Mantis in Lace (2 Stars)

Although I heard about this 1968 film many years ago I've only recently been able to buy it. Everything I had read about the film made it seem like an absolute shocker about drugs, violence and sexual depravity. Watching it today it seems very tame. As an exploitation film it doesn't exploit enough.

The story is about a stripper called Lila. ("Lila" was the film's original title, but it was later renamed). She takes a customer back to where she lives in an old warehouse belonging to her father. The customer gives her LSD and she experiences a bad trip. She kills him during sex, then hacks his body to pieces. After this she goes on a killing spree, inviting customers to the warehouse, taking drugs and killing them.

The plot as described above could have led to a very good film. But it fails to deliver. The film has many faults, but I'll concentrate on the plot. Many things are suggested, but are left unclear. Obviously the first encounter with LSD is with her first victim. After this she becomes addicted. But what is unclear is whether she had intended to kill him anyway. It's not certain whether the warehouse really belongs to her father, since later in the film a real estate agent arrives who thought the property was deserted. Why would a young woman live in such barren surroundings if she didn't plan to commit a crime? The childhood flashbacks during her trips show that she's become unstable through a history of abuse.

This is a prime candidate for a remake. The film could be made much better today.