Let me set the record straight, on this one. This is in no way, a bit movie, where I don't want illicit substances, other reviewers on, but this none other a fine solid, absorbing drama, based supposedly on a real incident, where a woman supposedly picked up the wrong drink, where a jilted boyfriend, had spiked it with Strickinine (and don't go off at me, for spelling it wrong) so our pretty lass Hull, ends up in a psyche ward, on the fifth floor, or as one crazy puts, Psycho city, where her introduction, is pure gold. The movie is a lot of fun, I found, with some real cooks, played by good supports, one being Robert Englund, before he put on that decapitating monster mask, and those ripping claws. We really see the depressing realities of daily life, inside this place, and we really sympathize with Hull's helplessness, her ordeal, only heightened, by a male orderly, and sexual deviate, Hopkins, who takes advantage of our pretty philies, even chance he gets, really creating a nasty piece of work, with a love to hate performance, the bath scene implanted in my memory, from my first watch of 1985. Julie Adams, was good too, as a matron, as was Mel Ferrer, strong as the chief doc, and as a memorable performance crazy, suicide victim, D'Arbanville left a lasting impression, while another actor you'll recognize, where there's a great irony involved here, where this time as a patient, he's on the other side of the door. This is a very involving and I'll say it again, absorbing, little nifty film, another of these well made seventies movie's that warrants viewing, with stars we don't see now. Forget the bad hype. Please.

I caught this in 1980 as part of a double bill at a theatre. The other film was the sick "Don't Go In The House". This was only a little better but that's very faint praise.Supposedly based on a true story (I have my doubts) this is about a college girl who is wrongly sent to an insane asylum by a vengeful boyfriend. OK--just the basic premise is silly. Really--a BOYFRIEND has his girlfriend committed???? Where's her family? On what charges? So--right off the bat--it doesn't make sense. In the asylum we meet the yawningly familiar type of lovable psychos. We also meet the nasty orderly--he's played by Bo Hopkins so you KNOW he's evil. The film is filled with the regular pointless female nudity, a dull plot and pretty terrible acting. Only Hopkins (who is obviously having fun) even tries to give a good performance. For his acting alone I give this a 2. Otherwise it's pretty run of the mill and dreary.

Really only one reason to see this movie, and that is the performance of Bo Hopkins. He makes almost any role he does come alive, especially a villain. I told him that, when I had the chance to meet him several years ago. He didn't exactly agree with me about his role here, but he remembered this movie, and said the production values were very good. The story is enthralling, and you squirm, because you know it can happen to you. Tension throughout, and you do get sucked in, but you feel about the same way at the end as if you drank cheap malt liquor the night before. Tired, and with a bit of a headache. But if you are a Hopkins fan, it is worth a peek.

If this really happened, heaven help us all! If you're looking for a really entertaining bad movie, this is the one! A disco waitress is mistakingly admitted to "the fifth floor", a psychiatric ward in a hospital after being drugged by an evil co-worker. While there, she battles unscrupulous and apathetic doctors and staff, and still manages to teach her fellow inmates the latest disco dance moves.