The Fiend
2.55am, BBC2
Accompanied by a groovy gospel soundtrack, The Fiend (aka Beware My Brethren) is a brilliantly warped entry into the annals of 1970s British horror, mixing fundamentalist religion with violent murder.
Tony Beckley (aka The Italian’s Job’s Camp Freddie) is Kenny – a psycho who, under the warped influence of Patrick Magee’s fanatical minister, is going around killing women of loose morals. But when Kenny’s not killing, he’s doting over his overbearing, holier-than-thou, mother Birdy (Ann Todd), and acting all prudish while doing part-time work at the local swimming baths. Boy, has he got issues.
Enter undercover reporter Suzanna Leigh, who pretends to be mum’s new nurse while trying to write a story about religious fanatics. But when she starts snooping around, she soon finds herself stepping into Psycho territory… Will she be Kenny’s next victim?
An awesome pycho-drama, that’s in a league of its own.
