A different sort of slasher film, this one. It concerns three young couples who head for an island vacation in the Pacific Northwest. Plane troubles force them to land on a different island. Unfortunately, this one is dominated by stereotypical backwoods redneck type senior citizens, Pa and Ma (Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo). They live with three middle aged children, Fanny (Janet Wright, 'Corner Gas'), Woody (Michael J. Pollard, "Bonnie and Clyde"), and Teddy (William Hootkins, "Hardware"), who all have the mindsets of children. They're also murderous, laying waste to most of the interlopers in various ways.
Although there's some excellent atmosphere (this was filmed on Bowen Island, the same Canadian locale utilized by "The Food of the Gods"), and some decent enough gore, "American Gothic" gets most of its strength through characterization. You sure don't care about most of the victims. In fact, you're happy to see them die. The screenplay is by Burt Wetanson and Michael Vines, and not only does it make these people insufferably obnoxious, it's patently absurd. Who in their right mind gets on a swing that's perched right at the edge of a cliff? The most sympathetic victim is Cynthia (Sarah Torgov ("Meatballs"), in what appears to be her last acting credit). Cynthia just got out of a mental institution because she wasn't able to deal with the tragic death of her baby.
Steiger and De Carlo have a field day as the rigid, religious, backwards yokels, and Steiger has a priceless, memorable monologue right at the end. Wright is rather endearing, Pollard is his usual self, and Hootkins is solid as the twisted Teddy. Familiar faces among the victims also include Stephen Shellen ("The Stepfather" '87) and Mark Lindsay Chapman ("Titanic" '97).
The outcome involving Cynthia is somewhat intriguing, offering up at least two possible reasons for her actions. And this brief but generally amusing little movie does teach us one lesson: if you're stuck on an island, with little to no chance of getting off, it might be wise to respect the ways of your hosts, however antiquated they may be.
Seven out of 10.
Although there's some excellent atmosphere (this was filmed on Bowen Island, the same Canadian locale utilized by "The Food of the Gods"), and some decent enough gore, "American Gothic" gets most of its strength through characterization. You sure don't care about most of the victims. In fact, you're happy to see them die. The screenplay is by Burt Wetanson and Michael Vines, and not only does it make these people insufferably obnoxious, it's patently absurd. Who in their right mind gets on a swing that's perched right at the edge of a cliff? The most sympathetic victim is Cynthia (Sarah Torgov ("Meatballs"), in what appears to be her last acting credit). Cynthia just got out of a mental institution because she wasn't able to deal with the tragic death of her baby.
Steiger and De Carlo have a field day as the rigid, religious, backwards yokels, and Steiger has a priceless, memorable monologue right at the end. Wright is rather endearing, Pollard is his usual self, and Hootkins is solid as the twisted Teddy. Familiar faces among the victims also include Stephen Shellen ("The Stepfather" '87) and Mark Lindsay Chapman ("Titanic" '97).
The outcome involving Cynthia is somewhat intriguing, offering up at least two possible reasons for her actions. And this brief but generally amusing little movie does teach us one lesson: if you're stuck on an island, with little to no chance of getting off, it might be wise to respect the ways of your hosts, however antiquated they may be.
Seven out of 10.