The Attic (1980)

(In French, On Cable TV, December 2022) In some ways, The Attic could only have been a product of the slasher era. In others, it’s a throwback to the earlier hagsploitation craze of the late 1960s, where former screen stars played themselves as psycho killers. Except that this psychological thriller splits the duties between an out-of-work librarian spinster (Carrie Snodgrass), her disabled father (Ray Milland), a chimpanzee and the gothic atmosphere of the house they share. As a psychological thriller, it’s outright contrived—the only question is whether this accumulation of wild plot elements will coalesce into something worthwhile. While presenting itself as a horror film, The Attic doesn’t quite conform to the strictures of the genre: there’s no gradual accumulation of bodies, as was the case in most horror films of the time, nor is the film exclusively focused on shock and suspense. While the ending is horrific, it takes a while to get there, and much of the film’s first half could be seen as a very dark take on a female emancipation narrative. But, of course, it’s not that—by the time the film ends, there are no good people left, just murderers and victims. It’s not quite as exciting as it could have been, but not a complete bore either. And The Attic has the advantage of a librarian as a heroine… although you have to be careful what you wish for.