People are voting emotionally.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Following a break up with her boyfriend, Jenny Welch (Susan Penhaligon) goes to church to confess her sins. Bad move. She quickly becomes an object of obsession for Father Xavier (Anthony Sharp), who proceeds to stalk her and kill anyone he deems sinful. The plot synopsis isn't really a spoiler as director Pete Walker reveals the killer early on and is more focused on perversity rather than mystery. The first hour or so where Jenny tries to convince everyone that the priest is crazy is a little slow, but the slam-bang ending more than makes up for it. The only thing really hard to swallow here is a Catholic priest being interested in someone of legal age. I mean, a killer priest? I'm down with that. But one lusting after a legal age girl? C'mon I can only suspend my disbelief so far! Once again, Walker has cast an old person as the killer, confirming his mistrust of old folks also seen in FRIGHTMARE and THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW. In fact, here he has two old people are supremely messed up individuals. The flick also has a superb ending where the priest not only kills the male lead's girl, but he gets away with it and continues harassing his sexy parishioner. I love it!

A rip-roaring Pete Walker special and definitely not to be missed. A scary yarn of a mad priest's reign of terror amongst his parishioners in a 1970s London suburb, this is tightly plotted, economically written and well acted by an ensemble of veteran English actors.Stephanie Beacham, Mervyn Johns (Welsh!), Ivor Salter, Hilda Barry, Sheila Keith (of course)among others. Top honours go to Anthony Sharp for his demented and tormented loony cleric and also to the gorgeous Susan Penhaligon as the object of his desires. There is a scene when she clambers out of bed during the night at the sound of a disturbance. You might want to use the freeze-frame before she puts on her dressing gown. Stunningly beautiful!! Well worth your time and a great addition to Pete's portfolio.

Spoilers!!!What words come to mind after watching THE CONFESSIONAL? How about dour, sour, dreary, miserable, trashy, silly. Did I say dour? Watching THE CONFESSIONAL is as exciting as going to the doctor's office. It's miserably serious and silly at the same time. The mood of the film is fatalistic, very anti-Catholic and pessimistic, and yet the conveniently contrived plot twists in the script are constructed in such a way that one can't help but giggle at the silliness of it all, which clashes with the super seriousness of Walker's direction. The funniest parts are with the good Priest and his love affair with perpetually ditzy looking Stephanie Beacham. This trashy and useless plotline is just there to make fun of Catholic priests' oath of celibacy. It has very little to do with the main story and even when the good priest finds Beacham dead at the evil priest's home, he seems to be totally indifferent with the fact that the woman he was in love with and was about to leave the church for has been strangled to death. Seeing the dead Stephanie with her eyes bulging and tongue sticking out, tucked away in the background while the two priests talked made for some unintentional "Monty Pythonesque" moments. The script is filled with such silly moments that could have looked even more funny hadn't the direction been so dour and serious. Every single character in the movie deserved a miserable and painful death because they were so freaking stupid.Critics complain that Dario Argento's movies are all flash and no substance. Well, at least his movie are great to look at (his earlier movies though). THE CONFESSIONAL wants to be a giallo of sorts but its uninspired direction and zero style make it a chore to sit through. This is my first Pete Walker movie and if THE CONFESSIONAL is one of his best films, well, I actually don't want to see another movie of his.

The charming story of a priest.....who murders people! Meet Father Xavier Meldrum from the Church of the Sacred Heart. He uses religious means to bump off his enemies such as a poisoned wafer, incense burner and rosary beads. Splendid performance by Anthony Sharp (remember him as the government minister in A Clockwork Orange?) as the obsessed vicar and a good turn by Pete Walker regular Sheila Keith as a one eyed housekeeper. A well done musical score by Stanley Myers is also featured. Remember this movie the next time you go to confession!