Obscure Movie Review: Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969)

What do you get when you have a movie made by the director of the original “Valley of the Dolls”, with a story by the guy who wrote and directed “It’s Alive” and a screenplay by the guy who wrote episodes of TV’s “Batman” show? Well, you get this: “Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting” (1969). A psycho-campy thriller, that is way ahead of it’s time. The simple plot is begging to be remade; a woman meets a nice guy--who turns out to be a psychotic loser. At the time she decides to dump him, she discovers she’s pregnant. Behind his back she comfortably has an abortion--and daddy finds this out the same week she dumps him. In cinematic break-neck speed, our heroine meets and marries a nice new guy, while the old loser hovers in the background…..

She becomes pregnant again, with the new guy--and the psycho finds out. His plot: to get her to kill the newborn, eye-for-an-eye style! The plot moves along briskly, with some nice twists, leading to a pretty tense “Hitchcockian” climax--that is very satisfying. The title song (with lyrics) is hilarious! This was a major Hollywood studio release and I have no idea how it got so buried?

This movie in not yet on DVD, to view it you must find an old store worn rental VHS copy.