If you're familiar with DR. GORE and the utterly notorious FACES OF DEATH series, then you will find Pat Patterson's long lost THE ELECTRIC CHAIR shocking in its strangely demented execution (meaning a serious court film gone horribly wrong!). It is by no means a blood-and-guts horror film, as this focuses on a sequential process of investigation and trial over a simple little murder that could have been easily averted. The real drama behind the killings ends here, and for what you'd expect in a forgotten little drive-in flick, the weirdness makes up most of its fun. It never tries hard at being mighty provocative. You know a movie that can have plain white sets and poor sound quality. Take this one differently if you can, because a lot of bad production values are everywhere! Not even the acting nor the awkward camera angles would be a magnificent grace in showing respect and loyalty to the judge. Perhaps the greatest laugh of all in this film concerns an investigation of a decomposed body following an autopsy. Out pops...a silly looking skull-face model with huge eyeballs! And just when nothing should go wrong in the courtroom, something else does! This is one really messed up movie that may have you heading for the hospital emergency unit in a jolting flash! Lost movie collectors should give this one a shock treatment.
7 Reviews
A couple of good scenes, but mostly pedestrian
Leofwine_draca16 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
THE ELECTRIC CHAIR is a highly obscure independent crime drama which has been rescued from the vaults by Code Red. The end result is hardly satisfying, although it does stand as one of the quirkier enterprises in American cinema in the 1970s. The story begins with a shocking murder before moving into a slow-paced character drama as a tableau of characters are introduced and explored. Halfway in it becomes a courtroom drama with lawyers arguing over the innocence or guilt of the main suspect. It's not really a horror film, although there are a couple of graphic scenes involving electric chair execution which are filmed in an disturbing and shocking way, so it's a pity that the rest of the movie is so pedestrian and plodding.
Very Weird to Say the Least
Michael_Elliott22 April 2018
The Electric Chair (1976)
** (out of 4)
In a small Southern town, a married preacher is having an affair with a single woman and before long they are both found brutally murdered. Another minister is put on trial and sentenced to the electric chair but a strange set of events are about to shock everyone.
Director J.G. Patterson, Jr. is best known for producing DOCTOR GORE but he also directed THE BODY SHOP. Both of those films went overboard in regards to the violence and gore but that's certainly not the case with THE ELECTRIC CHAIR, which would be Patterson's second and final feature. This film has the look and feel of an exploitation movie but it's actually a courtroom drama.
Is THE ELECTRIC CHAIR a good movie? Absolutely not but there are certainly some interesting ideas scattered throughout the picture including the two sequences where the title comes from. We get to see a staged electrocution that is without a doubt the best thing in the picture. This first sequence is actually very well directed, features some nice editing and an effective music score. The entire sequence shows us what happens when someone is prepared for the chair and it's very effective.
The rest of the film is pretty much a Southern melodrama dealing with an illicit affair, a Bible-belt community and of course there are a few twists that I won't ruin. I will admit that one of the twists at the end was quite shocking and completely came out of nowhere. The performances are all rather bland, which is what you'd expect out of a film like this and at times the 98-minute running time does drag. The film is out there in an edited version clocking in 17-minutes shorter but I've only seen the uncut version.
Even though THE ELECTRIC CHAIR isn't a good movie, it is weird enough to where fans of the drive-in era should check it out.
** (out of 4)
In a small Southern town, a married preacher is having an affair with a single woman and before long they are both found brutally murdered. Another minister is put on trial and sentenced to the electric chair but a strange set of events are about to shock everyone.
Director J.G. Patterson, Jr. is best known for producing DOCTOR GORE but he also directed THE BODY SHOP. Both of those films went overboard in regards to the violence and gore but that's certainly not the case with THE ELECTRIC CHAIR, which would be Patterson's second and final feature. This film has the look and feel of an exploitation movie but it's actually a courtroom drama.
Is THE ELECTRIC CHAIR a good movie? Absolutely not but there are certainly some interesting ideas scattered throughout the picture including the two sequences where the title comes from. We get to see a staged electrocution that is without a doubt the best thing in the picture. This first sequence is actually very well directed, features some nice editing and an effective music score. The entire sequence shows us what happens when someone is prepared for the chair and it's very effective.
The rest of the film is pretty much a Southern melodrama dealing with an illicit affair, a Bible-belt community and of course there are a few twists that I won't ruin. I will admit that one of the twists at the end was quite shocking and completely came out of nowhere. The performances are all rather bland, which is what you'd expect out of a film like this and at times the 98-minute running time does drag. The film is out there in an edited version clocking in 17-minutes shorter but I've only seen the uncut version.
Even though THE ELECTRIC CHAIR isn't a good movie, it is weird enough to where fans of the drive-in era should check it out.
Pretty solid 70's regional drive-in flick
Woodyanders15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Married Reverend Samuel Moss (a decent performance by Larry Parks) and his parishioner mistress Marilyn Howard (nicely played by attractive brunette Katherine Cortez) are both brutally murdered. This shakes up the tranquility of the small Southern town that they lived in and leads to a thorough investigation as well as two highly dramatic trials.
Writer/director J.G. Patterson offers a flavorsome evocation of the small podunk hamlet setting, astutely captures the repressive mores of a conservative community, and presents the couple who commit infidelity in a surprisingly sympathetic manner. The two meticulously detailed execution set pieces are quite well done and genuinely harrowing. Moreover, the cast of no-name locals look and sound authentic, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Don Cummins as the aggressive Attorney Grover, Martin McDonald as the laid-back, yet cunning Attorney Klein, Patterson as obnoxiously self-righteous religious fanatic Mose Cooper, Nita Patterson as the reverend's cold fish spouse Clair, and Clarence Gilbert as a persistent sheriff. Larry Drake can be spotted in an uncredited bit role as a courtroom observer. However, the wonky electronic score proves to be more annoying than effective. Although the occasionally sluggish pacing makes this movie a bit of a slog at times, it's nonetheless worth a watch by fans of funky low-budget 70's exploitation fare.
Writer/director J.G. Patterson offers a flavorsome evocation of the small podunk hamlet setting, astutely captures the repressive mores of a conservative community, and presents the couple who commit infidelity in a surprisingly sympathetic manner. The two meticulously detailed execution set pieces are quite well done and genuinely harrowing. Moreover, the cast of no-name locals look and sound authentic, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Don Cummins as the aggressive Attorney Grover, Martin McDonald as the laid-back, yet cunning Attorney Klein, Patterson as obnoxiously self-righteous religious fanatic Mose Cooper, Nita Patterson as the reverend's cold fish spouse Clair, and Clarence Gilbert as a persistent sheriff. Larry Drake can be spotted in an uncredited bit role as a courtroom observer. However, the wonky electronic score proves to be more annoying than effective. Although the occasionally sluggish pacing makes this movie a bit of a slog at times, it's nonetheless worth a watch by fans of funky low-budget 70's exploitation fare.
Awesome movie!
shyamdenna15 July 2021
bizarre low budget madness!
thetallman6717 November 2003
well the previous review says it all really. this is rather like a filmed high school production! utter lunacy but with 2 realistic electric chair scenes that will stay with you. for fans of other 70's drive-in fodder. now made available to all as a 2nd feature on the 'Axe' dvd from Something Weird. 2 reviews in 4 years says it all!
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