Here we have a slasher gem from the 80’s that runs in the similar vein of Maniac (around the same time period), where we meet a psycho killer who attributed their ill nature from a traumatic childhood, or event. Most namely, in the event of a family member traumatizing the said individual. I find this evident in other movies, but I think Maniac is one of the best examples.
Needless to say we find our psycho killer (as an adolescent) at the beginning of the movie starring at his father, and a women (maybe a prostitute?), who appear to be engaged in some BDSM fun. For whatever reason, George (our killer) doesn’t particularly enjoy seeing his dad being slapped by this women and he proceeds to hack them up with an axe, (the end will reveal more about this scene) and that begins our movie… off to a good start if you ask me.
George is hospitalized for several mental illness in the vein of schizophrenia, and the list enumerates on and on. His illness appears to be controlled with medication, and they prepare him for
a release on the basis that he be relatively monitored and remain in a “half way house”. Of course George does what comes naturally, and he proceeds to a xxx theater, and he continues to see flashbacks of the time he murdered his father and lover, this will often time give him seizures, where he convulses and foams at the mouth, ya know? a seizure.
After this we find him escaped from the regulatory maintained requirements of his release from the hospital, and he murders a women and then proceeds to find the house of where his crime was committed in time past. This also proceeds to show the hospital, getting frustrated and demand that they find George before he murders more and all hell brakes loose. I think its funny that the man always smoking a cigar, sounds distinctly like a women. I mean he is obviously a man, you can see by his physical features, particularly the dead ringer of a mustache. Anyway this has nothing to do with, well really anything, but I just found it comical, him sounding a lot like a female.
Later on in the movie we are introduced to a family, with a particular trouble maker named CJ, between him and George it really makes up, and surmises the rest of the story. A lot of people will think CJ is a pain in the ass, but if you really think about it, he is just an adolescent out to have some fun and cause mischief. Albeit, some really fucked up practical jokes, but nonetheless he maintains a very independent and strong features about himself, and later you find him truly become the protagonist, or anti-hero if you will, but all the same a credible, and in the end a almost likable character.
I don’t want to dig too much more into the story, without revealing too much and spoiling it for those who have not seen it yet. But all in all, I think this is definitely a credible slasher in the horror genre, namely because of CJ and the quintessential creepiness of George. Not much gore in this movie, and because of CJ it almost takes away from the horror elements and lands it into a almost comedic story. But one thing is for certain it does offer some good gore, especially for the time period. Halloween is right around the corner, and this is good flick to pick up and check out.
For more information check out thegoresplatteredcorner.com, they have a nice review and more images.information about the movie.
