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Overall Rating : 4/10
Directed By : Buddy Cooper
Matt Mitler
Frances Raines
Bill Hitchcock
Supplied By : N/A
Film Reviewed By : Rick Blalock
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| PLOT Five high school students on vacation begin to wish they were back in school when a crazed maniac attacks them one by one, mutilating their bodies in the process. |
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| THE REVIEW Before seeing this film I knew little to nothing about it. I had heard about this film from Felissa Rose whom played Angela in 1983's cult classic "Sleepaway Camp" At her official board, Felissa and a few loyal fans were discussing which film had the most impactful death scenes... Felissa then recommended "The Mutilator", so naturally I decided to locate a copy and see for myself. Finding a copy on the other hand was no small task on my part... this had only been on US VHS and had since been out of print, and the only thing available seemed to be the European PAL DVD. Well while seaching Ebay, I cam across a German import of the Mutilator, the DVD's primary language is German but it gives the viewer an option to switch to the original English track and then you are all set! This movie looks really really old despite being made in '85 it looks like an early 70's flick. This element did not hurt it for me as I am old fashioned and I enjoy the rather grainy horror flicks of "yesterday". The film starts out with a mother preparing a Birthday cake for her husband, next we cut to the woman's young son, he is at his father's gun cabinet...he plans to clean dad's guns as a gift to him on his day of birth. When young Ed is cleaning a rifle it mistakenly goes off and strikes his mother in the back killing her instantly. A short time later the father returns home to find his wife dead and his son looking over her, the father is furious with Young Ed, we soon learn that this event has drove Ed Sr. into a state of depression. Years later We find Ed Jr, he is now a college student....while meeting with friends at a local hangout he receives a phone call. That call was Ed Sr. with instructions for Ed to go down to his beach front condo to close it up for the winder. Ed's friends all want to go so they collectively make this their "Fall Break" trip. Soon after arriving the kids begin dying horrific deaths one by one at the hands of someone "mysterious". On that note I will say that this movie is probably the MOST predictable film I have ever seen. If you have yet to figure out just who the killer is, just by what I have written shame on you! This film is the typical 80's cheese-fest as it has the campy feel, the wonders of all things nude, blood and a slasher of some sort. In the 80's their were some films that had great acting, some with average and some with just plain BAD acting, this film has the BAD. All of the characters and I do mean all, had a thick southern accent...this was some what annoying. Me being from Texas and all, I have heard my share but this was too much! The characters are so annoying that you are glad they get made into lunch meat. Speaking of which, the gore was amazing in this film and is probably the best part of the whole thing. I saw the uncut version so this had all the gore that would make any gorehound drool in satisfactory. Though the killing that Ms. Rose mentioned, the one where one female gets a hook through the groin...well it didn't impress me as the lighting was bad on the shot and you could barely see. Bad acting, bad dialogue, bad lighting, cliche moments all describe "The Mutilator". But with that being said, there's a lot to like about this...it possess a lot of Halloween-esque moments, that some may enjoy.... I kind of did. This film is not great, not good... but certainly not bad either, I see this film as being a guilty pleasure type scenario. |
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| GORE
METER 7/10 The Gore, it's there alright... not the goriest film ever made but it had me cheering with every kill! |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 2/10 The score is a total lame fest the title song titled "fall break" I can't say what I want to but let's just say it was "feminine" Also the score the played when the killer is on screen, sounded a lot like JAWS...what the hell is up with that?? |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM It's always nice to dig up a forgotten horror film, and this is no exception.. But I must stress that this is NOT a very good film, I did not like all of it, there is little to no plot. What stands out are the kills, which I did like. Do not have the false notion that you will see this film and it will become a favorite of yours, because most likely that will not be the case here. However if you are a collector of horror films (like me) I would get this and file this one in your obscurity section. Give it a look! |
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