Biography: Karl Ivan Atticus was an American filmmaker. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Atticus's brief career earned him a place in the pantheon of cult movie directors, having achieved a modest level of notoriety for two extremely violent films, Culture Shock (1969) and Mortal Remains (1972), though rumors persist that he may have directed and partially edited at least one other film during the period between these two productions. Regarded by some as the "father of the slasher movie," Atticus committed suicide in 1973.