THE PLOT THUS FAR
A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that “God told them to.”
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“God Told Me To” was one of the greatest possession movies of the 1970s. Echoing the assassination frenzy of the time, Larry Cohen puts you deep into the middle of Serpico era New York City, as a lone detective fights to create order out of madness. Plus, Andy Kaufman plays a cop that shoots a few people. After that the film balances whether the conflict is supernatural or alien in origin. You’ve got to admire the gusto of low-budget cinema in that era.
Larry Cohen’s work in the 1970s is the kind of stuff that makes me support B-movies. Every inch of this movie is shot up close and dirty, while looking like the shoot was taking advantage of everything that NYC had to offer at the moment. Every action in the movie feels immediate and personal, as Cohen seemed to want to play upon the uncertain nature of the conflict at hand. Cohen never matched this level of intimacy after this point, but I guess once is enough for any director. Some new viewers might complain about some of the gore seeming fake, but that’s not the point. Paranoia cinema is about the tension rather than the aftermath.
The Blu-Ray comes with a commentary with Larry Cohen, interviews, a Q&A from the New Beverly, trailers, TV spots and poster/still gallery as the special features. The 1080p transfer is a beauty thanks to the 4K restoration. You can check out the screenshots I took straight from the Blu-Ray to examine the detail. The DTS-HD 7.1 master audio track is also reference quality in a way that sets Blue Underground apart from their competition. May Blue Underground never stop celebrating these shining beacons of Cult Cinema. It’s worth a purchase to all!
RELEASE DATE: 02/24/2015