5 out of 10.
