A sinister formula to rule the world! A mysterious red-hooded monk with a lethal bullwhip! And scads of college co-eds surrounded by perverted professors and the threat of a horrible death! Yes, it becomes quite the menagerie when wacky Scotland Yard detectives are called on to the scene to solve the mystery of THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS.

Down in the creepy basement, Professor Kepler squeals with joy as his latest experiment proves to be successful - it's a new poison gas, that's virtually undetectable. His lackey is unsure of the doctor's motives, but obligingly sits down to write the formula in the ledger. But it's a trap! The ledger hides a small gas gun, which activates when opened and drops the assistant stone cold dead. Dr. Kepler takes his newest invention to a cemetery rendezvous, where he hands over his gas to a shady figure. His payment - a quick snap of the neck, thanks to the eerie white whip of an eerier red Monk. Meanwhile, at the local prison, petty thief Connor is recruited to be part of a mysterious plan. He is smuggled out of the pokey in a garbage can and taken to meet "The Boss." There, he is told to simply hand a Bible to a certain college girl. Connor, having been paid a tidy sum, agrees. The next Sunday, the thief "accidentally" bumps into the girl Pam, and deftly switches the book. When Pam opens her tome - instant gaseous death!

Two of Scotland Yard's finest are called in to solve this baffling case -pompous Sir John and hard-nosed Detective Higgins (a regular Abbott & Costello). Pam's death was at first thought to be a heart attack, but the local coroner recognized the traces of gas, proving the girl was murdered! Sir John wants to use this new-fangled thing called 'psychology' to crack the case; Higgins resolves to find actual evidence. Confronting Pam's friends, they discover the girls may not be so innocent; there have been 'wild parties' at the campus cottage of beatnik writer Denver. The girls maintain Denver isn't a murderer; his parties were an innocent get-together to fight the boredom of school. However, there is other, more unscrupulous faculty. Namely one Mr. Keystin, who hits on young Betty and spies on the girls swimming from an underwater window at the college pool. Betty decides to leave school, much against the wishes of school matron Ms. Foster and the police.

Meanwhile, Connor, who has been holed up back in the prison, is sprung by 'The Boss' for another assignment. Connor comments even the cops won't look for a killer who's already in jail. The shadowy boss gives Conner a gas gun, and the picture of another girl he must eliminate. Will Sir John and Higgins get to the bottom of the college drama before another co-ed meets her grisly fate? Can they figure out the master plan of "The Boss?" And what's the deal with the wacky Monk who keeps showing up?

Do you, dear Monster-maniac, remember those halcyon Saturday afternoons plopped in front of the TV watching Dr. Shock and films such as "Frankenstein Vs. Dracula" and "Night of the Lepus"? Well, THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS is a movie suited for that level of cheese. The story, as it were, changes direction constantly; is the film a detective thriller, a comedic whodunit, or an exploitation horror romp? The screenplay is based on a story by Edgar Wallace, who wrote the 1933 KING KONG, but it's as if he wrote down whatever popped into his head and tried to mash it all together. Characters are introduced, then their behavior changes to suit the scene, until they go off missing, only to reappear later. Surprise! The actors give it the old college try (sorry), but the material is just too hackneyed. That said, THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS isn't a waste of time - it's a dated (the fashion and music are dead giveaways for the time period) piece, but for mindless rainy Saturday afternoon fare, it's got some groovy appeal. The picture quality, however, leaves much to be desired. There are numerous dropouts and scratches, as well as several bad edits. The print looks old because the colors are pretty muted. The audio has a definite buzz/hum throughout; it's low, so not too distracting, but it's there. The film was originally shot in German -it's been completely dubbed, which is pretty well synched (just don't look too closely). The voices fit their characters well. I think they stole the soundtrack from Steckler - it's cool jazzy bebop. THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS isn't a film I'd run out and get, but I wouldn't turn off the TV if it were on either. (and it was a rainy Saturday, naturally)

THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS has been released on DVD with...umm...a photo gallery and...uh....chapter select and....oh...that's it. No cast/crew bios - not even a trailer! And I wanted to know if the mysterious Monk ever showed up in another film! I know not to expect hours of extras with these underground films, but something would be cool.

'They did the mash, they did the COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS mash'. Taking a page out of every cliché book and brewing them together results in an incoherent film that still has a cheesy sort of charm - a curiosity of the 60's film motif (where 'anything goes') So if you really have to know if Sir John and Higgins catch that wacky Monk, ask for THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS for Christmas - only 100 shopping days left, kids!