Two lovely woman, a stepmother (the iconic Jean Seberg) and a stepdaughter (Marisol), are at odds with each other in a lovely mansion in the Spanish countryside. The husband / father disappeared seven years ago, not to be heard from since, and apparently he was a real piece of work. Then another man comes between them: a charismatic drifter named Barney (Barry Stokes). And he arouses passions in both of them. Meanwhile, it's possible that this stranger who's entered their lives might just be the psycho who's been offing locals for a long time.
It's true that there are interesting layers to this entertainingly sordid, fairly exploitative drama. Some people refer to it as a Spanish Giallo, but in truth it's more of a character study, and the murder mystery elements only start to pay off towards the end. Soon Ruth (Seberg) and the titular Chris (Marisol) are revealing another aspect to their relationship, one that will be sure to satisfy fans of Eurotrash.
Overall, the package is slick and stylish, and the picture offers eye candy of both the human and the scenic variety. It's an exceptionally good looking film, well shot in widescreen. It runs close to two hours, but never gets boring. Like many stories that utilize a mystery aspect, it's effective the way that it holds off on giving you essential information until near the end. Granted, the identity of the psycho comes as no great surprise, but "The Corruption of Chris Miller" knows how to sink its hooks into its intended audience, and it amuses and thrills all the way to the end.
The performances are quite engrossing, although Seberg comes off better than her younger counterpart. As the stud who becomes between them, Stokes is amiable. Perla Cristal, Rudy Gaebel, and Gerard Tichy (an actor you'll often find in Spanish exploitation and horror films of the period) round out a good cast.
Director Juan Antonio Bardem, who appears on screen as Pedro (and who was the uncle of Javier Bardem), does know how to get your attention right away, as a young woman is killed by her lover, who is in a Charlie Chaplin costume at the time.
Quite gory, and pretty sexy, "The Corruption of Chris Miller" offers nuances that keep it from being easily classifiable.
Eight out of 10.
It's true that there are interesting layers to this entertainingly sordid, fairly exploitative drama. Some people refer to it as a Spanish Giallo, but in truth it's more of a character study, and the murder mystery elements only start to pay off towards the end. Soon Ruth (Seberg) and the titular Chris (Marisol) are revealing another aspect to their relationship, one that will be sure to satisfy fans of Eurotrash.
Overall, the package is slick and stylish, and the picture offers eye candy of both the human and the scenic variety. It's an exceptionally good looking film, well shot in widescreen. It runs close to two hours, but never gets boring. Like many stories that utilize a mystery aspect, it's effective the way that it holds off on giving you essential information until near the end. Granted, the identity of the psycho comes as no great surprise, but "The Corruption of Chris Miller" knows how to sink its hooks into its intended audience, and it amuses and thrills all the way to the end.
The performances are quite engrossing, although Seberg comes off better than her younger counterpart. As the stud who becomes between them, Stokes is amiable. Perla Cristal, Rudy Gaebel, and Gerard Tichy (an actor you'll often find in Spanish exploitation and horror films of the period) round out a good cast.
Director Juan Antonio Bardem, who appears on screen as Pedro (and who was the uncle of Javier Bardem), does know how to get your attention right away, as a young woman is killed by her lover, who is in a Charlie Chaplin costume at the time.
Quite gory, and pretty sexy, "The Corruption of Chris Miller" offers nuances that keep it from being easily classifiable.
Eight out of 10.