House Of Mortal Sin

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House of Mortal Sin/The Confessional works reasonably well. In particular, the initial confessional scene where Susan Penhaligon’s vulnerability is pounced upon by Anthony Sharp who forcefully probes deeper to get at her secrets, comes across with a psychological tautness. Walker delivers his trademark sensationalistic despatches, which come embedded in a plot that has a strong overarching moral edge. Anthony Sharp as the psychopathic Father Meldrum The cast here are pretty-stellar with standout performances by Anthony Sharp as the demented and fantastic performance as the unhinged and repressed Father Meldrum with his layered performance that's well-written for his tortured character. Pete Walker's mainstay Shelia Keith also gives a standout performance as the overbearing housekeeper with a sinister presence. Norman Eshley & Stephanie Beacham adds some much-needed warmth with their blossoming relationship & both have decent chemistry together, despite the movie's overwhelming gloom. Then there's Susan Penhaligon who plays the troubled Jenny who becomes the object of the priest's obsession. She does a fine job, but could have been given more to do, as she's pretty much absent from the climax. It’s clear that Meldrum gains a voyeuristic thrill in recording Jenny’s confession, and we may safely presume that he has recorded numerous confessions – perhaps all of them. ‘Be sure your sins will find you out’, he tells Jenny, unaware of the fact that his quoting of this passage from the Book of Numbers is deeply ironic. (By the end of the narrative, Meldrum’s sins have indeed ‘found him out’.) Through Meldrum’s actions, we might also be reminded of another quote by a clergyman: Reverend Sydney Smith’s assertion, in his 1809 article against the Society for the Suppression of Vice, that ‘Men, whose trade is rat-catching, love to catch rats; the bug-destroyer seizes on his bug with delight; and the suppressor is gratified by finding his vice. The last soon becomes a mere tradesman like the others’.

House of Mortal Sin includes some really suspenseful and tense moments. Viewing the picture, you learn early on just what the Priest is capable of. He's a holier-than-thou, above reproach figure who relishes his perversions and is quite at ease with viciously disposing of those who he feels stand in his way. It's really creepy watching the way he twists religion to meet his depraved desires. And to see the twinkle in his eye as he's trying to get the young girl to discuss her sex life is quite disturbing. House of Mortal Sin", a.k.a. "The Confessional", is a very well made and engrossing picture, telling a story that is certain to push some buttons. Yet, he dares to make Meldrum a more than one dimensional character, one that could even earn some sympathy, despite the basic fact that this guy is a murderer. Of course, Meldrum doesn't quite see himself as the bad guy (although he does feel some guilt, especially after a case of mistaken identity). He naturally believes that he's on the side of Good, and this, coupled with the fact that people give little credence to Jenny's accusations, ensures that Meldrum seems to be untouchable. Walker gives the excellent Sharp and his favorite actress, Sheila Keith (as a nursemaid to Meldrums' bed- ridden mother), some real showcase moments towards the end, and they are riveting. The whole cast is fine, though, with Penhaligon, Stephanie Beacham (as Jenny's sister Vanessa), and Eshley delivering personable performances.Greatly harming someone’s reputation. St. Ignatius of Loyola writes, “ If I reveal a hidden mortal sin of another, I sin mortally. If I reveal a hidden venial sin, I sin venially; if his defect, I manifest my own.” That means that if I gossip that my neighbor committed adultery, it puts me in mortal sin, as I have revealed a hidden mortal sin. But key to this phrase is the word “hidden” because if you reveal, for example, that your mother no longer goes to Mass or your father left the Catholic Church, these are public mortal sins. Not that they should be talked about a lot, but discussing a public mortal sin, say of a politician, where it is not good practice for the Catholic, is not mortal sin. Another exception to this is intervention. For example, if your neighbor is sexually molesting his children, you are required to call the police. If your uncle is an alcoholic, you may need to have an intervention. It is not a sin to discuss these things, but it always must be for physical safety and eternal salvation of others. Also, be sure to avoid couching the gossip of mortal sins into prayer: “Yeah, that gal in our Bible Study really needs prayers because she keeps flirting with the priest.” Again, St. Ignatius of Loyola: “If I reveal a hidden mortal sin of another, I sin mortally.” HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN (aka THE CONFESSIONAL MURDERS) is a highly underrated British horror movie directed by Pete Walker.

Despair in hope —Those who despair in hope, cease to hope in salvation from God or help in attaining forgiveness of sin (CCC 2090). Christian hope sustains a believer’s faith and dependence on God, and should not be neglected or rejected. I suppose the one person that has to be mentioned is the disturbing and strict in his believes Anthony Sharp as Father Xavier Meldrum. You could argue that his acting is somewhat over the top but actually its suits the film perfectly. Cast Walker's technique for developing atmosphere in this movie is the use of dark, downbeat, seemingly claustrophobic locations that contain evil, and attract and trap unknowing victims before going in for the kill (pun intended). All through the film there are some lovely touches - Sheila Keith is awesome as Meldrum's one-eyed housekeeper, threatening his infirm mother ("He's gone out again, I'm afraid… you're all alone again… with me") and simply raising one eyebrow on surveying the scene following the rosary bead strangulation. Blasphemy—This grave sin is the uttering of hatred, reproach, defiance or speaking ill of God. Blasphemy against the Church, the saints and sacred things is also a grave sin (CCC 2148). It fails to give love and respect to our Creator. St. James speaks against sinners who “blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you” (James 2:7).Terrorism—Terrorism that threatens, wounds and kills indiscriminately is of grave matter (CCC 2297). Other forms of bodily violence (kidnapping, hostage taking, non-medical amputations, mutilations and sterilization) are also contrary to the moral law. Indifference—This grave sin entails neglect or refusal on divine charity (a.k.a. divine love). Those who sin in indifference fail to consider the goodness of charity, and deny its power (CCC 2094). Finding that the church is currently taking confessions,Jennny decides to go into the confession box,in the hope of continuing her conversation with Cutler.To Jenny's disappointment,she discovers that instead of Cutler,the head vicar Father Xavier Meldrum is taking confessions.Deciding to stay for confession,Jenny begins to tell Meldrum about the feelings that she still has for her ex-boyfriend. In 1971, Walker made Die Screaming, Marianne, a fairly straightforward thriller featuring Susan George as a young woman who is on the lam from her crooked father, a corrupt former judge played by Leo Genn. From here, Walker began making what he called ‘terror’ films, beginning with The Flesh and Blood Show, briefly stepping away from the genre with the production of Tiffany Jones in 1973, and Home Before Midnight in 1979. Having established his own production company, through which all but one of his films were produced, Walker retained a sense of authorial control over his films, though this was mitigated in several instances by censor-imposed cuts. With his creative foot firmly wedged in the door of feature film production, Walker soon made a name for himself as the director of feature-length softcore sex films such as Cool It, Carol!(1970) and The Four Dimensions of Greta (1972). The second of these has been claimed by Walker as the first British film shot in 3D; the picture features a handful of 3D scenes, and Walker would resurrect this effect in his terror picture The Flesh and Blood Show (also released in 1972), which featured a climax photographed in anaglyph 3D. (The 3D version of The Flesh and Blood Show wasn’t shown everywhere, however: a ‘flat’ version of the climax was also assembled, and Walker has admitted retrospectively that the 3D version wasn’t a success – most audience members misplacing their anaglyph glasses by the time the film reached its final sequences.)

This surprised me by its sense of urgency - the writer-director had a point to make and did - with a straight ahead drive, never straying from powering the plot along with extraneous moments. I'd have guessed its running time to be less than 104 minutes. A person who repents of their sin, intends to live a new life of grace, and receives the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be forgiven of all their sins (mortal sins in particular must be confessed in the Sacrament). Our sins can be forgiven, because Jesus Christ paid for the price of human sin by dying on the cross for the redemption of humanity. Jesus Christ, true man and true God, was the perfect sacrifice for human sin and as a result saved those who are baptized, repent and believe in him. The killing scenes are graphic as pointed out by other users, but they are tamer than those found in most of Walker's other movies, with little emphasis on gore or impact. This is made up for by the clear character-driven context they are presented in. Walker fails to bring any sensibility, other than the merely exploitative, to the grotesque material, this must be considered pretty irredeemable stuff, even for a horror film." ~ TV Guide [9]

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This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents — as children and adults. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. Extreme Anger—”Anger is a desire for revenge. If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin (CCC 2302). Christ speaks against anger saying, “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement (Matthew 5:22).” After having been told by a friend about Pete Walker's warped Women In Prison film House of Whipcord,I decided that I should first pay a visit to Walker's "religious Giallo" at the House of Mortal Sin.