So who was the killer? The mother was about to strangle the little girl and the priest stopped her so he could throw her off the cliff. The mother got away with everything because they thought the killer was the priest? I must have missed something important, somewhere!
shareThe priest was the killer. The mother took the child away, hoping to hide her from him, because she knew that he would try to kill her. He killed the boys because of their sins, and he figured that as they grew up they would want to have sex with women (obviously). So he killed them to prevent them from sinning too much. I guess that's why the Catholic church got really mad at the movie. But yeah, it's the priest, the mother was just trying to save the child.
shareI think what Icejim is referring to is right before the priest wrestles the girl away his mother, the mother seems to be starting to choke the girl. I agree that this does add a little confusion to the mix.
shareAlso: watch the priest's face when the sexpot is flirting with him. After she drives away, he tells the reporter, "It was right after she came along that these things started happening"... A revealing remark, I think. My theory is that the priest has been repressing his erotic feelings for Patrizia's all-too-available body. Under his outward calm is a raging volcano of lust. Killing his little charges ("preserving their innocence") is his twisted response to his own moral confusion. Hence Fulci's attack on the Church: to deny that sexual feelings are a normal human drive (even for 12-year-olds or priests) is a dangerous delusion, and can turn "virtue" into total evil. The roads of Hell are paved with "saviors," all of them in denial about why it's so hot...
shareZorba10:
You are spot on with your theory. Nice work!
One should judge a man mainly from his depravities.Virtues can be faked.Depravities are real.Kinski
The Priest was the killer. At first though, I thought it was the hooker. I was wrong though. This movie really messed around with your head. One minute you think it's the hot hooker lady, then the witch lady, then you find out it's the Priest all along. Crazy movie!
R.I.P. Uncle Steve
"I think what Icejim is referring to is right before the priest wrestles the girl away his mother, the mother seems to be starting to choke the girl. I agree that this does add a little confusion to the mix."
I think the mother was advancing her hand to embrace the girl, but Fulci decided to show it in a 'suspicious' manner. Italian films are heavy-handed like that, sometimes...
"Cain and Abel will go to Heaven... if they can make it through Hell!"
-Los Hijos Del Topo
I'm so glad that I wasn't the only individual who was confused! :)
nzbungy and Writ_in_Water provide great explanations/insight about the film without belittling (which often happens on the message boards unfortunately) those of us who came here hoping to gain a better understanding of this movie.
Thank you nzbungy and Writ_in_Water!! :)