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The Sadist (film)

The Sadist
Sadistmp.jpg
Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by James Landis
Produced by L. Steven Snyder
Written by James Landis
Starring Arch Hall, Jr.
Richard Alden
Marilyn Manning
Don Russell
Helen Hovey
Joe Jesgarz
Music by Paul Sawtell (uncredited)
Bert Shefter (uncredited)
Cinematography William Zsigmond
Edited by Anthony M. Lanza
Distributed by Fairway International Pictures (United States)
Prima Film (Canada, 1971)
Release date
  • April 1963 (1963-04) (U.S.)
Running time
95 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $69,000

The Sadist (also known as Profile of Terror and Sweet Baby Charlie) is a 1963 black-and-white exploitation film written and directed by James Landis, and stars Arch Hall, Jr. The film was distributed by Fairway International Pictures of the United States and Prima Film of Canada.

The film is loosely based on the killing spree of Charles Starkweather, upon which the later films Badlands (1973) and Natural Born Killers (1994) were also based. It was shot by famed cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond over a period of 2 weeks for $33,000 with a cast of five, one of whom doubled as the film's production manager. It was Zsigmond's first full-length film as a director of photography, and he is credited as "William Zsigmond."

The film is a favorite of director Joe Dante, who owns the 35mm print that has been the source for many of the DVD releases of this film.

Three high school teachers, Ed, Doris, and Carl, are driving through California's Antelope Valley on their way to a Dodgers game in Los Angeles. The group’s Chevrolet Bel Air has some trouble and they are forced to pull off to a gas station/junkyard on the side of the road. After examining the vehicle Ed concludes that the fuel pump will need to be replaced. Doris and Carl search the junkyard looking for the owner, but they cannot find him.

In the residence Carl finds a warm meal with a table set for four, but oddly enough nobody is in the house. The three realize this is very peculiar and start to seriously worry about their situation. At this point Charlie Tibbs, a rather large man wielding a Colt .45, and his girlfriend Judy show up. Charlie and Judy have spent the past several days heading west from Arizona, leaving a trail of corpses behind them. Law enforcement is on the hunt for them, but Charlie has managed to stay a step ahead by changing vehicles frequently and then killing the people who offer their help.


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