The Pyx, another title from Scorpion Releasing's Katarina's Nightmare Theater banner, is a 70s Canadian Horror Mystery with touches of the Occult mixed in for good meausre. There's just something about 70s Occult Horror films that I love and though this isn't a full blown Devil Worshipping flick, with a great cast consisting of Karen Black and Christopher Plummer, it was a must see.
Karen Black plays Elizabeth, a heroin addicted prostitute who dies in the first few minutes of the film. Christopher Plummer plays police detective Henderson who is trying to find out what happened to Elizabeth. Through a series of flashbacks of the days before Elizabeth's death intercut with Henderson investigating we see that her death may have something to do with the occult.
The Pyx is a well made film with great acting, an interesting story and lots of suspense. Most of the film is very dark and atmospheric with a haunting soundtrack (including a few songs sung by Karen Black). As with many films of its ilk, there are some slow parts but the story is enough to make you anxious to find out how Elizabeth died. Though the occult tones are sparse, they are an important part of the story and shouldn't disappoint fellow occult film fans. Included on the DVD is an intro by horror host Katarina Leigh Waters as well as some trailers for other films in the Katarina's Nightmare Theater series and an audio commentary with Karen Black.