{"id":25512,"date":"2012-04-25T10:27:09","date_gmt":"2012-04-25T17:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=25512"},"modified":"2023-11-18T00:47:36","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T07:47:36","slug":"who-slew-auntie-roo-1972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=25512","title":{"rendered":"Who Slew Auntie Roo? (1972)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You children don&#8217;t want to leave here! You have a home here &#8212; forever!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Auntie-Roo-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Auntie-Roo-Poster-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-25515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Auntie-Roo-Poster-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Auntie-Roo-Poster-81x128.jpg 81w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA demented widow (Shelly Winters) whose young daughter died in an accident many years earlier entices a young orphan (Chloe Franks) to come live with her in her mansion &#8212; but Franks&#8217; brother (Mark Lester) believes Winters is a witch, and is determined to rescue Franks (and himself) from her clutches.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Horror<\/li>\n<li>Hugh Griffith Films<\/li>\n<li>Orphans<\/li>\n<li>Ralph Richardson Films<\/li>\n<li>Shelley Winters Films<\/li>\n<li>Widows and Widowers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nFollowing in the dubious footsteps of <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=6366\"><em>What&#8217;s the Matter With Helen?<\/em> (1971)<\/a>, <em>Who Slew Auntie Roo?<\/em> inexplicably gives away a major spoiler in its very title &#8212; an inauspicious sign for what amounts to a disappointing entry in the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Grande_Dame_Guignol\">Grande Dame Guignol (or &#8220;Psycho Biddy&#8221;) horror subgenre<\/a> (kicked off by Robert Aldrich&#8217;s classic <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2144\"><em>What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?<\/em><\/a>). The primary problem with <em>&#8230; Auntie Roo<\/em> is that Winters&#8217; deeply troubled character is pitiable rather than fearful, given that we see early on how her daughter died in a tragic incident (rather than, say, being murdered); we therefore never really believe the two orphans are in serious danger. Instead, Lester &#8212; who apparently is convinced he&#8217;s trapped in the story &#8220;Hansel and Gretel&#8221; &#8212; emerges as the unlikely villain of the piece, convincing his sister that &#8220;Auntie Roo&#8221; is going to stuff them and eat them for dinner. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-58088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-1536x835.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester-496x270.png 496w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Lester.png 1822w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, other plot elements &#8212; such as the presence of Winters&#8217; manipulative butler (Michael Gothard) working in cahoots with a sham medium (Ralph Richardson) to convince Winters her daughter is communicating with her &#8212; are poorly resolved. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-1024x559.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-58087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-1536x838.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium-495x270.png 495w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Medium.png 1831w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Winters tries hard with the material she&#8217;s given, but this one is only must-see for her diehard fans. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Some campily creepy moments<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Premise.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Premise.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"416\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Premise.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Premise-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Premise-300x173.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Sets.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"416\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Sets.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Sets-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Who-Slew-Sets-300x173.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; feel free to skip this one.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0067983\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=4791&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2015\/12\/30\/whoever-slew-auntie-roo-1971\/\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s586roo.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You children don&#8217;t want to leave here! You have a home here &#8212; forever!&#8221; Synopsis: A demented widow (Shelly Winters) whose young daughter died in an accident many years earlier entices a young orphan (Chloe Franks) to come live with her in her mansion &#8212; but Franks&#8217; brother (Mark Lester) believes Winters is a witch, and is determined to rescue Franks (and himself) from her clutches. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Horror Hugh Griffith Films Orphans Ralph Richardson Films Shelley&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=25512\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25512"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93376,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25512\/revisions\/93376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}