Stone Cold Dead (1979) ** (out of 4)Richard Crenna plays Sgt. Boyd who is out trying to solve a group of bizarre killings where a sniper is taking out women involved in the sex business. As he grows closer to the killer it's very possible that someone he has a connection with might end up on the hit list.If you're a fan of 70s cinema then you probably know about 42nd Street and the various types of sleazy movies that would play there. Snipers, pimps, dirty cops, hookers and drug use were just some of the subjects that would be covered in those types of films and all of those elements are on display in STONE COLD DEAD but sadly the film tries to be too mainstream and it just doesn't work.STONE COLD DEAD has a lot flaws including the fact that it's just never brave enough to cross the line into a darker territory. The film plays around with various dark elements but it never crosses the line to where the film would be more memorable. It really comes across as a watered down version of something you'd see on 42nd Street and it's anyone's guess why they didn't try to push the envelope further.What really kills the film though is the fact that there's really not any suspense and none of the characters are all that detailed or interesting. Crenna gives a good performance as he always does and he certainly helps carry the film. Both Paul Williams and Linda Sorensen are good in their supporting parts as well. I will also say that the reveal of the killer is another plus as I certainly didn't see it coming.STONE COLD DEAD certainly isn't a bad movie but at the same time there's just nothing here to separate it from the dozens of other films out there like it.

Richard Crenna is once again solid as a rock, playing a dedicated police sergeant named Boyd. Working the mean streets of Toronto, he has a distaste for the way the world has gone to seed. He also has a vendetta against slimy, diminutive pimp Julius Kurtz (an oddly, but amusingly cast Paul Williams), and would love nothing more than to pin SOMETHING on him. When a rooftop sniper begins methodically taking out hookers, it's up to Boyd to solve the case. Giving him assistance are veteran prostitute Monica Page (Linda Sorensen) and sassy undercover detective Sandy MacAuley (Belinda J. Montgomery)."Stone Cold Dead" is based on the novel "The Sin Sniper" by Hugh Garner, and written for the screen by George Mendeluk, making his filmmaking debut. It's particularly interesting for a Canadian audience, to see the sleazier sights and sounds of late 70s Toronto. In general, it doesn't tell a *great* story, necessarily (some people will likely figure out the identity of the sniper ahead of time), but it *is* entertaining, offering a fair amount of grit. It combines elements of the Italian murder mysteries known as "Gialli", crime dramas, and exploitation cinema, and viewers will delight in the abundant nudity and sordid (ultimately sad) aspect to the tale being told. It's greatly enhanced by a fine score by under rated Canadian composer Paul Zaza. There are even some nice little touches here and there, such as the ice skating sequence, and Boyds' method of feeding his fish at scheduled times by phoning his own number.Crenna is well matched against Williams, who gets to play his slimy role with a bit of nuance and humour. Sorensen is well cast as the potential love interest for Boyd, and Montgomery is a real ball of fire as the female cop. She even gets to belt out two numbers. There are various other familiar faces present to any veteran viewer of Canadian cinema: Chuck Shamata, Alberta Watson, Monique Mercure, Jennifer Dale, Frank Moore, George Touliatos. Legendary Canadian boxer George Chuvalo has a brief cameo; also look fast for a young Michael Ironside at around the 82 minute mark (he's not seen clearly, but that voice is unmistakable).Trashy, and pretty violent, "Stone Cold Dead" is very fine entertainment for people eager to check out some Canuxploitation.Seven out of 10.

Hard-nosed detective Boyd (Richard Crenna in fine rugged form) and street smart undercover vice cop Sandy MacAuley (well played with sassy aplomb by Belinda J. Montgomery) work together to catch a sniper who's picking off prostitutes. Boyd's investigation puts him in the path of smooth pimp Julius Kurtz (a surprisingly credible and effective portrayal by Paul Williams) and high class call girl Monica Potter (a sharp performance by Linda Sorensen). Writer/director George Mendeluk relates the compellingly sordid story at a steady pace, offers a vivid evocation of Toronto's lurid urban underbelly, maintains a grim'n'gritty tone throughout, and delivers a satisfying smattering of tasty gratuitous female nudity. Moreover, there are sturdy supporting contributions from Alberta Watson as the forlorn Olivia Page, Chuck Shumata as Boyd's fed-up partner Sgt. Tony Colabre, Andre Cousineau as pathetic junkie Bernice Carnival, and Monique Mercure as helpful shrink Dr. Bouvier. Dennis Miller's slick cinematography gives this picture a glittery neon look. Paul Zaza's pulsating score hits the funky spot. Worth a watch.

Contains Spoiler!!! Just to see Paul Williams, Julius Kurtz, playing a big time city pimp should make "Stone Cold Dead" worth watching. With the always reliable Richard Crenna, Sgt. Boyd as the Toronto cop with an obsession for putting Kurtz away and off the streets to make the city safe. Some deranged sniper has been offing prostitutes and at the same time photographing them and sending the photos to the police to taunt them and make them feel helpless in catching him. Sgt. Boyd thinks that it's Kurtz that's the killer and is out to get the goods on him. You would wonder why Kurtz would kill his own employees and hurt his prostitution business? Does Boyd know something? Fairly good whodunit with a surprising performance on the part of Paul Williams as the cool pimp with a heart of gold when it comes to taking good care of his "ladies" even though he can be rough some times but as everyone watching the movie knows Julie doesn't really mean it. A very effective and sympathetic scene in the film is when Kurtz is at a funeral of one of his murdered "ladies" and Sgt. Boyd arrives uninvited hassling him. Kurtz then quietly tell him "Can't you see that I'm here to pay my respects". It just made me wonder who was the good guy and who was the bad guy in the movie. Sgt. Boyd gets really involved in the murder case when one of the hookers murdered by the sniper turns out to be a woman undercover detective who's also a good friend of his and it all becomes very personal with him. The ending of the movie is made to shock and surprise and it does very convincingly with the audience not seeing it coming. "Stone Cold Dead" has that rough and gritty look to it more because of it's small budget then it's filmmakers artistic talents in movie realism with better then average acting from it's supporting cast of Linda Sorenson, Monica Page, and Alberta Watson, Olivia Page, then you would usually see in a B-Movie.