397. Alice, Sweet Alice (1976; Alfred J. Sole; Film)

Very cool slasher film in an American giallo vein. I remember seeing the poster/VHS cover art of that mask -- that goddamn MASK! Just look at it. And I always meant to rent it. But the movie had -- like so many flicks on this list -- slipped through the fingers of my life. Until now!

It features a very young Brooke Shields and a very cool performance by actress, Paula E. Sheppard as, Alice. I looked her up and she only has 2 IMDB credits (the other being Liquid Sky)! What a world, what a world… Internet says she’s alive -- so there’s that.

I have to say, I was actually really touched by the honesty and emotional truth seen in the relationship between the divorced mom and dad. I went through some serious relationship trouble a while back and the idea of a bond never being truly broken (especially because of children) is particularly appealing to me.

I also love the creepy, heavy-set, loner, pedophile, land-lord, Mr. Alphonso (Alphonso DeNoble.). His relationship with Alice is so interesting and complicated. He’s the kind of 42nd Street character, who peppered movies from this era (think John Waters movies and Basket Case as examples). These unique characters are mostly gone from the big screen now but not from your street!

‘Alice, Sweet Alice’ sports an interesting story structure -- as we learn the killer’s identity much earlier in than you usually do in slasher films. Oh, and that killer in the mask and red raincoat? F-ing great. Very ‘Don’t Look Now’ and ‘The Brood’ -- but who can get enough of little-killers who hate to get blood on their clothes?