artpf May Britt plays a seemingly innocent farm girl convinced that her slovenly uncle (Cameron Mitchell) is the man responsible for the bloody scissor-murders of several local girls.First of all, ignore the 10 point review from the guy who said the only reason he gave it 10 was cuz he was in it!Aldo Ray is in this before he turned to porn. He's a drunken sheriff which seems like real life, minus the sheriff. Interesting side note: the movie Aldo made after Haunts was Haunted. He looks like he on a bender throughout the entire movie.The titles on this movie make it appear like a TV film and it's rated PG so how good can it be? The sound is dismal and the picture looks like it was made with mob money for about $14,000.It's a very slow moving film that doesn't hold your interest

bkoganbing Although May Britt, Cameron Mitchell, and Aldo Ray have all seen better days before doing Haunts, the film was a bit better than I was expecting.Haunts has May cast as a sexually repressed farm girl who has a lot of old memories revived when some women start being raped and killed in her vicinity. Cameron Mitchell is her uncle who has come to stay with her and Aldo Ray is the sheriff investigating the killings.No unearthly type demons or creatures are doing these things, they're just the product of some sexually frustrated men. For a while it's starting to look like everybody in this vicinity has some issues.The ending of Haunts is rather offbeat and I will add my voice to those who say it is like a Stephen King novel. Let's say the reason for May's problems and the killer are not one and the same.

catfish-er I am working my way through the Chilling Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection and HAUNTS is the ninth movie in the set. Released in 1977, HAUNTS is a creepy, psychological thriller about the demons of small town life.That small town is being stalked by a deranged rapist/killer, who uses scissors as his weapon! A religious woman, Ingrid (Played by May Britt) begins to suspect that her uncle may be the killer. However, another girl believes it could be her boyfriend – bit of a cliché here – she is the daughter of the sheriff! Others have noted that this film unfolds, much like a Stephen King novel. One of my favorite comments about his early works is that Stephen King was the "master of digression" – in other words, he introduced peripheral characters, who seem inconsequential; but, once you get to know them, they contribute to the overall ambiance.And ambiance is what HAUNTS is all about. We peer into the memories of Brit, who is haunted by her mother's suicide; and, her own molestation as a child. We see her hallucinations, which are the psychological scars of her youth, as well as the physical scars of her abuse. Finally, we experience how she confronts the grim prospect of her own peril, with an attempted rape while walking home from church; with finding one of the victims in her own garden; her own rape at the hands of the local hood – and, subsequent re-assault, as well as the feigned incest of her loving uncle.The film features stunning cinematography; and, evocative images. The score is better than passable; and, the acting is quite credible. The best performance in this one goes to the Sheriff, played by Aldo Ray! The plot is strong. But, best, a shocking twist brings a surprise ending!

Coventry Director Herb Freed isn't exactly celebrated for his contributions to horror cinema, but personally I can't say he let me down already. "Beyond Evil" (starring John Saxon!) is a decent haunted house chiller and "Graduation Day" is an over-the-top insane & gory 80's slasher flick. "Haunts" is a whole lot less exciting than the two aforementioned titles, but Freed also clearly didn't want this film to be a gross and outrageous horror smut fest. Wrongfully promoted as a psycho-killer-on-the-loose flick, "Haunts" is actually a lot more effective as a psychological portrait about a dame in distress. Ingrid (May Britt) is a deeply religious farmer woman living on her own and suffering from a frigid sexuality as well as fear of male commitment, inflicted by some obscure childhood traumas. When several young women are found brutally murdered in the little town, Ingrid loses her sanity and starts to spot perverted murderers everywhere. Some other reviewers already made the comparison between "Haunts" and Roman "Repulsion", which is a righteous one, albeit Polanski's classic is naturally a lot more intense and frightening. Still, this is an atmospheric low-budget thriller with slow-breeding suspense and a handful of memorable moments. The scene where Ingrid discovers the corpse of her murdered woman amidst her farm animals, for example, is pretty damn creepy! The picture quality is truly poor and urgently needs restoration, but this shouldn't keep admirers of obscure 70's gems from purchasing a copy of this film. The cast features some familiar names, like Cameron Mitchell as Ingrid's suspicious uncle and Aldo Ray as the town's fatigue Sheriff. Decent thriller, as long as you don't anticipate wild gore or gratuitous sleaze.