''The Sinister Urge'' is a 1960

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

film that was written, directed and co-produced by

Ed Wood Edward Davis Wood Jr. (October 10, 1924 – December 10, 1978) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novel author. In the 1950s, Wood directed several low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films that later became cult cla ...

. It starred Kenne Duncan, Duke Moore, Dino Fantini, Jean Fontaine, Harvey Dunn and Conrad Brooks. The film was featured in season 6, episode 13 of the cult television show ''

Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...

'' after the short

educational film An educational film is a film or movie whose primary purpose is to educate. Educational films have been used in classrooms as an alternative to other teaching methods. History Determining which videos should count as the first educational films ...

"Keeping Clean and Neat".

Plot

Police Lieutenant Matt Carson and his associate, Sergeant Randy Stone, arrive at a crime scene in the local park. While viewing the body of a young woman in her underwear, they list off similarities to previous murders in the park and suspect a connection to the local " smut picture racket." The next scene takes place in the studio of pornographic director Jaffe. While Jaffe is working, his superior Johnny Ryde brings orders from their boss, Gloria Henderson. She wants their smut inventory moved to a safer location than Jaffe's storeroom. Jaffe promises to do so after finishing that day's shoot. However, almost immediately after Johnny leaves, the police

raid Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to: Attack * Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground * Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business * Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...

his studio, arrest everyone, and seize all the films and pictures. Back at the police station, Carson and Stone are berated by their superior, demanding quicker action in exposing the racket. Local businessman Mr. Romaine then visits the two officers, asking why taxpayers' money is being wasted on persecuting pornography, which he views as harmless compared to juvenile gangs and

violent crime A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violence, violent act is t ...

. Carson claims that the dirty picture racket is connected to all major crimes. He shows Romaine pictures of the murder victims and explains the connection between their work and their violent deaths. Shaken, Romaine leaves thinking of his own two daughters. Gloria is visited by Johnny, who informs her of the recent police raid. Their conversation reveals the woman at the beginning of the film was killed by their lackey Dirk for attempting to blackmail Gloria. Johnny states that he is worried about Dirk since he clearly enjoys killing with his knife. Their talk moves to their teenage customers' demand for new bondage photos. At Jake's Pizza Joint, teenagers enjoy themselves when one man challenges another to a fight. The fight moves outside, surrounded by onlookers. Dirk observes from afar. Back inside, Jake negotiates the purchase of more smut pictures from Janet, an agent of the pornography ring. He complains about the inventory of photos he already has and demands new ones. Janet assures him new ones are coming and asks him to keep the old ones at the restaurant until they can make a trade. Outside, Dirk tires of the fight and calls the police before fleeing. While responding to the call, the police find Jake's smut supply and arrest him along with the two fighting men, revealed to be rival smut peddlers fighting over the right to sell to Jake. The scene shifts back to Gloria's house. Gloria and Johnny are watching

16 mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...

s and conversing. Gloria points out that the increasingly unstable Dirk is both aroused and triggered to kill by viewing pornography. Johnny claims that he can still keep the killer under control. Meanwhile, Dirk has returned to the park. He is flirting with a woman, and the two kiss, but then he strips off her clothes and stabs her to death. In the police station, Carson and Stone talk about the type of women who get mixed up in pornography rackets: 'Mary Smiths' from 'Everywhere, USA' who graduate at the top of their class, were once great in a school play, come to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

seeking stardom, and are afraid to return home a failure. The film follows the path of one Mary Smith. Before being offered work by Johnny Ryde, the inexperienced actress was rejected by

film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...

s and

talent agent A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or sport ...

s. Excited, Mary agrees to work for him. She receives money for her expenses long before filming starts. One day, she's called to "audition" for a hostile Gloria, who criticizes both Mary and Johnny for wasting money to trick Mary into agreeing to do any work to pay back the debt. Mary ends up in Jaffe's studio, where he's shooting her in

cheesecake Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main, and thickest, layer consists of a mixture of a soft, fresh cheese (typically cottage cheese, cream cheese or ricotta), eggs, and sugar. If there is a bottom layer, it m ...

photos, though he and Johnny discuss how she'll soon be in pornography. She is murdered in the park by Dirk, who found her pictures after breaking into Gloria's house. He accidentally leaves the photos behind, and the police trace his identity through his

fingerprints A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surf ...

. With Dirk's name in the paper, Gloria's bosses in "the

Syndicate A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest. Etymology The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French language, Frenc ...

" visit her to demand Dirk's murder before he gets them into more trouble. Gloria wants to kill Dirk directly, but Johnny suggests sending Dirk on an errand in a car with faulty brakes so that it appears he had a car accident. The next day, Dirk goes back to the park to stalk another victim. The woman he chooses is actually Officer Kline, disguised as a woman on orders from Carson. While Kline successfully subdues Dirk, Johnny arrives just in time and knocks Kline out. Dirk agrees he needs to leave town for a while and drives off in the faulty car. When the brakes fail in the hills, Dirk survives his "accident" by leaping out of the vehicle. Out for revenge, Dirk makes it to Gloria's house. He manages to ambush an arriving Johnny, who claims it was Gloria's idea to kill him. He explains that the two men could replace Gloria as ringleaders as soon as they access her Syndicate contacts. Dirk hides outside as Gloria arrives. Johnny informs her Dirk is alive. He demands he be treated as an equal to Gloria, asking to meet her contacts in The Syndicate. Gloria seemingly agrees and goes to change clothes. Dirk then stabs Johnny in the backyard. Gloria comes back and shoots Dirk, mistaking him for Johnny because of the darkness. She calls the police with a story about how Dirk shot Johnny and then ran away, but they arrest her when they discover both bodies.

Cast

Production and analysis

In 1959,

completed a screenplay titled ''The Racket Queen''. Producer Roy Reid of Headliner Productions was willing to fund the project, though Wood had to revise his script in early 1960. The result was ''The Sinister Urge'', which was filmed primarily in July 1960.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The film project was influenced by a box office hit of the time, '' Psycho'' (June 1960) by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

. Both films were about sexually motivated psychopaths, and Reid and Wood likely aimed to capitalize on the similarity of their concepts.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 Dino Fantini, who played the psycho killer in the film, said Ed Wood picked him for the role at an audition he and the other students participated in at the acting school they were enrolled at (he was only 18 at the time). Rob Craig suggests that the film can be seen as an early entry in a new subgenre of

exploitation film An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality "B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become hi ...

s, the so-called "roughies". These were sexually oriented films which featured sexual violence towards women. This 1960s subgenre was itself derivative of ''Psycho''.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The primary position of the film is that there is a connection between

pornography Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

and

violence against women Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are violent acts primarily or exclusively committed against women or girls, usually by men or boys. Such violence is often consi ...

. The film in fact suggests one is the cause, and the other the effect. Similar positions have since appeared in sociological writings, such as '' Pornography: Men Possessing Women'' (1981) by

Andrea Dworkin Andrea Rita Dworkin (September 26, 1946 – April 9, 2005) was an American radical feminist writer and activist best known for her analysis of pornography. Her feminist writings, beginning in 1974, span 30 years. They are found in a dozen solo ...

.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The opening scene offers the sight of an attractive woman to the gaze of the, presumably male, audience. The connection between the dark vicarious thrills of a film audience and that of an actual

voyeur Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature. The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". A ...

was both suggested and further explored by ''Psycho'' and ''

Peeping Tom Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly reme ...

'' (1960).Craig (2009), p. 200-216 Craig suggests that Officer Kline serves as a stand-in for Officer Kelton, a recurring character in Wood films. The main difference between the two characters being that Kelton served as a

comic relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...

, while Kline seems humorless—perhaps because comic relief would seem out of place in a film about violent sexual death.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The inventory of films captured in the police raid is represented by the image of a motion picture editing room, containing numerous film cans. Craig suggests that the scene may depict the actual editing room where Wood edited his films.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The film includes a fight scene Wood shot for his unfinished project ''Hellborn'', a.k.a. ''Rock and Roll Hell''. The scene is edited to include footage of Dino Fantini's character observing the events and some additional dialogue audio to connect the scene to the film's plot. The same fight scene was also used in another of Wood's films, ''

Night of the Ghouls ''Night of the Ghouls'' is a horror film written and directed by Ed Wood. The film was shot between April and May 1958. Cast member Paul Marco recalled that the film had a preview screening in 1959 at the Vista Theatre in Hollywood, after which ...

''.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 In a certain scene Johnny Ryde reflects on the path of his career. ''"I look at this slush, and I try to remember, at one time, I made good movies."'' Craig suggests that voices the self-reflection of Wood. He started out trying to create serious

science fiction film Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...

s and

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

s, only to be reduced to making a sexploitation film.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 There is some irony in the fact that the film is apparently meant to decry pornography, since most of Ed Wood's later works, such as ''

Take It Out in Trade ''Take It Out in Trade'' is a 1970 softcore pornographic comedy, written, directed and edited by Ed Wood. The plot centers on a couple who hire a private investigator to locate their missing daughter. He finds her in a "house of ill-repute," full o ...

'', ''

Necromania ''Necromania'' (sometimes subtitled ''A Tale of Weird Love'') is a pornographic horror film by Ed Wood, released in 1971. It was produced, written, directed and edited entirely by Wood. The screenplay was based on Wood's own novel, ''The Only Ho ...

'' and ''

The Young Marrieds ''The Young Marrieds'' is an American daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from October 5, 1964 to March 25, 1966. The program was created by James Elward and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal and Francine Pascal also ...

'', were to some degree pornographic.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The

cautionary tale A cautionary tale is a tale told in folklore to warn its listener of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, lo ...

concerning aspiring actresses is similar to ''

Hollywood Rat Race ''Hollywood Rat Race'' is an autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecating ...

'' (1964), a book written by Wood.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 The office of Johnny Ryde is decorated with the movie posters of four previous Wood productions: '' Jail Bait'' (1954), ''

Bride of the Monster ''Bride of the Monster'' is a 1955 American science fiction horror film, co-written, produced and directed by Edward D. Wood Jr., and starring Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson with a supporting cast featuring Tony McCoy and Loretta King. The film i ...

'' (1955), ''

The Violent Years ''The Violent Years'' is a 1956 American exploitation film directed by William Morgan and starring Jean Moorhead as Paula Parkins, the leader of a gang of juvenile delinquent high school girls. The film is notable for having an uncredited Ed ...

'' (1956), and ''

Plan 9 from Outer Space ''Plan 9 from Outer Space'' is a 1957 American independent science fiction-horror film produced, written, directed, and edited by Ed Wood. The film was shot in black-and-white in November 1956 and had a theatrical preview screening on March 15 ...

'' (1959).Craig (2009), p. 200-216 Craig finds that the film functions well as an "engaging and coherent"

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

, as a work of

social criticism Social criticism is a form of academic or journalistic criticism focusing on social issues in contemporary society, in particular with respect to perceived injustices and power relations in general. Social criticism of the Enlightenment The orig ...

, and as a treatise against the exploitation of women. All this was accomplished with a

Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...

budget of 20,000 dollars.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 Wood's director's salary was $2,600.00, and the combined salaries of all the cast members was $3,020.00. Dino Fantini recalled that the film premiered in Palmdale, California where Wood had some of the actors appear in person and sign autographs for the fans who attended. He added that it played for 13 consecutive weeks at a particular theatre on 42nd Street in New York City.Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 99. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8. He notes this was the swan song for cinematographer William C. Thompson, who was losing his eyesight. For Wood himself, it was his last mainstream work as both writer and director. He would subsequently write screenplays for other exploitation films and direct pornographic films.Craig (2009), p. 200-216 In 1960, Wood wrote a screenplay called ''The Peeper'', which was supposed to be a sequel to ''The Sinister Urge'', also starring Kenne Duncan and Duke Moore, but the project never got off the ground.

References

* ''The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr.'' (1996), documentary film directed by Brett Thompson *

Rudolph Grey Rudolph Grey is a musician and the biographer of filmmaker Ed Wood. As an electric guitarist, Grey has recorded and performed with Mars, under his own name, as well as leading various ad hoc ensembles called The Blue Humans. His music draws on ...

, ''Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr.'' (1992)

Sources

External links