My Bloody Valentine (1981)

Director:

George Mihalka

Writers:

Stephen A. Miller (story)
John Beaird (written by)

Release Date:

11 February 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Harry's out to steal your heart.

Plot:

A decades old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine's Day, turns out to be true to legend when a group defies the killer's order and people start turning up dead.

Plot Keywords:

Valentine's Day | Party | Dance | Miner | Coal Miner

Cast

Paul Kelman	...	Jessie 'T.J.' Hanniger
Lori Hallier	...	Sarah
Neil Affleck	...	Axel Palmer
Keith Knight	...	Hollis
Alf Humphreys	...	Howard Landers
Cynthia Dale	...	Patty
Helene Udy	...	Sylvia
Rob Stein	...	John
Thomas Kovacs	...	Mike Stavinski (as Tom Kovacs)
Terry Waterland	...	Harriet
Carl Marotte	...	Dave
Jim Murchison	...	Tommy Whitcomb
Gina Dick	...	Gretchen
Peter Cowper	...	The Miner & Harry Warden
Don Francks	...	Chief Jake Newby
Patricia Hamilton	...	Mabel Osborne
Larry Reynolds	...	Mayor Hanniger
Jack Van Evera	...	Happy
Jeff Banks	...	Young Axel
Pat Hemingway	...	Woman
Graham Whitehead	...	Mac
Fred Watters	...	Supervisor 1
Jeff Fulton	...	Supervisor 2
Pat Walsh	...	Harvey Smight
Marguerite McNeil	...	Mrs. Raleigh
Sandy Leim	...	Ben
John MacDonald	...	Rescuer

Directed by
George Mihalka

Writing credits
Stephen A. Miller		(story concept) (as Stephen Miller)
John Beaird		(written by)

Produced by
John Dunning	....	producer
André Link	....	producer (as Andre Link)
Stephen A. Miller	....	producer (as Stephen Miller)
Lawrence Nesis	....	executive producer
Bob Presner	....	line producer

Original Music by
Paul Zaza

Cinematography by
Rodney Gibbons

Film Editing by
Gérald Vansier		(as Gerald Vansier)
Rit Wallis

Art Direction by
Veronica Hadfield		(as Penny Hadfield)

Costume Design by
Susan Hall

Makeup Department
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects designer
Ken Diaz	....	special makeup effects designer
Tom Hoerber	....	special makeup effects designer
Louise Mignault	....	makeup artist (as Louise Rundell)
Huguette Roy	....	hair stylist
Carolyn Van Gurp	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
John Desormeaux	....	unit manager
Danny Rossner	....	production manager
Rit Wallis	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Desormeaux	....	assistant director: second unit
Victoria Frodsham	....	assistant director: second unit
Julian Marks	....	first assistant director
Anne Murphy	....	second assistant director
Ray Sager	....	first assistant director
Ray Sager	....	second unit director
Richard Stanford	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Tina Boden	....	assistant art director
Ryal Cosgrove	....	assistant set props
Raymond Larose	....	assistant art director
Maurice Leblanc	....	set dresser
David Phillips	....	set props
Harold Thrasher	....	construction supervisor

Sound Department
Jeff Bushelman	....	sound effects
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Grimaldi	....	sound re-recordist
Bo Harwood	....	sound
Jean-Claude Matte	....	boom operator
Pat Somerset	....	sound effects
Gérald Vansier	....	dialogue editor
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Shelley Cook	....	stunt double
Peter Cowper	....	stunt performer
Dwayne McLean	....	stunt coordinator
Brent Meyer	....	stunt performer
Jayne Rutter	....	stunt performer
Sandy Webb	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Courteau	....	best boy
Alex Dawes	....	generator operator
Jean-Maurice de Ernsted	....	grip
Louis de Ernsted	....	Steadicam operator
Marc de Ernsted	....	key grip
Jacques Girard	....	grip
Paul Hurteau	....	first assistant camera
Daniel Jobin	....	first assistant camera
Walter Klymkiw	....	gaffer
Chuck Lapp	....	grip
Piroska Mihalka	....	still photographer
Robin Miller	....	first assistant camera
Richard Montpetit	....	second assistant camera
Jean-Pierre Plouffe	....	second assistant camera
Antonio Vidosa	....	grip

Casting Department
Daniel Hausmann	....	casting consultant
Arden R. Ryshpan	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carol Wood	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Chantal Bowen	....	assistant editor
Jean LaFleur	....	supervising editor (as Jean Lafleur)
Thomas Metzger	....	color timer

Music Department
Frank Morrone	....	music engineer

Other crew
John Desormeaux	....	location manager
Lucie Drolet	....	production accountant
Joanne T. Harwood	....	continuity
Trudi Link	....	production accountant
Irene Litinsky	....	executive assistant to producer
Yaniko Palis	....	production coordinator
Kathy Wolf	....	production secretary
Donna Young	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)
• Famous Players
• Paramount Pictures
• Secret Films

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (>>>>) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min | 93 min (director's cut)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:18 (video rating) (1989) | UK:X (original rating) | Australia:R | France:-16 (original rating) | Norway:18 (video premiere) | USA:R (No. 26253) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Germany:18 (DVD release) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2002) | New Zealand:R16 | France:-12 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Trivia:

In a recent interview, actor Neil Affleck revealed that he still has the miner's helmet that he wore in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Chief Jake Newby's pipe disappears then reappears when driving Mayor Hanniger.

Quotes:

Axel Palmer:[last lines]
Axel Palmer:[singing to himself] Sarah, be My Bloody Valentine...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Empire of the Censors (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Ballad of Harry Warden

A Bloody Good Time.

More than just a guilty pleasure -- this one's actually good!

By the time 1981 had rolled around, the horror genre had gained much momentum with holiday-themed slasher flicks such as "Halloween" and "Friday The 13th." Never ones to shy away from a good cash-cow, Paramount (the same company to bring you "Friday The 13th") hired George Mihalka to direct the Valentine's Day themed "My Bloody Valentine." Pre-dating much of the camp and excess of the 80's, "My Bloody Valentine" is a pretty innocent film in it's own right, a glimpse into a time before the genre was completely saturated with masked killers and dumbed-down teenagers. It's simply a well-paced, well-oiled little horror movie. It's got a surprising amount of suspense, matched only by the outrageous and often over-the-top visual effects which -- thanks to a newly restored print of the film on DVD -- have finally seen the light of day.

With his film, Mihalka injects a good dosage of suspense, as well as some subtle stylishness. The grimy and grungy setting -- a dumpy mining town in Canada -- gives the film an unmistakably realistic look and feel, which only helps to drive home the authenticity. Sure, the film has it's fair share of clichés; in fact, some of the dialogue and plot-points appear to be ripped straight out of the original "Friday The 13th." The story of a deranged killer returning home years later to exact his revenge on a town is hardly re-inventing the wheel. But when stacked up against it's competition, "My Bloody Valentine" holds it's own. It's one of the few films from the much maligned (and yet, enjoyable) era to actually hold up to today's standards (for the most part). Truth be told, even if you are viewing the heavily edited theatrical cut, the film works just as well without the heavy special effects, which is a testament to the overall quality of a film that was conceived, created and released in under half a year's time.

Sure, it's got it's flaws, but nothing fatal. If you can stomach bad characters, even worse actors and a few clichés here and there, it's a pretty satisfying experience. At the very least, it pre-dates a lot of more successful films and has had a subtle influence on the genre as a whole. Fans of the genre should be aware of it not just as a fun way to kill time -- which it is -- but also as a perfect example of a slasher done right. With a remake currently in theaters and a DVD that treats the film right, "My Bloody Valentine" is finally having it's day in the sun. Even if you've "seen it all," you'll still have a good time with it.