Noted sleazy director Girdler's last film before passing at the young age of thirty in a hellicopter accident is certainly tepid, tacky and ridiculous.

Susan Strasberg wakes-up one day with a lump on the back of her neck. It's soon found out that it's a tumour and things just get more wacky when doctors learn a fetus is growing from her neck. In comes fake psychic (and ex-lover) Tony Curtis who has to recruit a Native medicine man after finding-out the tumour is an ancient Indian spirit about to be reborn.

From there it's all a bunch of silly set pieces including the possession of Curtis' elderly lady customer, a dopey séance moment, Meredith Burgesses' rambling speech that attempts to give this mystical grounds, the whole laser freak-out scene, a hospital intern death that's actually quite well-done only to be followed by an unconvincing birth scene out of Strasberg's back, a cheesy lizard demon and to top it all off a finale that has a topless Strasberg flinging about fireballs in her hospital room that's been converted into a space-like void.

It's not all bad really; Curtis' first tarot card reading is quite amusing and it is good for unintentional chuckles; but it's still a mite too talky and over-the-top to be worthwhile. And check out the whole "Manitou" explanation because it will definitely have you shaking your head.

Only for Girdler completists.

Directed By: William Girdler.
Written By: Jon Cedar, William Girdler, Thomas Pope.

Starring: Tony Curtis, Michael Ansara, Susan Strasberg, Stella Stevens.