I don't understand all of these positive reviews. All the reasons given for this being a good film are exactly why I think this movie stinks. Arch Hall Jr. not only is a horrible actor, he is a horrible looking actor. Not entertaining, not suspenseful, not compelling, just a really, really, really bad piece of cinematic garbage.

This was a good movie. I just learned that this film is loosely based on the real life teenage killer Charles Starkweather and his 13 year old girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate. 'The Sadist' is very creepy thriller film.About the film: Charles A. 'Charlie' Tibbs (Arch Hall Jr.) is a murderous delinquent aided by his juvenile girlfriend Judy Bradshaw (Marilyn Manning). Charles and Judy are on the run after killing several people. Our story focuses on the murderous duo and how they held three innocent people hostage (killing two of them).I must say I despised Charles and Judy from the time we are introduced to them until the end of the film. I'm sorry I wanted these two murderers bumped off right from the get-go. They are irritating and obnoxious - in particular Charles! All I can say the film is good, thrilling but had me talking to the screen at the innocent characters - "No don't do that!" "Do this instead." lol. Yes it is that type of film - you want the innocent to survive and the "bad guys" dead.8.5/10

Wow, this gimpy legged grinning killer and his mute but sicko giggly girlfriend are impossible to scrub out of your brain. They make up for their mental midgetness with over the top murder and mayhem. When they jack off the soda pop bottle you know it's time for their next victim to beg for mercy in a fruitless attempt to go on living for one more minute.I loved the music during opening credits while the sadist's eyes burrowed into your soul. This was 1963, early days for this much madness on screen. Enjoy yourself watching this and expect to be yelling, "Run, you idiot, run!!!" more than once during the show.

The best thing you can say about The Sadist is that Arch Hall, Jr. got away from Arch Hall, Sr. in this production. The senior Hall confined his activities to being the voice over a car radio. However it was Arch Hall, Jr. together with an equally untalented cast who were in the film as well. Another director got a performance out of him barely approaching, but missing adequacy.Three school teachers are driving to Los Angeles for a Dodger game and the car breaks down. Pulling into a service station they are taken by surprise by two thrill kill seeking kids, Hall, Jr. and Judy Bradshaw. The rest of the film is what happens to all five of them and the terror inflicted by Hall and Bradshaw on the three teachers.Based on the Starkweather/Fugate case from the previous decade. Hall is made up to look like a pompadoured teen wolf in training. He giggles like Richard Widmark in his performance. As for Bradshaw her role is confined to whispers, skipping, and sucking her thumb. Probably because she couldn't handle dialog.There were some techniques in cinematography that were not amateurish by any means which relegates The Sadist possibly to Arch Hall, Jr.'s career role. A dubious distinction by any means.I hope Johnny Depp who did so well with Ed Wood takes a look at the Halls because I know there's a story here.