:
Rory Calhoun,
Rory Calhoun,
Paul Linke,
more...
:
Kevin Connor,
Kevin Connor
see all cast/crew...
: 
: MGM
: Horror
: 183 min.
: English
: English, Spanish, French
see additional details...
|
|
People come from far and wide to sample Farmer Vincent's distinctively flavored dried, smoked sausages, but one might well ask why there are so few people staying at his nearby motel. This horror comedy provides the graphic answer. It seems that the good farmer only uses the highest quality, specially processed human meat in his treats. To prepare the meat, he first harvests healthy tourists from his hotel. Next, he plants them into the ground up to their necks and with a sharp knife carefully slices their vocal chords. He and his portly sister then feed the victims until the meat is tender and well marbled with fat. Afterward they are promptly slaughtered, minced with a few secret herbs, and stuffed into sausage casings, which are then carefully aged in the smokehouse. His operation is abruptly cut off when Vincent's normal brother, Bruce, learns about the secret ingredients. In the end, the brothers grab chain saws and have a hilarious, blood-soaked showdown. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
|
| Motel Hell - Surprisingly Good
by eaglerock79
November 19, 2007 - 5:11 PM PST
|
|
| I caught this on late night cable just flipping through channels. It had an interesting story with descent acting and some genuinely creepy moments. The finale was very memorable and it's well shot too. I was expecting something awful but I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend it to horror fans with a sense of humor. I'm afraid I haven't seen the other film this is packaged with. |
| Midnite Movie Madness
by carlykristen
January 30, 2007 - 3:35 PM PST
|
|
Deranged (1974) - Highly flawed pseudo-documentary on the life of Ed Gein
The film starts with a journalist saying we are about to watch a true story and nothing has been left to the imagination. We are given the warning: "The movie you are about to see is absolutely true", then he gives a voice over like a documentary describing Ezra Cobb's (aka Ed Gein) life and within just 30 seconds, already strays from the facts in this "true" story.
The movie's plot is about Ezra who turns to grave robbing and murder when his possessive mom kicks the bucket. The mother obsession and necrophilia is taken from Ed Gein's life, but they get his childhood wrong. The scene where he helps a woman after he ruined her tire is straight from the Ted Bundy file. The 58 year old clerk that Gein killed is portrayed as a 16 year old girl instead. The filmmakers say this is a true story, but it is really a mashup of different real life killers. And if it was a true story, Why not use the name Gein and call it a biopic? I have no idea what the point of the film was. It seems like a boring combo of dramatic stage play, educational documentary, and a creepy serial killer flick. It cannot be a documentary because it gets the facts wrong. It cannot elicit sympathy for a serial killer with a bad childhood when the killer is an idiot and his abusive mom is hilarious. Overall, I do not like the serious documentary tone. That they would paint a serial killer as a victim is obnoxious, the facts they kept getting wrong irritated me, and I do not feel anger, sympathy or fear because the actor is a bore.
My confusion makes sense if you take into account that there are 2 directors credited here, Alan Ormsby and Jeff Gillen. While Gillen hardly has any credits to his resume, Orsmby has made a name for himself as a decent screenwriter (Deathdream), among other things. I have a sneaking suspicion Ormsby deserves the credit for the well written material. It felt as though the directors had 2 different ideas of what to present here, shot scenes individually, then edited it all together. Also, Bob Clark (Black Christmas, A Christmas Story) produced this film, but later asked for his name to be removed from the credits due to the crappy, uh⬦I mean, horrific content.
Unfortunately, this disturbing flick cuts away from most gore/ violence. It is rated 'R', but feels very PG-13. There is essentially no violence, gore, or sex for the majority of the film. There are a couple of cool scenes with corpses and Ezra in a sort of skin suit, but they could have been better. There is a part when a woman is captured and tied to a chair in her underwear and even that is made to be boring and nonthreatening. There is one noteworthy scene at the very end when he hangs a nude girl and cuts her body down the middle. This is oddly gratuitous considering they were so damn stingy on gore/ nudity the rest of the film.
The film also strikes me as sexist in that it perpetuates the notion that it is not the serial killers fault; his overbearing mom made him do it and all the sluts deserve it. There is in-depth talk of flesh hanging off "fatties" and a pretty 34 year old waitress is described as "over the hill". And these instances are not within the mind of the serial killer, but rather reported on by the neutral journalist as though they were facts.
There are three versions of the flick floating around running at 78, 82, and 84 minutes. This one runs 82 minutes and is missing the Momma Mutilation scene. Basically, after he digs up his dead mom he scoops out her eye, cuts open her head, and scoops out her brain. Frankly, this added gore was much needed in my opinion.
The sound seems like it was captured with one mic and no boom, which made it difficult to hear characters other than the main person talking in a scene. The acting, direction, and camera work are odd and remind me of a stage play. And sadly, at times, like a high school play.
Weird Fact: This is Tom Savini's first credited make-up gig. The next one was Deathdream (1974) that was also written by Ormsby.
Favorite Quote: Mother to Ezra, "Call Maureen. She is the only woman I ever did trust. She's fat. A big heifer. The rest are filthy sluts." DVD Extras: Theatrical trailer and English subtitles.
Bottom Line: Highly flawed pseudo-documentary on the life of Ed Gein. Watch only if a huge admirer of serial killer flicks. For real Momma's boy scares, watch Psycho (1960). For a more accurate Ed portrayal, watch Ed Gein (2001).
Rating: 6.5/10
-------------------------------------------------------
Motel Hell (1980) - Black comedy with a disturbing premise, but fails to deliver any real scares
REMAKE WARNING: MGM has the production date listed as 12-7-07
Farmer Vincent and sister Ida run a farm that harvests people for use in their smoked meats. When the nubile Terry is found hurt on the road, Vincent decides to treat her. When she later agrees to marry him, the suspicious and horny Sheriff gets involved. Eventually, the "harvested" come back to sow their own crops. And it all culminates in a final showdown in the slaughterhouse when Vincent dons a pig's head and battles the Sheriff with chainsaws.
There is some fun to be had here, which kicks in when a wacky couple stops by for some couple swapping and the female does a wild whip dance to the symphony. There is the goofy band getting stoned in a van that later become veggies. Oh and Wolfman Jack makes an appearance as an evangelist who speaks in tongues.
Rory Calhoun is great as the charismatic Vincent always in smiles even when farming people at night. Apparently, the old man appeals to everyone because he miraculously convinces a beautiful young woman that she is in love with him. This subplot confused me because I thought it was a joke that the chick would dig an old man. I thought either she was pretending, so she can run away or he hypnotized her with some voodoo magic. I guess I was wrong on both counts because the reason wasn't explained. I guess I wouldn't know true love even if it laid a stinker. Oh and when sister Ida gets jealous, she tries to kill Terry by, get this, tubing in the lake! Vincent hypnotizes his crops in what he calls "astro projection". The people no longer have a choice, are brainwashed, and are "saved", which symbolizes Vincent playing God. And it is hard not to notice the Evangelist droning on TV in the background of multiple scenes. In the end, Vincent admits he is a hypocrite.
Weird Fact: Tobe Hooper was originally set to direct, but when Universal Studios balked at the bizarre story, he parted. The chainsaw images later used in this flick were inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). I believe this could have been better with Hooper.
Favorite Quote: Farmer Vincent surveying his human crop, "Sometimes I wonder about the karmic implications here. Well, I can't take credit for the good done." DVD Extras: French, English, and Spanish Languages and Subtitles.
Bottom Line: Black comedy with a disturbing premise, but fails to deliver any real scares. Watch only if you love chainsaws or planted people.
Rating: 6/10
by Molly Celaschi
www.HorrorYearbook.com |
| Motel Hell
by Tiger
May 22, 2006 - 12:25 PM PDT
|
|
|
0 out of 1 members found this review helpful
|
"It takes all kinds of critters to make farmer Vincent's fritters!"
The aforementioned farmer Vincent (Rory Calhoun) has devised a macabre method of making smoked meat products in this darkly humorous horror movie. With the help of his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons looking like Victor Buono in pig-tails) they ambush unwary travelers near their motel/butcher-shop and convert them into jerky to sell. Problems arise when farmer Vincent gets the warm'n'fuzzies for one of his victims and his brother, a cop who's oblivious to his sibling's ghoulish endeavors, gets the hot'n'hornies for her.
Bit players include Wolfman Jack as the Reverend Billy of the Eurekastic Church and two Playboy bunnies who remain stubbornly clothed during the movie (Though the whip-cracking dominatrix and the bath scene are nice consolation prizes).
Despite a few glitches in continuity and occasional lapses in logic, I enjoyed this gruesome feast. Some people may find this cannibal comedy unappetizing and in bad taste, but I thought it was well-done though some parts were a little hard to swallow.
Trivia Side Dish: A clip from The Monster That Challenged The World is used.
|
|
| >> more reviews |
|
GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.07)
60 Votes
add to list 
|
|
|
Your cart
filmz
XiuLong
© 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. Portions of content provided by All Movie Guide®,
a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.