Frank misses his mother, who was killed in a car accident years before. She was abusive to him, and made money selling her body, but Frank still misses her. He tries to keep her from leaving him, and reform her evil ways, by killing young women and putting their scalps on mannequins which he displays around his apartment. Photographer Anna takes a picture of him in the park, and he pursues and befriends her. Is she the one he's been looking for or just another mommy wanna be?

William Lustig and Joe Spinell, say they didn't always have the necessary permits to film on location in New York City. Certain scenes (including the infamous shotgun through the windshield scene) had to have been filmed quickly and afterwards the crew had to run away before the cops arrived.

Frank Zito:
I told you not to go out tonight didn't I? Every time you go out this kind of thing happens.

Revealing mistakes: When Frank slits the woman's throat on the beach, the knife makes no contact with the throat, even though blood spurts forth from the wound.

Lyrics and Music by Chiosso and Cichellero
Performed by Gino Bramieri