I re-watched THE MUTILATOR this morning and what can I say other than it's a crime against all humanity that this film isn't on official DVD yet.THE MUTILATOR (originally entitled Fall Break) is a totally enjoyable slasher flick about a group of youngsters who go to stay at a beach house during their fall break. The house belongs to one of the guys' dad. When the son was a kid he accidentally killed his mum (we see this during the beginning of the film) and *maybe* the dad is still mentally fucked up about it. Anyway, you don't need to be a rocked scientist to figure out what happens during their stay at the house - I mean I did mention it's a slasher. ;o)
As I said THE MUTILATOR is heaps of fun and there's some awesome gore scenes in it. Highly recommended.
When I do these blog posts they're not always made up on the spot. Sometimes I've had an idea for a while and sometimes even made up half a post even weeks before posting it. A little while ago I stumbled over this rabid horror movie fan on YouTube called Joe (aka J) who keeps uploading videos of his VHS collection! Yes quite fanatical, LOL, but that's alright. xD. Besides filming his own collection J is also a big fan of THE MUTILATOR and about a year ago he covered the film extensively; He did an interview with director Buddy Cooper, he had Cooper show him his basement (with equipment from the film, pretty cool when you think about how long it's been since the film was made, i.e. 1984), and he went to the two outdoor locations that were used for the film.
I'm posting all his videos here and if you're not a fan of the film, or haven't watched it, you might think it's overload, haha. But on the other hand if you have watched it and if you're a fan then I'm sure you're gonna enjoy all of this. Yes, it's all got that FAN VIBE to it but to me that's actually the ONLY way of getting to know something properly. Who gives a fuck about lame ass superficial write-ups when you can have something hardcore in-dept made by someone who cares for the genre! So check out this stuff, it's great fun and if you haven't already got it I suggest you get hold of THE MUTILATOR.
By the way, I mentioned at the beginning that there's no DVD release of this. If you make a search on Amazon UK you'll actually find a reg. 2 PAL DVD release from Vipco of the film, however it's a fucken bootleg. No kidding! And besides it's fucken cut so you're better off getting hold of an uncut VHS. Just beware, if you go for the US NTSC tape there are actually two different versions; an R-rated version and a fully uncut unrated version. My own tape is the uncut tape from Holland (on the "Video For Pleasure" label).
As I said earlier, I've wanted to do a post about this film for quite some time but since I've waited for so long needless to say someone beat me to it, haha. Mark from Phantom of Pulp blog wrote about his experiences with the film the other day. Mark used to work for a video company in Melbourne years ago and found himself in the INHUMANE dilemma of being asked to cut the film for violence! What a fucken nightmare (not least when you love gore movies like Mark does). Read his cool article "Mutilating the Mutilator".
J's interview with Buddy Cooper:
J & Buddy Cooper in Cooper's basement:
The Beach Cabbin location how it looks today:
The school location from the beginning of the film:
Posters & stuff:
I don't remember it to be good, but I'm sure I would appreciate it more now. If just there would be a good uncut nice release.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's neither big budget or high art. But as a fun gory slasher movie I think it's pretty entertaining. There IS a good uncut release. On video. :D
ReplyDeleteIsn't the vipco "strong uncut" vhs-version, that was released outside the UK, uncut?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea. In any case it's a bootleg and Buddy Cooper never authorised any DVD releases according to the guy who made the interview with him.
ReplyDeleteWell, that vipco-version I have on vhs is uncut, because I can't think that it's cut. It's so violent :)
ReplyDeleteI have to give it a look again!
Cool if the "strong uncut" Vipco VHS is uncut!
ReplyDeleteVipco has submitted the film to the BBFC twice. At the first submission in 1993 the BBFC cut out 26 seconds, and in 2000 they let it pass with only 7 seconds missing. The DVD is from 2003 and I would assume the print is the same as the then most recent one from 2000, i.e. missing 7 seconds.
When I said it's a bootleg I was only referring to the DVD, not the tape. Some of the "Strong uncut" tapes were ALSO cut so that label is not a guarantee it's uncut.
Yes, I know that some of their "strong uncut" wasn't uncut. But even those that was released outside UK?
ReplyDeleteTheir widescreen vhs-release of Zombie Flesh-Eaters was the only version I owned until Shriek Show released theirs. And the Vipco-version looks fantastic - and is completely uncut :)
Ah, fuck it. I won't watch The Mutilator until it's been released in good condition on dvd anyway :)
All the "strong uncut" tapes where European tapes. That's why they were labeled "strong uncut" in opposition to the cut British releases.
ReplyDeleteI just asked a Vipco collector in Finland and he says as far as he remembers the "strong uncut" vhs version of THE MUTILATOR is indeed uncut. The local UK tapes are (as I mentioned earlier) cut.
I didnt like the movie very much... an ok slasher with some nice deaths, but I would still buy the movie if there was a nice special edition - with all those interviews and stuff for instance :)
ReplyDeleteNow, me personally I would re-buy the movie if it came out on DVD because I genuinely like the movie. But I fail to understand why someone would buy a movie they don't like. :-O
ReplyDeleteThe movies that I DO like already take up too much space in my apartment, I wouldn't have room for films that I DON'T like as well. LOL.
I remember seeing this one years ago and not thinking a lot of it. I can't recall much at all about it, not even the gore scenes. I'd check it out again though to see if my opinion changed on it. It has gotten a lot of mention recently, too.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well, if you're referring to Dvdmaniacs I believe it's mainly because I posted a thread about it, LOL.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I remember seeing that thread, Jack, but I've read comments on it on other forums over the past couple of years, too. It seems to have a few fans anyways.
ReplyDeleteDamn! I thought it was because of me. Rats!
ReplyDeleteLOL. I didn't know that. I learnt about it via that guy J's interview on YouTube and simply pulled out the cassette from the bottom of one of the unwatched piles of video tapes that clutter my abode. xD