So let's try this out. First up is Slaughterhouse:
For starters I was completely unfamiliar with Slaughterhouse until 88 Films announced the Blu-ray release of this film as part of their Slasher Classics line. After a little looking into the film I came out with not very high expectations, but not necessarily low expectations either. My initial hesitation with the film was that most places classified it as a horror comedy, a genre that was very hit and miss with me. Now that I have watched the film twice, once with commentary, I can say that it exceeded my expectations and it is a pretty solid film.
Here is my understanding of the plot: A man who doesn't want to sell his old run down, out of commission slaughterhouse to a business man, teams up with his pig loving son to take out everyone who they think is against them, or just so happens to be around them. It is a rather simple plot overall, but so are most slashers. What sets this film apart from a bunch of the lower slashers is that the actors are pretty good, especially the adult characters. The performances are not amazing by any means but with the material they have the actors do a rather good job making interesting characters. The star of the film is definitely Buddy the huge man and son of the slaughterhouse owner. Buddy is a weird, behemoth of a man who loves pigs, talks in snorts, and kills everyone he doesn't like with a huge cleaver.
Buddy and his dad provide most of comedic elements of the film thanks to the dad being crazy and maniacal while bringing people to the slaughterhouse for his son to kill. One of the weirder moments in the film is where for some random reason Buddy decides to wear the police uniform from one of his victims. He gets in the cop car and drives around. I suppose the only reason for him to do this besides providing the somewhat funny image of a huge dirty man wearing a police officer uniform that is a few sizes too small, is to set up the scene for his next victim. This police uniform scene does feel a little out of place but everything else in the film seems to flow pretty well.
Slaughterhouse is definitely an interesting slasher film. It really reminds me of Motel Hell in that they both have a very similar feel. Which shouldn't be too surprising because they do share a lot of similar elements. They both feature two main individuals living in a rural location and whose lives revolve around meat. Also they have a similar aesthetic, one that feels very 70's to me. As well, both films are a little goofy and they definitely don't take themselves too seriously. As a result some people might classify Slaughterhouse as a horror comedy, though I would have to disagree. The film definitely follows more of a slasher film style and is more goofy than outright comedy. A quick and easy example of the type of humor in Slaughterhouse is the last name of the main characters, Bacon. The slasher elements far outweigh the comedic elements in the film. So for fans hoping for a more straightforward slasher with tons of kills might not enjoy Slaughterhouse too much. For me, I thought it had a relatively good balance between goofiness and horror.
Overall Slaughterhouse is a fun slasher film that doesn't take itself too seriously. The acting is pretty good and the use of real locations help enhance a film that is rather short on plot. I would recommend this film to all slasher fans, especially if you like them a little goofy. The Blu-ray put out by 88 Films is a pretty strong release that features some decent extras. The Blu-ray is region free and is available for order at DiabolikDVD or Amazon UK.
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