(1977)
Starring: Piper Laurie, Stuart Whitman, Janit Baldwin and Roger Davis.
Directed By: Curtis Harrington.
"Christened in Blood.
Raised in Sin.
She's Sweet Sixteen.
Let the Party Begin."
DVD Information:
VCI Entertainment -Widescreen 1.85:1 - Dolby Digital Mono - Original Theatrical Trailer - Commentary by Curtis Harrington and Piper Laurie - 60 min Interview with Curtis Harrington and a Photo Gallery.
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Get Your DVD copy of Ruby Here!
This tale of terror and mystery begins in 1935, when Ruby (Laurie) and her husband Nick are having a romantic rendezvous one dark night at the lake. Suddenly cars arrive and Nick is shot to death by a group of mobsters. Ruby falls to ground calling out her dead lovers name as his corpse sinks into the lake. Grasping her stomach because she is with child, she is devastated that her one true love is dead.
It is now 16 years later and we find that Ruby now owns a Drive-In. For some apparent reason Ruby has hired all of the mobsters that have killed her husband to work in her Drive-In. Ruby is a tough and ruthless alcoholic who simply cannot cope without her one true love. Her daughter Leslie appears, and Ruby cannot stand her. When she looks into her eyes she sees her dead husband Nick and it's too much for her to handle. Leslie is a mute who hasn't whispered a sound since the day she was born.
Meanwhile, in the projection booth, the projectionist is attacked by an unseen force. The wind begins to blow and the lights go out, suddenly the film abruptly stops and the customers begin to scream for the film. Ruby calls the projection room but no answer. She gets into her car and heads right over. She enters the room and finds the projectionist hung by the film. She summons for her partner to come right over. When he enters she tells him to cut the body down and throw it in the lake.
Ruby begins to then have re-occuring nightmares of her dead lost love Nick. When she awakens one night she sees a figure floating to her bed. It is the ghost of Nick. She screams and reaches for the light and suddenly he disappears. She then dolls herself up and heads out to Drive-In. She begins to call her lovers name when the wind suddenly picks up. Suddenly she is being attacked by the Drive-In speakers. Her partner then comes to her rescue. They hear a loud noise, as they look to the Drive-In screen they find the body of one of workers has been harpooned to the screen by a pole.
Ruby and her partner go back to her place. She is sure that it is Nick who is doing all of this. Her partner then calls on a paranormal investigator. As soon as he enters he feels the strong presence of Nick around. He instantly becomes interested in Ruby's daughter Leslie. Later that night, Ruby hears sounds coming from Leslies room. As she enters Leslie begins talking to Ruby with the voice of Nick. Ruby is startled and Leslie grabs Ruby by the wrist and they struggle. Ruby then picks up a sledgehammer and cracks her daughter in the head with it.
Leslie is then placed into bed and is being cared for. The investigator asks Ruby for her permission to put her under hypnosis. Ruby agrees and Leslie goes under. Leslie begins to talk for the first time and Ruby breaks down in tears. Meanwhile, the Drive-In still must go on. While the folks are having a good time they don't realize the evil that surrounds this Drive-In. A dead body in the soda machine and a customer goes to the machine for a fruit punch. She begins to drink and blood drips down her mouth. When one of the workers comes on to a young hot girl the have a fling in the woods behind the Drive-In. When he attacks her she knees him in the groin and takes off. Suddenly he is attacked and beaten to death by an invisible force. Then a sudden strong gust of wind takes over the Drive-In, ripping the ticket booth to shreds and setting everyone into a panic.
Meanwhile, back home Ruby and the investigator hear noises coming from Leslies room again. Like a scene from "The Exorcist", they rush up the stairs to find her daughter in an upside down position on a moving bed. The Investigator performs somewhat of an Exorcism on the girl to release the spirit of Nick. Meanwhile, Ruby takes off to the lake to meet her dead lover for one last time. In conclusion, this film does have a very abrupt ending. As we learn from the very interesting 60 min interview that is included on the DVD. Mr. Harrington states that this film version is only about 80 to 90 percent his version and that the ending that is seen is not his original. The producer went behind his back to film a more commercial ending.
One favorite of mine, Ruby is available on DVD through VCI ENTERTAINMENT. This disc is presented in a letterbox format (1.85:1). It contains the theatrical trailer, Commentary by director Curtis Harrington and star Piper Laurie(Which was very amusing), An interesting interview with the director Curtis Harrington by film critic David Del Valle, A Photo Gallery,and Cast and Crew Bios.
The box states a new digital film transfer from the original 35mm negative and in the restored, (somewhat) Director's Cut. Even Though the disc says that it's the Director's Cut (only 80 to 90%), this DVD has added scenes then what was previously released on vhs in the 80's.
The pictures image has some problems but considering it's age and the fact of it being
ignored for so many years, It really isn't bad. In fact i never seen "Ruby" look this good.
I am truly glad that films such as Ruby which had been out of print for sometime on VHS are now finally making their way onto DVD.
"Ruby" is one of these films that were part of a genre that had more fun and imagination then the copy-cat horrors we see being made today.
Today there is too much attention focusing on teen-pop star glam then a good fun script. "Ruby" is not a "great" film, it's cheesy and bad.... it's fun popcorn trash.
I hope that another great film from director Curtis Harrington finds it's way onto DVD as well, "The Killing Kind" Staring Ann Sothern, John Savage, Ruth Roman and Cindy Williams. This is a great exploitation film from 1973.
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