By Melissa Antoinette Garza
For years, I thought I had seen this film and hated it. I never revisited it again and never really thought about it. Well, it turns out; it was an entirely different movie I was thinking of.
Unable to decide what to watch, I rented the film off Amazon and was extremely impressed. Not only did it have the black comedy element to it, there were also genuinely creepy moments. It’s difficult to create a film that can successfully capture both. The little known film,SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED (1974) is one of the few productions that did an equally great job inciting both humor and fear.
The film follows Vinnie (Roy Calhoun) and his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons) who run a motel and a smoked meat business. The smoked meat however includes human flesh. Vinnie plants traps for tourists who drive nearby.
One night, a couple on a motorcycle falls into the trap. Terry (Nina Axelrod) is saved and brought to the motel by Vinnie, while her boyfriend is brought to the garden. The garden consists of humans who have had their vocal chords cut. He has the people buried underground and placed bags over his head. He feeds them with funnels until they’re ready and then he brings them into the slaughterhouse and makes them into smoked sausage.
Vinnie falls for Terry and for some reason the feelings are mutual. Bruce (Paul Linke), the Sheriff in town who also loves Terry decides to start investigating all the oddities that go on at the hotel. When he finds out they’re serving human flesh, he decides despite her resistance, he needs to rescue Terry.
Now in all honesty, Bruce is a strange protagonist. On his first date with Terry, he forces himself on her. Though, they don’t have sex, she repeatedly tried to push him off as he made out with her. Nonetheless, he becomes the hero in the end.
This movie is a fun crazy ride. The acting is great and the atmosphere and tone change dramatically but somehow the transition is smooth.
In some ways the movie reminded me of a cross between TOURIST TRAP (1979) and AMERICAN GOTHIC (1988). It is most certainly a fun film and oddly relevant today. While watching I couldn’t help but think of the escalating disdain for GMOs in food and the pull for all that is organic and via local farmers. Obviously, I’m not saying that local farmers combine human flesh in their meat distribution! Still, when Vinnie discussed how pure his food was and how it lacked hormones, the connection was made.
This movie is far superior than I thought it would be. I highly suggest it. It’s a cult film that can appeal to the mainstream if given an opportunity.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
