Nunsploitation is a subgenre that has alluded me thus far in my horror journey. Out of all the -sploitations, I found myself gravitating more toward Ozploitation and Blaxploitation. Films like Disco Godfather, Coffy, and Patrick were always more appealing than the idea of a bunch of nuns running around and killing people (apparently, I had a narrow view of what Nunsploitation was). Over the years, I have watched Nunsploitation films here and there, but I couldn’t think of a better film for March than the based-on-a-true story Suor Omicidi, or Killer Nun.
Killer Nun follows Sister Gertrude (Anita Ekberg), a nun who has just returned to her job at a Catholic geriatric hospital after brain tumor surgery. The Sister’s fears aren’t put to rest after the surgery, and something still feels off to her. After a quick stint away from the cloth, Sister Gertrude’s entire personality changes. She becomes meaner, hornier, and possibly deadlier. What happens when the wrong part of your brain malfunctions? You might just get a Killer Nun!
This film is based on the true events that occurred in a small town in Central Europe. Sister Gertrude was based on Cecile Bombeek, a nun who killed three geriatric patients due to them being noisy at night (as well as abusing and stealing from patients). After Bombeek recovered from her brain tumor surgery, the other nuns started to notice changes in behavior. While Bombeek was charged with three murders, many believe she was responsible for multiple others.
Sister Gertrude’s character seemingly follows a nearly identical character arc to her inspiration. Still, there’s a much more sexual angle to Gertrude than what I could find from surface-level research. I loved so many aspects of Sister Gertrude’s character, and Anita Ekberg is fantastic in the role. Once her harshness toward patients starts, she’s put on short notice by Mother Superior (Alida Valli) and Dr. Poirret (Massimo Serato). From there, she embraces her sexuality and lets herself give in to her impulses. Her delivery of, “Sister Gertrude is dying to spend the night with you,” drove chills down my spine. However, this story takes an entirely different turn with the character of Sister Mathieu (Paola Morra).
The kills in Killer Nun are pretty uninspired with the goriest being a fascinating montage about halfway through the film. Even though co-writer/director Giulio Berruti crafted a relatively tame (based on what I’ve seen in this subgenre) production, it’s still a blast to watch. Paola Morra works well with Ekberg, and their sexual tension gives this film a cutting-edge that continually makes you ask, will they/won’t they?
Killer Nun isn’t a perfect film by any means and I don’t think it’s the best example of Nunsploitation but it’s a good intro to the subgenre. It has all the trappings but lacks the punch to make it a great example. The performances are top-notch and will keep the audience hooked but if you’re looking for something super sexual and bloody, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
