61) The Pyx (1973)

Her business is pleasure...until her date with the pyx.

Director

Harvey Hart

Cast

Karen Black - Elizabeth Lucy

Christopher Plummer - Dt. Sgt. Jim Henderson

Yvette Brind'amour - Meg

Donald Pilon - Dt. Sgt. Pierre Paquette

Someone somewhere, a while ago, recommended this movie to me. It runs along the same vein of supernatural horror/thriller films like Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, The Omen, and maybe even The Wicker Man, or The Crimson Cult. 

The Pyx is classified as a supernatural horror film, but the "supernatural" is pretty subtle. Actually, it's a lot subtle. In fact, it's so subtle, I think I missed it entirely...until the end. There's a lot of Roman Catholic references and symbolism in the movie. Just the term "pyx" refers to a circular container, normally of gold, that's used by Catholic priests to carry the Eucharist to sick people, or those unable to attend mass. 

Also known as The Hooker Cult Murders, this movie is based on a 1959 novel of the same name by John Buell. 

As for the "horror" classification, well there's just a few scenes with dead people and some blood dripping from their lifeless bodies, and some random shots with blood on the floor or smeared on doors. And there's one scene with a dead cat stuck to a door with a knife. That's some horror-y stuff right there.

The movie, shot in Montreal, begins as a woman falls to her death from a high-rise building.

When police arrive, they discover a pyx and a small crucifix in her hand. 

This case is handed to Det. Sgt. Jim Henderson (Christopher Plummer) who identifies the woman as Elizabeth Lucy (Kristen Black) - a prostitute and heroin junky. 

He finds that the apartment she jumped from is being used as a cathouse. 

In turns out Lucy was a struggling Catholic who was trying to straighten her life out amidst being a prostitute. 

Henderson and his partner interview Meg who operates the brothel in the otherwise vacant apartment. She tells Henderson that Lucy was indeed an employee of hers, but often worked outside the brothel against Meg's wishes. 

Christopher Plummer (center) in The Pyx.

Needing further inquiry, Henderson goes back to the brothel the next day, but finds Meg and another girl with their throats sliced. 

Digging deeper into the investigation, he questions Lucy's roommate, Jimmy, who's also her close friend.

He reveals to Henderson that Lucy was acting strange the day she was killed noting one of her new clients was a strange rich guy whom he was bothered by. 

The audience is soon shown just who this mysterious client is, and his identity is completely unexpected. 

And that's when the movie takes a really dark, dark turn revealing something more evil than what Henderson anticipated is at hand.

A lot of elements are very much a product of the early 1970s. There's two conflicting themes - faith (Catholicism specifically) and sexual promiscuity. Though the novel was written in 1959, the movie was made at a time when sexual revolution was at a zenith, the Catholic Church was experiencing major changes stemming from the Second Vatican Council, and the world was a much different place morally speaking than it was in 1959. Souls were caught in the middle of it all. This is a movie for its day.

The sinister music in the final act is hilarious, though not intended to be. It's as though some tired Benedictine monks chanted a duet with Alvin and the Chipmunks. 

I was thrown off as the movie transitions from past events to present events. I didn't catch onto this until the end.  

At first I was confused as to what was happening, and wondering where the story was going. I kept thinking I missed a crucial plot point. And above all, I kept waiting and waiting for the "supernatural" aspect the movie claims to be, to kick in. The end really ties it all together. 

Karen Black.

The Pyx was a bit too underwhelming and lackluster, though it really tried to tell a thrilling story. The final act is what really makes the film. That's when my attention was really captivated. I needed to force myself to pay attention in the meantime. 

But strangely enough, I'm willing to give The Pyx another chance. Now that I, you know, "get it" I think the effort behind the story telling deserves one more viewing. After all, such efforts in starting and finishing a movie are much of the reason I started this horror blog for B-movies in the first place. 

The acting leans too close to dry. And for some reason, the opening shot is a mix of French dialogue along with English. I don't know why? 

There's little inflection in the dialogue, even with veteran actor Christopher Plummer. 

Horror movie legend, Karen Black (I talked about her in my review for Trilogy of Terror) does a good job as a broken prostitute. Her character is a conflicted soul, torn between the "profession" she's chosen for herself, and her Catholic life. I believe it's subtle, but it's there. The Catholic symbolism. The drug use. The guilt amidst the pleasure. It's there.

This movie, overall, makes for a somewhat decent psychological thriller. And for those that watch it...just keep watching. The supernatural element will come.