Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?

 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
type
TVTItem
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
label
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
page
WhoeverSlewAuntieRoo
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
comment
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (released in the U.S. as Who Slew Auntie Roo?) is a 1972 British horror film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring Shelley Winters in the title role, along with Ralph Richardson, Mark Lester, Chloe Franks, Judy Cornwell, Michael Gothard, Hugh Griffith, and Lionel Jeffries.Rosie "Aunt Roo" Forrest (Winters) is an American-born widow who lives at Forrest Grange, the English manor she inherited from her late husband, a famous magician. Each Christmas, she throws a party for the ten best-behaved children from the nearby Home for Orphaned and Destitute Children. One year, siblings Christopher (Lester) and Katy Coombs (Franks) arrive at her party. Aunt Roo becomes obsessed with Katy, who closely resembles her dead daughter Katharine, and wants to adopt her. But Christopher is suspicious.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
fetched
2023-08-24T23:30:29Z
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
parsed
2023-08-24T23:30:29Z
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
processingComment
Dropped link to Blackmail: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1520ad7e
type
Jumping Off the Slippery Slope
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1520ad7e
comment
Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Christopher's actions at the film's climax are abhorrent, but justifiable through the lens of his delusion. He is, after all, protecting his sister's very life. Straight after trapping Auntie Roo and setting the door on fire, he is presented evidence that he was wrong and that she genuinely meant only to treat them. Even his younger sister can see this, and points it out. He casually dismisses her and comments on how pretty the fire is. Then proceeds to garner sympathy from the adults by feigning trauma & claiming he was only even there to help. Actual supervillain origin story.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1520ad7e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1520ad7e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1520ad7e
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1921ab95
type
Ding-Dong-Ditch Distraction
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1921ab95
comment
Ding-Dong-Ditch Distraction: Christopher does this to get Aunt Roo out of the kitchen long enough for him to steal the key to the nursery.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1921ab95
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1921ab95
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_1921ab95
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_32c76085
type
Dumbwaiter Ride
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_32c76085
comment
Dumbwaiter Ride: Christopher pulls himself up to Katharine's nursery this way. Through the doors, he sees Aunt Roo singing to Katharine's skeleton. Later, he does this to try to rescue Katy. When Aunt Roo catches him, she cuts the dumbwaiter ropes so he can't escape.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_32c76085
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_32c76085
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_32c76085
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_33029735
type
Dies Wide Open
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_33029735
comment
Dies Wide Open: After her death, Katharine stares at the ceiling with blood coming out of her nose.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_33029735
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_33029735
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_33029735
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_34e3784f
type
Please, Don't Leave Me
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_34e3784f
comment
Please, Don't Leave Me: Aunt Roo screams and begs Katy and Christopher not to leave her alone as they flee the burning house.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_34e3784f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_34e3784f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_34e3784f
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_381855db
type
Five-Second Foreshadowing
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_381855db
comment
Five-Second Foreshadowing: In one of the final scenes of the movie, when Christopher brings firewood into the kitchen to place besides the open-flame stove, the establishing shot of him entering the room lingers long enough for everyone to see the mason jar on a counter in the foreground framed right next to him and read the clear, legible, painted-on label of "paraffin".
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_381855db
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_381855db
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_381855db
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_4376f049
type
Career Versus Man
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_4376f049
comment
Career Versus Man: Aunt Roo was once a celebrated singer and dancer performing in Paris, but she gave it up to marry Col. Forrest.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_4376f049
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_4376f049
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_4376f049
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5485efbf
type
Dreaming of a White Christmas
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5485efbf
comment
Dreaming of a White Christmas: Aunt Roo wakes up Katy and Christopher on Christmas morning by flinging open the curtains and shouting, "Children! Children! Wake up! Wake up! It's snowing!"
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5485efbf
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5485efbf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5485efbf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5c219298
type
Phony Psychic
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5c219298
comment
Phony Psychic: Mr. Benton (Ralph Richardson) is a "medium" who conspires with butler Albie (Michael Gothard) and his wife Clarine (Judy Cornwell) to fake visitations from Katharine. Clarine stands in Katharine's nursery, calling down the dumbwaiter shaft in a little girl voice, which completely fools Aunt Roo.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5c219298
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5c219298
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_5c219298
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_6a25c388
type
Mummies at the Dinner Table
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_6a25c388
comment
Mummies at the Dinner Table: Aunt Roo keeps Katharine's skeleton in a coffin in her old nursery. Every night, she takes her out of the coffin, tucks her into bed, and sings her to sleep.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_6a25c388
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_6a25c388
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_6a25c388
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_75538142
type
Friend to All Children
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_75538142
comment
Friend to All Children: Aunt Roo seems like one.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_75538142
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_75538142
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_75538142
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_84764598
type
Dramatic Thunder
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_84764598
comment
Dramatic Thunder: A thunderclap plays between the first scene and the opening credits.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_84764598
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_84764598
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_84764598
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_863fa679
type
What Happened to the Mouse?
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_863fa679
comment
What Happened to the Mouse?: Aunt Roo's cat. We last see it fleeing upstairs, shortly before Katy and Christopher set the house on fire. We never learn if it escaped or not.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_863fa679
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_863fa679
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_863fa679
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_8a9eb844
type
Perspective Flip
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_8a9eb844
comment
Perspective Flip: Despite multiple allusions to Hansel and Gretel, the "witch" is genuinely the kindly charitable old dear that she's outwardly presented as, and never so much as threatens anyone. Meanwhile, we're told that the "Hansel" stand-in is a troublemaker at the start by the orphanage's owner, which turns out to not be the false-flag one might expect. The ending solidifies this in gruesome fashion; turns out the movie was a murder mystery all along, and the victim was the sympathetic main character.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_8a9eb844
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_8a9eb844
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_8a9eb844
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9853e107
type
Elective Mute
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9853e107
comment
Elective Mute: Katy and Christopher don't talk at the orphanage, but they start talking once they're at Aunt Roo's mansion.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9853e107
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9853e107
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9853e107
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9ee065ab
type
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9ee065ab
comment
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday: The film takes place at Christmas time.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9ee065ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9ee065ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9ee065ab
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9fb5d589
type
Not Now, Kiddo
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9fb5d589
comment
Not Now, Kiddo: When Christopher tries to tell people what's going on, people blame his imagination.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9fb5d589
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9fb5d589
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_9fb5d589
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_a4cd4fc6
type
Cruel Twist Ending
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_a4cd4fc6
comment
Cruel Twist Ending: Auntie Roo's grief-stricken mania never actually develops into something murderous that might justify Christopher's paranoia. She never harms or even so much as threatens the children. Her most violent act is pushing them into a closet whilst he was brandishing a knife at her, and her last act is to subsequently cook a meal for them. Christopher proceeds to trick her into opening the door by knowingly exploiting her grief, murder her WITH ACTUAL GLEE, destroy her home, steal her heirlooms, and ride off into the sunset scot-free without repercussion or remorse. Which the narrator dryly proclaims a "Happily Ever After".
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_a4cd4fc6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_a4cd4fc6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_a4cd4fc6
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_ad54954f
type
Punk in the Trunk
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_ad54954f
comment
Punk in the Trunk: Katy and Christopher aren't invited to Aunt Roo's Christmas party, so they hide in the trunk of the carriage taking the guests.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_ad54954f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_ad54954f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_ad54954f
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_afc6df04
type
What You Are in the Dark
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_afc6df04
comment
What You Are in the Dark: the supposed-protagonist's actions at the film's climax, which retroactively flips the entire script on its head.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_afc6df04
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_afc6df04
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_afc6df04
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_bd5ddcc4
type
Banister Slide
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_bd5ddcc4
comment
Banister Slide: Katharine died falling off a banister. When Katy slides down the same banister, Aunt Roo screams in horror, but Katy reaches the bottom safely.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_bd5ddcc4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_bd5ddcc4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_bd5ddcc4
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c2cedc1c
type
Big "NO!"
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c2cedc1c
comment
Big "NO!": Aunt Roo screams "NO!" when she thinks Katy's going to fall of the banister, and later when Katy and Christopher lock her in the burning kitchen.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c2cedc1c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c2cedc1c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c2cedc1c
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c3b51fa9
type
Loon with a Heart of Gold
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c3b51fa9
comment
Loon with a Heart of Gold: Auntie Roo. Never even subverted.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c3b51fa9
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c3b51fa9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c3b51fa9
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c74c35f4
type
Monochrome Past
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c74c35f4
comment
Monochrome Past: A flashback to Katharine's death is shown in sepia.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c74c35f4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c74c35f4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_c74c35f4
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_d5bc2131
type
House Fire
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_d5bc2131
comment
House Fire: Christopher locks Aunt Roo in a storeroom and sets a fire by the door. The fire guts the house, killing Aunt Roo.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_d5bc2131
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_d5bc2131
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_d5bc2131
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_df410b77
type
Decoy Protagonist
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_df410b77
comment
Decoy Protagonist: Christopher. The title of the movie says it all; this is Roo's sympathetic story, about Roo's tragic life, and Roo's ignominious death. He's ultimately the villain.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_df410b77
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_df410b77
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_df410b77
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e2cd1428
type
Widow's Weeds
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e2cd1428
comment
Widow's Weeds: Aunt Roo wears these when she sings to Katharine.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e2cd1428
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e2cd1428
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e2cd1428
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e303d198
type
Whole-Plot Reference
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e303d198
comment
Whole-Plot Reference: To "Hansel and Gretel." Christopher notices the similarities, which causes him to incorrectly assume Aunt Roo is a cannibal.
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e303d198
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e303d198
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_e303d198
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
type
ItemName
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
comment
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? / int_name
itemName
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Banister Slide / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Career Versus Man / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Dies Wide Open / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Ding-Dong-Ditch Distraction / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Dramatic Thunder / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Dreaming of a White Christmas / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Dumbwaiter Ride / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Elective Mute / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Friend to All Children / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
House Fire / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Monochrome Past / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Mummies at the Dinner Table / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Not Now, Kiddo / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Perspective Flip / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Phony Psychic / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Please, Don't Leave Me / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Punk in the Trunk / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Questioning Title? / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Whole-Plot Reference / int_78866bcf
 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
hasFeature
Widow's Weeds / int_78866bcf