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Horror Cult Classic

A Sunday school teacher moonlights as a Mojave Desert serial killer.

MURDERLUST

1985 · 01:30:00 · NR · Horror / Thriller

A serial killer, who is actually a handsome Sunday school teacher, abducts young women and disposes their bodies in the Mojave Desert.

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Quick Answer
What is Murderlust about?

Murderlust is a 1985 horror-thriller film directed by Donald M. Jones about a seemingly respectable Sunday school teacher who moonlights as a serial killer, abducting and murdering young women in the Mojave Desert.

Synopsis

A serial killer, who is actually a handsome Sunday school teacher, abducts young women and disposes their bodies in the Mojave Desert.

Steve (Eli Rich) is a laconic Sunday school volunteer who is hired as a mall security guard in this uninspired crime thriller. The sexually impotent guard has a hobby of strangling prostitutes, but of course he omits this activity on the job application. His frustration increases when he loses his job, falls behind on his rent, and is forced to take a janitorial job with his cranky cousin Neil (Dennis Gannon). Steve's ultimate goal is to land a job on the adolescent hotline at the church run by his unsuspecting girlfriend Cheryl (Rochelle Taylor). Steve's psychosis increases when the funding for the hotline is delayed until the killer is captured.
Details & Specs
Director
Donald M. Jones
Writer
James C. Lane
Release
1985
Runtime
1h 30m
Also Known As
Murhanhimo, Mass Murder

The SassyFlix Take

If your idea of Sunday school involves more than awkward hymns and stale cookies, Murderlust delivers a chillingly mundane monster in Steve, the security guard with a side gig in strangulation. Donald M. Jones keeps things low-key and grim, letting Eli Rich simmer as the most unsettling mall employee since Paul Blart hit the big leagues.
From the Vault

Proof that not every Sunday school teacher is just collecting canned food drives.

Why Cult

Sunday School Psycho

Steve is a laconic church volunteer whose double life as a serial killer adds a twisted edge to small-town respectability.

Mojave Desert Carnage

Victims wind up buried in the Mojave, turning the sun-baked landscape into a dumping ground for Steve's crimes.

Impotent Antihero

Steve's sexual frustration and failed ambitions fuel his disturbing extracurricular activities, making him a rare breed of horror protagonist.

Mall Security Gone Wrong

Forget petty shoplifting—Steve's stint as a mall security guard is just a cover for his far more sinister pursuits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Murderlust about? +

Murderlust follows Steve, a Sunday school teacher and mall security guard, who leads a double life as a serial killer targeting young women and disposing of their bodies in the Mojave Desert.

When was Murderlust released? +

Murderlust was released in 1985.

Who directed Murderlust? +

Murderlust was directed by Donald M. Jones.

How long is Murderlust? +

Murderlust has a runtime of 90 minutes.

What genre is Murderlust? +

Murderlust is classified as a horror and thriller film.