Watching Killer Nun, it occurred to me how much I really do love European trash cinema. I don't know how it happened, but somehow, everything just came together for a couple of glorious decades and cult cinema enthusiasts were given absolute heaven on earth: the sleazy sex, the unabashed full-frontal nudity, the violence, and most blessed of all that amazing English dubbing that just can't be re-created. In this grand tradition, Killer Nun has everything a Eurosleaze lover could ask for, and it should be a more than welcome addition to any cult film fan's collection.

Our story follows poor Sister Gertrude, who has just returned to working at a geriatric hospital after undergoing brain surgery. Everyone is happy to have her back; however, Gertrude herself is quite worried. She's been feeling anxious ever since the end of the operation and now suffers violent mood swings and a tendency to slip into reveries. Despite her rather strange new behavior, the doctors at the clinic nevertheless maintain that there's nothing wrong with her and that her perceived maladies are psychosomatic. Telling her that she'll get better if she just returns to normal life, they keep her on staff, ignoring her wishes to be kept under observation for a while.

Dealing with her patients again, Gertrude shows herself to not really be fit for work: she smashes the dentures of a poor old woman in a sudden fit of rage and nearly kills another patient when she zones out as she's changing her IV bags. Feeling quite uneasy, Gertrude decides it would be wise to return to the morphine she was on after her operation, though, of course, the clinic's doctors are unwilling to give her any. Taking drastic measures, Gertrude steals some jewelry from a patient, pawns it, and then scores some morphine, after which she also scores with a man she meets in a hotel bar.

Upon her return to the clinic, she starts to find that things are only getting worse. Sliding into a hellish delirium of morphine addiction, Gertrude's mood swings get worse and she starts suffering blackouts after which patients turn up dead. As Gertrude's state only continues to worsen, she turns to her lesbian roommate, Sister Mathieu, for help, though this may, in the end, be the worst thing she could have done.

Well, well, what can I say? As far as Eurohorror goes, Killer Nun has to be one of the more bizarre entries I've seen. The entire thing is kind of hazy and unclear, never really allowing us to get to know Sister Gertrude or fully grasp everything that's going on; still, it's a whole lot of fun in a 'what the hell?' kind of way, for even if you're not quite sure of what's going on during the film's proceedings, you're nevertheless intrigued by what's going on at the moment. The last minute twist, too, is quite pleasant and helps make the film an enjoyable little package as a whole, even if it leaves something to be desired narrative-wise.

Oh well. I suppose we're not really into European exploitation for fantastic storytelling, anyway. What's desired is pulpy sensationalism and, hopefully, a little art around the edges to add some class and beauty to the proceedings, and I'm happy to report that, in these respects, Killer Nun delivers. While these elements may not be as prevalent as in some of Italy's masterpieces of the grotesque, violence (particularly a cringe-inducing surgical instrument torture sequence) and seedy sex are both here; and art, too, is well-represented, from a beautifully poetic fantasy about a morgue to some gorgeous shot compositions, particularly a few that very artfully focus on lips or eyes.

As expected, Blue Underground makes all of this look its best with another excellent presentation. Belying its 25-plus years of age, Killer Nun looks absolutely excellent, with nary a scratch on its print and its bright, beautiful color palate accurately represented. The mono audio sounds clean, too, if not too exciting, with dialogue presented in one of those grand late-seventies English dubs (aside from one scene that switches into Italian, assumedly because it was never before translated).

Extras on this package are a little light, though that's okay. Things start off with a theatrical trailer and one of those super-extensive Blue Underground photo galleries (comprised of five sections), and then wrap up with a 14-minute interview with the film's director, Giulio Berruti. A good deal of information is covered in this surprisingly short amount of time, everything from his reactions to all of the film's other principal participants to discussions about the project's genesis and its treatment upon its release (obviously, it didn't have too many ardent defenders in the Vatican). In addition to all this, he even manages to explain a few of the film's subtler jokes and visual parallels that might escape some of us non-Catholics. All in all, it's another interesting and informative Blue Underground supplement that should leave everyone wishing it were a little longer.

With Killer Nun, Blue Underground has put together another exemplary package, taking a wonderfully trashy film and presenting it beautifully, and with some interesting supplements to boot. Head out and get it. It'd be a sin not to...