Myriam Nys
Called upon to investigate a potential crime scene, the police discover the body of a handsome woman who, for whatever strange reason, is dressed in an unusual diaphanous robe. Did her death result from an accidental fall, suicide or murder ? The detectives soon discover that the dead woman was a drug-addicted prostitute called Elizabeth. Unravelling the strange and vicious story behind her demise will take longer - and will entail great risks...Let's start with the good. "The pyx" was quite good at suggesting that ancient evils and occult ceremonies can live and thrive even in the most advanced of modern cities. The juxtaposition of the mundane with the uncanny was well done - and quite gripping. There was also a moving evocation of the life of a prostitute, with its fear, artificiality and loneliness. The interesting music was an integral part of the movie, greatly contributing to the general mood.Sadly the movie, after a very atmospheric and slow-burning build-up, took a turn for the worse somewhere around the 4/5th mark, becoming both more cheesy and more implausible. The ending too was far from brilliant. If there ever was an ending which called out for an outburst of supernatural terror, existential despair or visual weirdness, it was here, in "The pyx"- but no. A case of "not with a bang, but with a whimper"... If you want to see how this kind of thing should be done, go and watch "Rosemary's baby", which (unlike "The pyx") is a straight ten stars.
Cristi_Ciopron
For a movie attempting at a chilling, twisted originality, 'The Pyx' plays straight some standard features—the nudity (Elizabeth's ass, Jane's perky tits), the religious items. The same approach, on testosterone, will result in 'Angel Heart', some 15 yrs later.In 'Angel Heart', a guy—not a policeman—investigates, and the corpses start piling up.In 'The Pyx', Plummer sketches gently the policeman he's playing—low—keyed, inconspicuous, nonchalant, yet macho and tough; anyway, Plummer is good, and effortlessly intriguing. As a storytelling, 'The Pyx' is a masterwork of non—linear classicism; and I believe this screwed storytelling narrows the plot, it narrows the plot severely, almost incredibly much, enhancing in exchange the oppressive atmosphere. The director focused on the storytelling's virtuosity, with rather typical '70s emphasis on experimentalism. But the outburst of violence barely squares with the vagueness of the story, and it seems unconvincing to leave it so wholly unexplained, as if the core was hollow; we should know more about Keerson's mind (Keerson is played _lispingly by Roux, a quite ridiculous lisping, withered villain), and why does he begin so resolutely a hopeless battle with the police, plus signing the scenes with gory inverted crosses, etc.. This movie is original, interesting, intriguing and flawed.The plot is quite meager, underdeveloped—sketchy, if you will—more like a pattern of hints, ultimately unsatisfactory. I mean, 'The Pyx' doesn't deserve its reputation of the movie of the Satanism; it could of been, it missed. The truth is, the movie, the script doesn't really enter the world of the drug addicts, of the _occultists, etc., Montreal's underworlds. It merely hints at those. And the action was too hurried for the confrontation between the policeman and the blasphemer not to look way too contrived and _malapropos; they are exchanging comic books lines, as if they would of fight off since forever. That kind of highly dramatic showdown would of required a longer succession of events in the police's investigation—not a mere day ….But then again, one must acknowledge the movie's attempt at some sound theology—the prostitute refused to confess, yet she protects the host, which means she's herself worthy of receiving, and not desecrating it by unworthy communion—she becomes herself a host, adding her sacrifice to that she benefits from.Every masterpiece (which 'The Pyx' isn't), or at least intensely original work, is a standalone; nonetheless, 'The Pyx' is a chance to find out about Montreal, the novelist Buell, or Plummer, whose career reminds me of Hackman—both, good actors who have been, for a while, in good movies. Plummer resembles a smart priest, he has this sharply intelligent clerical air; more of a genuinely priestly type than, say, V. Sydow.Karen, a remarkably gifted actress, was the very feminine, bitchy, wry type—here, in the role of a messed up woman. An American actress, she was 33 yrs when shooting this movie. She is a Scientologist, four times married, and essentially a '70s actress.She sings a few tunes, Ethereal Wave, or ethereal goth, though by the early '70s none would have called them that, that have been justly remarked. Her songs are of the classy folk type, tentatively anticipating Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins—and significantly contemporary with Cohen's crooked folk.Original and well—meaning, adorned, studded with thoughtful imagery, 'The Pyx' chooses the impressionistic haze of the early '70s, over the relevance of 'Cruising's descent into Hell; the synopsis of 'The Pyx' promises a descent into the underworld, which this movie _ain't—but a minutely sketched pattern of disturbing images, and veiled hints at a sickly world one would of liked to find more about. Such as it is, it surely _ain't one of the naturalistic descents into the Hell of some nastiness; and here is also its originality and even beauty of sorts.Plummer plays a sharp, focused cop; one of his better roles.Daddy Plummer must have been the most affordable supporting actor ever—since it looks like everyone could afford him for supporting roles—since The Fall of the Roman Empire, The Night of the Generals, Battle of Britain, Waterloo, until Malcolm X, Wolf, 12 Monkeys, The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, Alexander—an interesting physiognomy, not much of an actor—not with contemporaries like Hackman, and squashed between the generation of Newman, and those of O'Toole, Nicholson, etc.; Plummer was 2 yrs older than Barray. The stage demands less _expressivity. So 'The Pyx' is one in a handful of leading roles made by Plummer; as demeanor, he resembled a bit Harrison.
bensonmum2
The Pyx (aka The Hooker Cult Murders) is billed as a horror movie. It should probably more correctly be called a drama with a bit of horror thrown in. It's during these bits of horror that The Pyx becomes interesting. Unfortunately, the majority of the movie is devoted to the drama and is rather tedious and boring.The movie opens with the death of a heroin-addicted prostitute from a fall from the top of a building. Other than sheer white lingerie, she's wearing an upside-down cross and holding a pyx (Not being Catholic, I didn't know what it was either. Apparently, a pyx is a small container used by priests to hold communion wafers.) The investigation soon points to something even more sinister than at first thought - a Satanic sacrifice.The Pyx is told in two separate story lines. One is a flashback from the prostitute's (Karen Black) point of view leading up to the time of her death. The other is from the detective's (Christopher Plummer) point of view of his investigation following the murder. The movie frequently cuts back and forth between the two story lines. And while the police investigation is at least somewhat interesting, Karen Black's flashback is an exercise in tediousness. Despite being a heroin addict and a prostitute, her life is incredibly dull. It's during these scenes that the movie really suffers. If her life could have been made to seem at all interesting, the movie might have been very good. But as it is, the scenes of Karen Black walking around, arguing over dinner, and driving are just plain boring.As I previously mentioned, the horror bits are very infrequent. Other than the final scene with bits of a Satanic ceremony, there's really very little horror. I suppose the scenes showing the aftermath of a couple of murders could be considered horror, but that's really stretching it. I'm sure that a few ardent horror fans have been disappointed in the mis-categorization of The Pyx.Finally, I've got to mention the music in The Pyx. It's terrible. I've heard dogs howling at the moon that had a better musical quality. Most of the songs were apparently written and sung by Karen Black. While I've always enjoyed her as an actress, this is my first encounter with her as a singer. Hopefully, it will be my last.
InjunNose
"The Pyx" is a sad, scary tale of prostitution and Satan worship, but you'll be disappointed if you're expecting something bordering on the pornographic. This is a subtle, unique horror movie, one of a handful of the genre's serious films. Karen Black was always good, but "The Pyx" is her tour de force--she is simultaneously brittle and sympathetic as the junky prostitute whose suicide (or murder?) Christopher Plummer is investigating. (Plummer is also impressive, but everyone takes a back seat to Black here.) Black contributes a couple of songs to the soundtrack, acoustic dirges with lyrics borrowed from the Song of Solomon, that are beautiful in an ethereal, spooky fashion and which match the tone of the film perfectly. There's some great camera-work, too, and I loved the way the story unfolded largely through flashbacks. I've watched "The Pyx" three or four times over the last ten years, and each time it has remained with me long after the closing credits rolled. This is one of the very few films that conjure a genuine and profound sense of disquiet for the viewer, frightening him and causing him to despair over the evil in the world and within himself.
