I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I first saw RUBY back in 1977 when it was first released. The movie played at the drive-in as the first of two features, the second of which I can no longer recall. But this movie left an impression on me. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it took place in a drive-in for most of the film's 85 minute length. The drive-in at that time was my lifeline to movies, a new double feature playing twice a week all summer long. I saw more movies that way than at any other time until I began working as a theater manager for 5 years.The movie opens in 1935 as Ruby Claire (Piper Laurie) and her lover Nicky Rocco are out for a moonlight spin in his car, stopping near the docks at the nearby swamp. Ruby is obviously pregnant at this time and as the two prepare to go for out in a rowboat another car pulls up. Out step the members of the gang Nicky is a part of who then open fire and kill Nicky. Swearing on his dying breath that he will have his revenge, Ruby goes into labor there on the dock.Fast forward to 1951. The land that was once owned by gangster Jake Miller (who was in charge of the gang that shot Nicky) is not controlled by Ruby. She's taken the land and turned it into a drive-in, employing the old gang members to do the day to day operations. Heading them up is Vince (Stuart Whitman), selling tickets and overseeing the rest who run the concessions and projector. Living in the big house on the hill that overlooks the drive-in along with Ruby is Jake, now muter and confined to a wheelchair, Vince and her daughter Leslie (Janit Baldwin).As Leslie's 16th birthday draws near strange things begin to happen at the drive-in. As ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN shines on the screen each of the old gang members are being killed off in the most ingenious ways tying into the whole drive-in concept. Concerned about what is going on Vince has contacted the prison psychologist who helped him, Dr. Paul Keller (Roger Davis). Keller was interested in studying the paranormal on the side and Vince is certain something is afoot here.As the film progresses Ruby continues to reminisce about the old days, walk around drinking more than she should and dreaming of Nicky. What she doesn't know it that Nicky is about to make his return. He possesses the body of his daughter, talking through her to let them know he's here to collect his revenge. And it won't be pretty.The movie works on so many levels even though the budget constraints on this film are well known. Director Curtis Harrington (who also directed NIGHT TIDE, QUEEN OF BLOOD, WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO? and WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH AUNTY HELEN?) displays the skill he had at creating an effective atmosphere with what little he had. There are plot holes to be found and the pickier of people writing about the film seem to bask in their glory noting those whole. But that short changes what Harrington was able to accomplish with what he had to work with here.The same can be said for the main actors on display: Laurie, Whitman and Davis. Laurie had just come off the hit CARRIE showing she had a knack for horror. 45 years old at the time the film was made (which is certain to be considered old in Hollywood years) she looks lovelier than ever here, still an attractive woman and that's what the role needs. The character of Ruby is one that all the men around her adore and desire while having no chance to find those needs satisfied. Whitman was always willing, ready and able to provide a solid performance no matter what he was in. An unappreciated actor you have to remember he had starred against giant rabbits 5 years prior in NIGHT OF THE LEPUS. And Davis was the heartthrob tragic werewolf that teens lusted over for years on TV's DARK SHADOWS, later moving into ALIAS SMITH AND JONES after the tragic suicide of actor Pete Duel. He never gave a bad performance that I've ever seen and does a solid job here as well.The thing about this movie that makes it work so well is the combination of setting and atmosphere heaped on in heavy doses by Harrington. Intended from the start to be a drive-in feature it benefits from the fact that much of the film takes place in a drive-in. Side stories take place there, mostly around a young woman who teases her various dates and who Whitman notes to tonight's choice that he's seen her there every night for the past week with someone new. The killings of at least two of the old mob are both eerie with the second having a hilarious joke tossed into the mix.The low lying swamp that permeates the air with a mist from the start of the film until the very end also plays an integral part to the story. The fog that just seems to touch the ground, hovering but never rising too high gives it that nice, creepy touch. The house with its old dance hall that Ruby used to sing in is a nice bit to have on hand and combines the memories of Ruby with the run down appearance of her world now. It only increases her longing for days gone by.The movie rarely played on TV and was actually chopped up when it did. Harrington was not a fan of what the owners of the film did to his final work and says so in one of the extras here. While the film has been available on DVD in the past this is the first time it's been released on blu-ray. What we have here is supposed to be the definitive theatrical edition of the film or as close to it as we will ever see. The print is a 2k transfer with restoration that provides this version with the cleanest look since it was originally released. Included in the extras are a 2001 interview with Harrington by David Del Valle, a commentary track with Harrington and Laurie, 2 episodes of SINISTER IMAGE featuring host David Del Valle with Harrington, a commentary track with Del Valle and Harrington expert Nathaniel Bell, liner notes written by Bell, the original theatrical trailer which has been restored and as a bonus the DVD copy of the film.As I've said before this was a movie that I found to be one of my favorites from the time when it was released. It remains a favorite of mine and one that I've watched on several occasions having bought the original DVD release several years ago. I can say that this edition on blu-ray exceeds that original copy and has provided fans with something to enjoy as much as they did when it was originally released. With the memories it brings back I can't wait to open the window this summer, listen to the crickets chirping outside, make a nice size bowl of popcorn, a tall soda nearby and my arm around my wife (then girlfriend) sitting beside me on the couch remembering those good old days at the drive-in. At least ours wasn't haunted.

Piper Laurie follows her success in Carrie with another supernatural horror, Ruby, in which she plays gangster's moll Ruby Claire, who, sixteen years after witnessing the cold-blooded shooting of Nicky (Sal Vecchio), the father of her unborn child, finds herself menaced by his vengeful spirit. Believing that he was betrayed by his lover, Nicky's ghost proceeds to bump off the ex-gangsters now employed at her drive-in theatre, using his mute daughter Leslie (Janit Baldwin) as a conduit, before finally confronting Ruby herself.Opening with the wonderfully dreamlike murder of Nicky in a bayou, Curtis Harrington's Ruby is not without atmosphere and style, the director making effective use of his rundown drive-in location and its eerie, foggy swampland surroundings. Sadly, despite the creepy ambiance, several creative kills (ala The Omen)—hanging by film stock, impalement to movie screen, death by drinks vending machine—plus a couple of fun possession scenes clearly inspired by The Exorcist, the overly talky nature of the script prevents the film from being a complete success, the dull dialogue frequently bringing the action to a standstill.

This effective shocker manages to combine the possession themes from THE EXORCIST with the supernatural deaths from THE OMEN into a workable mixture, heavy on the atmosphere and nostalgia; smattered with enough bizarre incident, cheap deaths, and harassed acting on the part of the main performers to make it worthwhile. The best thing about the film by far is not the fragmented plot, but rather the direction of cult favourite Curtis Harrington, who fills every moment with enough suspense, tense atmosphere, and shuddery chills to flesh out a dozen later horror flicks. The setting of a dead-end drive-in (forever playing ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN) is a perfect one, with supernatural incident after supernatural incident taking place in the creaking, derelict, and run-down old buildings. Bodies are impaled to the giant screen, hanged with film reels, and disappear inside Coke machines, and there are enough low-budget blood and grue effects to please the graphic horror fan no end, along with a little macabre humour here and there.The scripting is character-focused for a change, giving a chance for the main performers to develop their roles before being offed by the unseen spirit, which is a plus because the casting is excellent. Taking the title role is Piper Laurie, hot on the success of CARRIE, playing another eccentric character whose fate is inexorably bound up with that of her dead lover. She's just as good here as she was in Brian De Palma's hit, even if her character is deeper and more subtle than there. The underrated Stuart Whitman also turns in a fine portrayal as Vince, the ageing helper with an affection for Ruby, who may or may not be doomed to die at the hands of the vengeful spirit.As the possessed child Leslie, Janit Baldwin is exceptionally creepy; with the aid of some eye make-up she easily transforms from looking like an innocent child into a creature of evil, and hers is the scariest performance in the whole movie. Finally we have Roger Davis, as the spiritual doctor brought in to sort out the whole mess, and he too contributes a solid and flawless performance. High on horror and creepy shudders, RUBY skilfully combines old-fashioned atmosphere and suspense with new-fangled bloodshed and violence, and the end result is an unfairly forgotten yarn which is not without flaws, but for the most part one to watch. Also be sure to check out the CARRIE-style shock ending, which is one of the best I've seen.

Horror movie with a needlessly convoluted plot. In 1935 a gangster's girlfriend named Ruby (Piper Laurie) sees her boyfriend shot down dead. At that moment she gives birth to his baby (!!!) The movie cuts to 16 years later. Ruby is an alcoholic running a drive in and Leslie is her daughter--born a deaf mute (I think). For reasons never made totally clear she has the guys who shot her boyfriend dead working for her in the drive in! Then they start getting killed--it seems Ruby's ex is coming back for revenge...If that synopsis sounds confusing you should see the movie! Curtis Harrington is a good director and I'm giving this a 4 just because it is well-directed...it just doesn't make a lot of sense. I saw the director's cut which was thought to be lost. Harrington was fired before the movie was finished. The producer took the movie, cut out all the violence and shot scenes with a totally different cast! That was the one released. Harrington complained about it and said his version was gone. Somehow it was found and that's the one I saw. If this is the cut the director approved I can only wonder how bad the reedited version was! Scenes seem to end before they're finished; the plot meanders all over the place; there are way too many unanswered questions still lingering at the end; Ruby is inexplicably always dressed like a madam; the special effects are poor; the deaths are very poorly done (and look REAL fake); the twist at the end comes out of nowhere--and doesn't make a lot of sense and, basically, this is BORING!Laurie is a wonderful actress but she's terrible in this. She appears to be drunk most of the time--or looks like she wishes she were. Stuart Whitman walks through his role. Janit Baldwin is actually pretty good as Leslie. And Roger Davis (fondly remembered from "Dark Shadows") pops up about 30 minutes in as a parapsychologist. He has little to do with the plot except have Whitman provide some clumsy exposition to him. It's supposed to clear up the plot--it doesn't.A dull, confusing mess. Not worth seeing at all. It's really a shame-the VCI DVD looks just beautiful.