Mutilator, The (Blu-ray)
Anthony Arrigo
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Starring Matt Mitler, Ruth Martinez, Bill Hitchcock, Jack Chatham
Directed by Buddy Cooper
Distributed by Arrow Video
Slasher films have never been noted for their plot subtleties and rich characterization. They are simple morality tales with a tried-and-true checklist – a deranged killer, nubile teens, sex, drugs, booze, nudity, and a relatively “pure” female who makes it to the end. They are also typically cheap to make and, in their heyday, could be counted on to turn a tidy profit. Still, there were many entries that attempted to craft unique stories around their antagonists and display a greater hint of creative writing, adding in supernatural elements or some twist to subvert audience expectations.
And then there are movies like The Mutilator (1984), which is about as subtle as its title. Despite coming in around the tail end of the slasher craze, few films so perfectly encapsulate the essence of a slasher as this one does. Relatively attractive “teens” with barely passable acting skills? Check. A killer with a grudge and an arsenal of nasty weaponry? Check. Isolated setting? Check. Story elements for slashers are typically no more detailed than “get teens to location where killer is, slowly kill them off”, but The Mutilator is worried you might think it wants to be a deeper film. What if, god forbid, nobody gets killed? Or only, like, one person dies. How can the audience know what to expect from something so ambiguously titled as The Mutilator?
Foreshadowing. So. Much. Foreshadowing. Once we get past the flashback opening and scenario setup, the script checks expectations right away by telling you who the killer is going to be and what he’ll be using to commit some grisly deeds. But first, let’s get the plot basics out of the way:
A young child tries to do daddy a favor on his birthday by cleaning his guns. Unfortunately, one of them is loaded and the kid unintentionally shoots his mom in the back. Dad isn’t exactly happy about it. Cut to many years later and Ed (Matt Mitler), that same child, is a college student on fall break, hanging out at a bar with his friends Pam (Ruth Martinez), Ralph (Bill Hitchcock), Sue (Connie Rogers), Linda (Frances Raines) and Mike (Morey Lampley). Ed gets a call at the bar from his dad, Big Ed (Jack Chatham), who asks him to go down to the family beach house – located on a small island – and lock it up for him. Ed is reluctant because he and dad have a tenuous relationship, but his friends insist he go – and they go with him – because what better way to spend the break than at the beach! So they go. And most of them die.
The film sets up Big Ed as the killer so hard that some viewers are liable to think he’s just a red herring for the real killer, who is surely going to be revealed during the climax. Nope. After entering the beach house, which is littered with bottles of booze, with his buds Ed then tells us his dad is going to be killing everyone tonight. Not literally, but he does it by first giving a tour of the house… with a trophy room full of heads on the wall. Ed tells everyone his dad is a hunter and ”Dad used to say the only thing he hasn’t hunted is man”. The film also points out Big Ed is strictly a trophy hunter. He also has a framed photo on his side table of a “friend” who he “accidentally” ran over with a speedboat, leaving huge bloody gashes down his ribs. Great conversation piece. Dad also owns a sacrificial mask he found while on a hunting trip in the Yucatan. And he sure owns a lot of sharp, pointy weapons. Hey, his axe is missing! All of this is said within such a short amount of time it almost seems like the film is parodying slasher films. It is not.
The plot simplicity isn’t a problem. As a huge fan of slasher films, this is exactly what I want. Get some paper-thin characters to a cool setting and then pick them off. Simple. What matters is the how. Many slasher films live or die by their FX work. Unfortunately and ironically, many of the goriest, fan-pleasing ‘80s slashers were cut to ribbons by the MPAA, robbing them of that visceral impact. The Mutilator was no exception, and it seemed like a fully uncut print of the film was lost until recently being discovered at the Library of Congress archives. Now, all of special effects wizard Mark Shostrom’s grisly handiwork is presented with no arbitrary excisions, the results of which let this film live up to its titular expectations.
A machete slides into a face. Heads are lopped off. Throats are slashed. An outboard motor is used to slice up someone’s torso. And a fishing gaff is used to perform a very unwanted Pap smear. Rest easy, gorehounds, because The Mutilator knows what you want and it delivers in spades. Shostrom’s brilliantly brutal effects work is what elevates this film from being another forgettable, chopped-up casualty of conservative decisions.
Just as the film’s theme song – “Fall Break” by Peter Yellen and The Breakers – is so tonally out of sync with the picture by and large, so, too, are the end credits which seem like they’d be more at home in a Burt Reynolds ‘70s comedy. It’s all outtakes of the actors breaking into laughter whenever a take was ruined. After a hard fought and bloody climax the credits seem incongruous, even if they strangely somehow work.
If you like your horror ‘80s, bloody, campy and straightforward then The Mutilator is the one to watch. I can’t believe I managed to miss this during my prime VHS renting heyday, but there’s no better way to experience this film for the first time than with Arrow Video’s outstanding uncut special edition. In addition to finally presenting the film as it was meant to be seen, the video & audio quality is top notch and – holy hell – did they pack in a wealth of bonus features. The year may have just begun but we’ve already got a contender for best horror release of 2016.
Featuring a 1.85:1 1080p picture with a “brand new 2k scan of the unrated version from original vault materials”, The Mutilator looks excellent for a low-budget ‘80s horror picture. Colors appear natural, though slightly faded. Contrast is strong, as are the black levels which show only minimal fading on the edges of the frame. Film grain appears fine and looks nicely organic. Shadow delineation is a bit better than expected, preventing the night time action from looking like a murky mess. There are a few scratches in the emulsion present, but I emphasize “few” because it’s a very minor issue. This transfer perfectly replicates an ‘80s aesthetic and respects the original intended look.
Purists will be pleased to see Arrow retains the film’s limited audio origins by offering up an Uncompressed LPCM 1.0 mono track. Unlike Scream Factory, who splits up mono into two channels, everything here comes pumping solely out of the center channel. For such limited dynamics the track handles perfectly well, with clear dialogue and only some minor hiss audible at times. The score, composed by Michael Minard, is a weird mix of both sinister synth cues and upbeat ‘80s pop. Subtitles are available in English SDH.
The film can be played with an optional introduction by writer/director Buddy Cooper and assistant special effects artist/assistant editor Edmund Ferrell.
The first of two audio commentary track features writer/director Buddy Cooper, assistant special effects artist/assistant editor Edmund Ferrell, co-director John Douglass, and star Matt Mitler. Of the two commentary tracks, this one is the winner, with virtually no down time as Cooper and the rest spew out a steady stream of information. Cooper tends to dominate the proceedings, though most everyone gets their fair share of anecdotes and history in, too.
Second up, an audio commentary featuring Buddy Cooper and star Ruth Martinez Tutterow. The former still has plenty to say, while the latter does her best to balance out this track.
“Fall Breakers: The Story of The Mutilator” – This feature-length doc delivers on all the information you could ever want to know about the film’s production, covering the early beginnings, casting, location scouting, shooting, MPAA woes, sequel ambitions and the now thirty-year legacy. Comprehensive and well-produced, if you only watch one feature on this disc make it this one.
“Mutilator Memories” – Special FX artist Mark Shostrom recalls his time working on the film and what drew him into the project, while also showing off some old VHS footage of FX test footage.
“Tunes for the Dunes” – Composer Michael Minard talks about trying to please Cooper’s ears with their atypical approach to writing a score, as well as offering up an explanation about that catchy “Fall Break” tune.
“Behind-the-Scenes Reel” – This grainy old camcorder footage shows off some of the film’s bloody FX work as it was being prepped and shot on set.
“Screen Tests” – Showing off some of the eventual cast members acting out various scenes during auditions.
“Opening Scene Storyboards- See the film’s opening as it was originally conceived.
“Trailers & TV Spots” contains a Fall Break trailer and TV spot, The Mutilator trailer along with two TV spots, and a couple of radio spots.
“Alternate Opening Titles” – Displaying the title of The Mutilator instead of Fall Break.
“Music” features audio tracks of “Fall Break” and “Fall Break” (instrumental), a catchy tune you will be absolutely sick of hearing once you’ve gotten through all of the bonus materials. I guarantee it.
A gallery shows off all sorts of production and promotional photos.
Additionally, the disc can be inserted into a BD-ROM drive in order to access the Fall Break original script.
This jam-packed set also includes a DVD copy of the feature film, a full-color booklet with two essays and technical information, reversible cover art and a thick cardstock slipcover.
It sure is one sexy package, one which I cannot recommend enough.
Special Features:
- Introduction to the film with Writer/Director Buddy Cooper and Assistant Special Make-up Effects Artist/Assistant Editor Edmund Ferrell
- Audio Commentary with Cooper, Ferrell, Co-director John Douglass, and star Matt Mitler
- Audio commentary with Cooper and star Ruth Martinez Tutterow
- Fall Breakers: The Story of The Mutilator – Brand New Feature-Length Documentary on the Making of the Splatter Classic featuring interviews with Cooper, Douglass, Ferrell, Mitler, actors Bill Hitchcock, Jack Chatham, and more
- Tunes for the Dunes – Composer Michael Minard reveals how The Mutilator’s unique score was created
- Mutilator Memories – Special Make-up Effects Artist Mark Shostrom looks back at one of his earliest projects
- Behind-the Scenes reel
- Screen Tests
- Alternate Opening Titles
- Trailers and TV Spots
- ”Fall Break” Theme Song (Original and Instrumental Versions)
- Opening Sequence Storyboards
- Motion Stills Gallery
- Original Fall Break Screenplay (BD/DVD-ROM content)
- Reversible Sleeve Featuring Two Original Artworks
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The Mutilator
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Special Features
Categorized:Reviews
