WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO (1971)

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Interested in knowing what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "A demented widow lures unsuspecting children into her mansion in a bizarre "Hansel and Gretel" twist."

Harrington, Curtis (2013). Nice Guys Don't Work in Hollywood: The Adventures of An Aesthete in the Movie Business. Drag City. I may have just missed it, but I’m not aware of this film getting any airing on British TV. It’s certainly not in the public consciousness like many Brit horrors. But it’s also not hard to see why. It has the aesthetic of an early 70s children’s film (think Amazing Mr Blunden) but also dabbles in themes of mental illness, the occult, child cruelty and murder. The ending is remarkably amoral, considering at the beginning you’re thinking – “hey, this might be Chitty Chitty Bang Bang meets Oliver!”, and then you’re thinking “hang on, is this a Christmas film?” (yes, it is as it happens… although it’s unlikely to appear on a Sunday afternoon on Channel 5 like the rest of ‘em). Meanwhile, she’s surrounded by thieves, charlatans, and children who hear lullabies to kill by in their head. Many viewers ignore her staff who bleed her white. Despite showing loads of kindnesses to orphaned children, she is further still abused by two of the most ungrateful among them. Consequently, 'Aunt Roo' transforms from just being traumatised to mentally disturbed, and the tragic end to the movie ensues.Things take a turn for the serious as Roo’s world begins to fall apart, and she fixates on the children as being her salvation. (“You children don’t want to leave here! You have a home now! Forever!”) Many viewers delight in name-calling 'Aunt Roo' as 'nuts''crazy''evil' etc., but many fail to see the sad and pathetic side to this unfortunate character. Whole-Plot Reference: To " Hansel and Gretel." Christopher notices the similarities, which causes him to incorrectly assume Aunt Roo is a cannibal.

Ding-Dong-Ditch Distraction: Christopher does this to get Aunt Roo out of the kitchen long enough for him to steal the key to the nursery.

Dies Wide Open: After her death, Katharine stares at the ceiling with blood coming out of her nose. Christopher and Katy are caught by Roo’s weirdly nasty butler, Albie (Michael Gothard), who threatens them with a knife (Roo: “That’s not a knife…” no, this didn’t actually happen – I’m just expanding on the hilarious kangaroo /Australia jokes. Don’t worry, this is unlikely to be the last one) before bringing them into the party, where Roo takes pity on them and invites them to stay (“Can we stay?” / “Of course you kanga.”) Another great thing is the performance by Winters. Ever since WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? we got all sorts of films with older female stars getting to play nutty characters. Often times the actresses would either underplay them or go way over-the-top but Winters doesn't do either here and that's why the film works. You never quite know if this character is a loony nut or if she's just a sad old woman who misses her dead child. You never really know what her intentions are with these kids. This mystery as works so well because of the way Winters plays the role and she deserves a lot of credit. Whoever Slew Auntie Roo” is indeed a very different kettle of fish, and the dynamic between the two antagonists is a most unusual one. Just as Roo is increasingly deluded and unable to see the reality of what is around her, so too is Christopher in his own innocent way. Both are living in their own respective dream world. Could she be responsible for her daughter’s death? Is that a real ghost? Why does she prefer to be called “Roo”? Just because it rhymes with “slew”? Or simply because she kan(ga)? Some of these questions will be answered over the next 90 minutes.