Killer Nun

Watch Killer Nun

"From the Secret Files of the Vatican!"
  • NR
  • 1978
  • 1 hr 22 min
  • 5.0  (2,217)

Killer Nun is a 1979 Italian horror film directed by Giulio Berruti and starring Anita Ekberg, Alida Valli, and Massimo Serato. It tells the story of Sister Gertrude, a nurse who works at a hospital in Rome run by the Church. Sister Gertrude begins to experience mental and physical deterioration, and as her mental state unravels, she starts to commit a series of murders within the confines of the hospital.

The film follows Sister Gertrude as she obsesses over a doctor who has been treating her for severe headaches, and becomes increasingly disturbed and violent. The murders escalate in brutality, happening during her night shifts, disguising her face with a nun's outfit and masking tape while attacking her unsuspecting victims. Each time, Sister Gertrude carefully plans her murders, scrawling outlines of her plans on religious artifacts, and keeping detailed records of her conquests in personal diaries.

As her mental state worsens, Gertrude begins to hallucinate, seeing religious visions and experiencing violent fantasies. She's continually haunted by memories of a traumatic passenger flight she took in Africa where she was raped by two sailors. Gertrude sketches out the faces of the sailors on the inside of a Bible, and as her fantasies and murders blur into one, it becomes unclear whether she is taking revenge for her traumas or whether she's simply going insane.

The film is notable for its use of atmospheric horror, intense percussive score, and graphic violence, which caused controversy upon its release. Nevertheless, Killer Nun has since developed a cult following, and its lead role has become something of a camp icon. Ekberg's performance as Sister Gertrude is intense and dramatic, her multifaceted acting capturing both the fragility and raving madness of the character as the story unfolds.

The centerpiece of the film is undoubtedly the character of Sister Gertrude, whose transformation from a kind-hearted nurse to a bloodthirsty killer is terrifying to watch. The audience is gradually drawn into her troubled inner world, and the violence that she perpetrates is both shocking and upsetting. At times, the film feels almost like a psychological thriller, as we get deeper into Gertrude's deteriorating psyche.

Overall, Killer Nun is a gripping and unsettling horror film, which has only become more fascinating with the passage of time. It's a brutal and unflinching look at madness and violence, with a remarkable central performance from Ekberg that makes it an essential watch for fans of classic horror cinema. This is not a movie for the faint-hearted, but for those looking for a visceral and compelling piece of genre cinema, Killer Nun is a must-see.

Killer Nun is a 1978 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.

Killer Nun
Description
Where to Watch Killer Nun
Killer Nun is available to watch free on Plex and Tubi TV. It's also available to stream, download and buy on demand at FlixFling, Apple TV and Amazon. Some platforms allow you to rent Killer Nun for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1978
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    1 hr 22 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    5.0  (2,217)