The Mangler (1995)

User Rating:

3.1/10   

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Stephen King (short story)
Tobe Hooper (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Escape is not an option.

Plot:

A laundry folding machine is possessed by a demon from Hell.

Plot Keywords:

Supernatural | First Of Series | Gore | Based On Short Story | Brother In Law

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Englund	...	William 'Bill' Gartley
Ted Levine	...	Officer John Hunton
Daniel Matmor	...	Mark Jackson
Jeremy Crutchley	...	J.J.J. Pictureman / Mortician
Vanessa Pike	...	Sherry Ouelette
Demetre Phillips	...	George Stanner
Lisa Morris	...	Lin Sue
Vera Blacker	...	Mrs. Adelle Frawley
Ashley Hayden	...	Annette Gillian
Danny Keogh	...	Herb Diment
Ted Le Plat	...	Doctor Ramos
Todd Jensen	...	Roger Martin
Sean Taylor	...	Derrick Gates
Gerrit Schoonhoven	...	Aaron Rodriguez
Nan Hamilton	...	Mrs. Ellenshaw

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA | Australia | South Africa

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M (unrated version) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Allied Film Production

Trivia:

Larry Taylor's last film.

Quotes:

[first lines]
George Stanner: What are you doing? Not up here. Get back down there. Jesus. Morons.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemania: Stephen King: O vasilias tou tromou" (2009)

"There's a little bit of me in that machine, and a little bit of it in me."

Some Stephen King short stories are just not worthy of 100 minute features. The Mangler is one of them. Tobe Hooper was on a bit of a downhill progression when he made 1995's The Mangler. He just came off of the highly disappointing Night Terrors and needed a hit. But this film is not a great return for him. The story just isn't really there. I mean, a possessed laundry machine...come on. Ted Levine and Robert Englund (who was WAY over the top, thankfully) couldn't even save this turkey. The one aspect that almost made me like it was the gore. The Mangler is high on the gore factor. Heads are crushed, limbs are tore, legs are folded; people get, well, mangled in this picture. Also a bit mangled was Hooper's career. Tobe Hooper used to be a name you could trust when it came to horror, but now he needs to earn his credibility back. He's made a good start by directing one of the episodes for the highly acclaimed Taken miniseries. Let's hope his next movie will continue to be the Hooper we used to know and love.