Wealthy writer Paul Martin (Udo Keir) hires sexy young typist Linda (Linda Hayden) to assist him with the writing of his second book at his English country house on Straw Hill but before long bodies start to pile up. As known as "House on Straw Hill"/"Trauma" this is the only British film that made it on to the DPP 72 list of Video Nasties (Xtro (1982) only made it to Section 3 and was never prosecuted), it was uncut on VHS but passed in 1997 by the BBFC with 51 seconds of cuts for sexual violence. This cut version is the one that I am reviewing, however I will now seek out an uncut import. To the movie itself it is very obvious who the psycho killer is but that in no way spoils the plot. It has a few nasty moments, a touch of Italian Giallo for some of the kills, but it is more notorious for its sexual content. There is plenty of sex, nudity (bizarrely Udo keeps his trousers on during one sexual encounter), female masturbation and lesbian love making, this is an erotic horror movie. Despite being dubbed Keir is good as Paul, British Scream Queen Linda is great, as for Fiona Richmond, well she was there just to get naked. Despite being a shocker the movie also has plenty of English charm - the rural setting, a Rolls-Royce and a Morris Minor parked on the driveway, an elderly housekeeper called Mrs Aston (Patsy Smart), a brass band, and so on. One of the better "video nasties" and highly recommended.
Review of Trauma
