Well, none at first, but towards the end he was paranoid that she was catching on to him, even though she couldn't see, she had a few hints building up.
I'll swallow your soul!
Liberals suck...
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I was thinking that this film has some of the elements of the Manson Murders and the Clutter Family Killings from In Cold Blood. Strangers going into a home with people in it who have done them no wrong and murdering them. It's a pretty terrifying thought for anyone as your home is supposed to be your safe haven. I thought the fact that the killer didn't have any motivation, just killed because he was sick was what was supposed to make it scary. It worked for me anyway!
shareAt the beginning of the movie, when he leaves the cinema, it shows his boots getting splashed with muddy water by the car driven by the couple who were later murdered. Also, it was their car that stopped at the pedestrian crossing when he just stood in the middle of the road. Hardly a good reason to murder anyone, I know, but I think this was his motive......
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Wow I need to watch this film again and pay better attention. Thanks for posting that! To me, for him to kill them for that reason makes it even creepier! :)
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There is a scene in the beginning of the film where Sarah goes out to the empty stable of the horse "Dandy Boy" that has been put to sleep due to a broken leg. The guy who is, I guess the stable boy (the only one left alive in the house after the attack and the one who tells Sarah about the bracelet on the floor that was left by the killer) Says something to Sarah to the effect of "they did not need to kill that horse" and says that the horse may not had really broken it's leg. Sorry, I forget this character's name.
Who we later find out to be the killer, Jacko - is part of a group of friends (among them Sarah's boyfriend, Steve) who hang out at a stable of their own and seem to be horse lovers who know this family and Sarah. The new horse given to Sarah by Steve as a belated birthday present is named "Dandy" and seems to be so in memoriam or in an attempt to replace "Dandy Boy".
These two random references to a dead horse we have never met lead me to believe that this is where the killer's motivations lie.
Why he tries to drown Sarah who could never identify him anyway made no sense to me. He obviously knows her because he is a friend of Steve's and Steve entrusts only him to look after her while he and the mob go to look for who they think the killer is.
Also, something worth noting or noticing is that when Steve comes back to the house to rescue Sarah from Jacko he is unarmed although we've already seen him with a shotgun.
*Spoiler alert*
Initially I thought there was something sinister about the groom, Parker. He seemed resentful of the fact that Dandy had been put down, mumbling something like "so that's the story" when Sarah told him the horse's leg had been broken. Later Parker is eliminated as a suspect when we learn he has also been shot by the killer.
When Steve gave Sarah a new horse, he told her its name was "Dandy Star," which she shortened to "Dandy." Was it coincidence that the killer had a star on each boot? Maybe I'm looking for a link where none exists, but I think you're onto something with your suggestion about the horses.
I just saw this on Fearnet and gave it a 10. The premise was simple, the environments creepily beautiful, and the plot had enough suspense to keep me spellbound.
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He didn't go into the bathroom while Sarah was taking a bath to drown her..he went in to retrieve his bracelet that he thought she had in her jeans pocket.
When she reached out for a face cloth she felt his hand going through her jeans pockets and that is why he had to drown her.
I feel the reason for the killing was revenge for splashing his boots. He in his warped mind probably felt he was looked down on by the upper class and the splashing of his boots was the motive he was looking for.
Don't forget, he also keyed their car.
I love the idea that the reason for the whole murder rampage was that they splashed his boots... okay maybe love is the wrong word - but it's just so deliciously insane and deranged... and we do see him getting very aggitated about cleaning the blood of his boots...
A Question, do we actually see him hanging out with the boyfriend Steve and his friends at the stable, cos i must not of being paying enough attention if he was...
I agree with user 1979. I also assumed he killed him because of the horse. It seems as though something was edited out which helped in the explaination.
The thing that bugged me, though, was the first time they showed the Jacko character, I believe it was when the horse was born, and before the audience knows anything about a murder, you know he is the bad one. That drives me crazy.
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When you say the killer was inspired by watching a movie: Do you mean the double feature "The Convent Killers" and "Rapist Cult"?
shareWell, I definitely think the killer was both class-motivated (feeling he was being treated badly by the upper classes -- his boss, the Mia character's family) and the fact that they had put down the horse because of the accident that blinded her. The exchange between Mia and the gardener made it pretty clear that the horse did not have a broken leg and had been killed because it was part of the accident. I think the killer wanted revenge on the upper class horse killers. The only thing that might have saved Mia from his wrath (until she reached out and felt him) was that she was a poor relation ("I'm not wealthy, I have to work"); and he was probably aware that she did not know the horse had been killed just because of the accident.
shareGood points. I think clearly the killer identified more with the horse than the rich people -- that's probably part of the reason for focusing on his boots (in addition to giving us a clue to his identity). I had forgotten that the rich couple splashed mud on them, but it makes sense with him scraping their car (as well as the later deed). And the filmmaker emphasizes him wiping his dirty boots on his bed repeatedly. Surely he must have gotten his boots dirty in the stable as well, of course, but he probably just had it in for the rich folks.
I love the fact that this film opens the killer and his motives to so many observations, much like other excellent '70s thrillers like "The Wicker Man" and "Don't Look Now."
In the opening, Mia Farrow's aunt and uncle splashed his prized boots with muddy water when they drove by in their Mercedes. That's all it took.
shareAlso remember that when he came to pick Mia up in the beginning, he and the cousin exchanged a "look." I think they had a thing going, which would be the perfect way for him to wet one over on the rich old couple. But then the girl met the Gypsy guy and had a date planned with him. Possibly another motive..jealousy?
shareIt was one of the other guys that picked up Mia I think .... Ive come to the conclusion that the killer was a bit deranged anyway and def. anti-social and had issues with people.It shows him watching pretty full on film and also knocking over drinks in bars etc.. The family splashed his boots and yes did look down on him but I think the stars on the boots are relevant to the name of the horse either the trauma of the original horse being shot or maybe that "Dandy Star" the name of the horse given to Mia made him jealous ....
The gypsy family's portrayal is intriguing as it does stereo type them a lot but in the end vindicates them to a point ...
I actually bought this film as it is filmed around where I live in the UK , the town of Wokingham is 6 miles from me and watching the scenes of the high street when the gypsy guy is driving around trying to find Jack is kinda weird as although this film is from 1971 many of the buildings are untouched , some being a few hundred years old.
Wokingham once had more pubs per head of population that anywhere in the UK and many are till there !
It was one of the other guys that picked up Mia I think .... Ive come to the conclusion that the killer was a bit deranged anyway and def. anti-social and had issues with people.It shows him watching pretty full on film and also knocking over drinks in bars etc.. The family splashed his boots and yes did look down on him but I think the stars on the boots are relevant to the name of the horse either the trauma of the original horse being shot or maybe that "Dandy Star" the name of the horse given to Mia made him jealous ....
The gypsy family's portrayal is intriguing as it does stereo type them a lot but in the end vindicates them to a point ...
I actually bought this film as it is filmed around where I live in the UK , the town of Wokingham is 6 miles from me and watching the scenes of the high street when the gypsy guy is driving around trying to find Jack is kinda weird as although this film is from 1971 many of the buildings are untouched , some being a few hundred years old.
Wokingham once had more pubs per head of population that anywhere in the UK and many are till there !
I actually bought this film as it is filmed around where I live in the UK , the town of Wokingham is 6 miles from me and watching the scenes of the high street when the gypsy guy is driving around trying to find Jack is kinda weird as although this film is from 1971 many of the buildings are untouched , some being a few hundred years old.
Wokingham once had more pubs per head of population that anywhere in the UK and many are till there !
It wasn't Jacko that picked Sarah up, it was Steve's main groomsman.
That's my guess too. Initially, the local express their contempt about the gypsies, showing a feeling of supremacy over them. Then we see Jacko in a lusty attitude toward Sandy. We can imagine that he noticed Sandy and the gypsy were flirting and lost his mind.
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