Check out our review of Savage Weekend - a recent Kino Lorber Blu-ray, below:
Savage Weekend is an often overlooked proto-slasher film. Filmed in 1976 but not released until 1979, it was easily lost in the wave of slasher films after the success of Halloween. It is not necessarily a great film and for a slasher film it is slow and some might find it tedious. However, knowing that this was slasher type film before the genre was popularized, some appreciation for the film can be found. It particular the slasher elements in the film are very well done and has some imaginative kills. As well from a historical point it is interesting to see some of the popular slasher mechanics found in a film before the boom.
The story of the film follows a stressed woman in the midst of divorce who goes on a weekend getaway in upstate New York with her boyfriend, a friend, and that friends sister. After meeting up with more friends, the group begins enjoying themselves, and each other. The group is eventually confronted by a masked killer that begins to knock them off one by one. A pretty typical type of slasher setting that brings about a grouping of eccentric characters that are eventually offed one by one.
The film unfortunately struggles to find a cohesive identity for the film. For a good chunk of the film the focus is on these characters having sex with each other. Not until the last act does the slasher film aspects pop up. For some this long delayed carnage may be a turn off, though some may find the eccentric characters interesting enough to endure the long wait between suspenseful action. Savage Weekend is definitely a little difficult to get into, especially if you go in expecting a standard slasher film. The most interesting aspect of the film is the different slasher mechanics found in the film that eventually became popular horror film devices. In particular the masked killer stalking sex craved individuals, deaths by various objects, and POV scenes of stalking.
Overall Savage Weekend is a proto-slasher film that will find itself towards the lower end of the slasher genre. Being made before the slasher genre boom, Savage Weekend does not contain some of the popular traits of the genre. In particular the fast and more action packed pacing found in a lot of slashers. This film has a decent kill count but beyond the very beginning and the last act there is not much suspense of action. As a result, it will likely appeal the most to die hard fans of the slasher genre. In the end Savage Weekend is a film worth seeing for a historical perspective and not much else because at times it can take an effort to get through.
Special Features:
Interview with William Sanderson (18 mins): A cool little interview with a great character actor. He offers as much information on the making of the film and his part in it as he can remember. The conversation sifts to discuss his career as a whole. Overall an interesting interview with an interesting actor.
Interview with Caitlin O'Heaney (24 mins): This is a lively interview with the actress. She expresses that she is not a fan of horror films but appecriates the opportunities that this film gave her, especially that it got her into the Screen Actors Guild. She becomes more excited as the discussion moves to her whole filmography. In particular she seems to have a special spot for her part in "Three O'Clock High."
Interview with Jeff Pomerantz (17 mins): A lot less interesting interview than the previous two. The actor does not really like his association with the film, explaining that he did it as a favor and was upset that he didn't get paid at the time. He then states that when he did eventually get some money from the film a few years later he had a renewed sense of respect for the director. He becomes more interested in the interview as it shifts away from Savage Weekend and moves on to other highlights of his career.
Theatrical Trailer
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