The Killing Kind is a 1973 American psychological horror film directed by Curtis Harrington, and starring Ann Sothern, John Savage, Ruth Roman, Luana Anders, and Cindy Williams.

It follows a young man who, after being released from prison for a sexual assault he did not commit, submits to his impulsive urge to seek revenge against those who wronged him.

Terry Lambert serves two years in prison after being physically forced to participate in a gang rape when the victim, Tina Moore, lies about the nature of the incident.

Terry's eccentric mother, Thelma, runs a large Victorian boarding house in suburban Los Angeles, primarily for elderly ladies.

One day at the poolside, Terry pulls Lori into the water after she playfully pushes him in, and becomes aggressive, holding her head underwater.

The altercation is witnessed by Thelma, who blames Lori for "leading Terry on," and Louise, a shy librarian who lives next-door.

Meanwhile, Louise takes an interest in Terry, and sparks a conversation with him by the pool one night, and makes a sexual advance at him.

At the boarding house, Terry gets into another altercation with Lori while attempting to fix her leaking shower head, and strangles her to death in the bathtub.