Rituals (1978)

Very well executed

Truly the worst movie I've ever seen in a theater

Must See Movie...

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The Creeper aka Rituals is a surprisingly good slash adventure-horror film. The movie is easily comparable to the 1972 movie "Deliverance". And really would make a great double feature together.Five men on a simple fishing and relaxation trip turns into a deadly game of survival. Although the film has a basic and typical plot, the way the movie plays out is actually makes for a really good thriller.The Creeper does have quite few thrilling and chilling moments to keep the viewer engrossed. It does have some gore in the film but it is done a way that it's not a total blood-and-gore-fest. As I mentioned, the film is more like "Deliverance" - it's less like Friday the 13th or similar slasher flicks.9/10

Hal Holbrook stars as one of five friends(all doctors) who are taking their usual outdoor vacation, only this year they fly into a secluded wilderness, where their rest is disrupted by a sinister and unseen figure who first steal their boots, then escalates things with terror then murder...Well directed by Peter Carter in real Canadian locations, this film creates an effective atmosphere of suspense and fear, aided by a capable cast that really involve you in their plight, leading to a harrowing climax.Best to see this on the restored DVD, which has the best picture quality possible, since the original negative was damaged, which makes the ending quite(literally) too dark. Otherwise, this is much more than just a "Deliverance" rip-off, which isn't a fair description.Haunting final scene is memorable.

The excellent Hal Holbrook leads a fine cast of relative unknowns in a fight for survival against a deranged killer amidst the natural dangers of the Canadian wilderness.Holbrook plays Harry, one of a group of five middle-aged surgeons who take to the 'great outdoors' for a spot of fishing and hiking, but wind up being hunted by a mysterious killer with a grudge against doctors. Rather than spending a relaxing six days away from the sight of flesh and blood, the guys see just as much as ever—only this time it's their own!Featuring credible acting throughout, natural dialogue, a well developed sense of dread, great use of stunning scenery, and some disturbing scenes of visceral violence (including a particularly gruesome severed head on a stick), little known Canadian horror Rituals is one of the best that the backwoods slasher/survivalist sub-genre has to offer—not quite rivalling the brilliance of John Boorman's Deliverance perhaps, but deserving of a much wider audience than it currently has (as I type, the film has only 29 reviews on IMDb, compared with Deliverance's 283).One could reasonably complain that the film's lack of exposition leads to confusion about the precise motive of the killer, thus detracting a little from the film's overall effectiveness, but even taking this into consideration, Rituals is still a tense, gruelling, eerie, and atmospheric chiller well worth hunting down.

Extremely adored among the true genre fanatics, but sadly still too obscure and underrated among wider audiences, "Rituals" is one of those rare films that hold the power to genuinely make your skill crawl. The special effects and make-up tricks may be kept to a minimum, but this low-budget production thrives on atmosphere and – especially – a downright sublime use of isolated outdoor filming locations. Like few other horror movies ever accomplished, "Rituals" makes terrific use of a menacing type of evil that is continuously omnipresent, yet remains unseen for the largest part of the film. The story is so much more involving and effective this way, because there are no images of over-the-top grotesque madman killers or ridiculously masked killers undermining the tension or needlessly affecting the credibility. Instead, we only witness a shadow moving rapidly through the trees and magnificently eerie POV-shots of someone slinking through the grass whilst breathing heavily. Another reason why this "slasher" stands a class above the rest – and particularly its 80's colleagues – is due to the choice of main characters. There are no drunken teenage-campers or obnoxious cheerleaders being slaughtered here, but the protagonists are a five-headed group of middle-aged and eloquent doctors who're out on a (supposedly) relaxing trip in the Canadian forests. After only one night, their boots are stolen and the group is forced to split up and continue barefooted. The group of inexperienced hikers rapidly decreases in numbers as the games of the unnoticeable maniac(s) become more and more sadistic. The comparisons between this "Rituals" and "Deliverance" aren't coincidental and certainly not exaggerated. It's at least as intense and haunting as John Boorman's classic film and the use of natural scenery is perhaps even better! Several sequences, including the infamous (among fans) decapitated-head-on-a-pole moment and the live burning – are extremely disturbing and unforgettable. The five main actors, among which Hal Holbrook, give away respectable performances and manage to make their characters come across like believable victims or a crazed evil. The denouements near the end of the script could have been a little better and slightly more elaborated, in my humble opinion, but still this is definitely a terrific film from start to finish. Highly recommended to watch and to own, especially since a brand new and fancy DVD version just got released in Europe. I think it a German distributor who brought it out, and the box alone is worth the purchase.