Unhinged (1982)

Director:

Don Gronquist

Writers:

Don Gronquist (writer)
Reagan Ramsey (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The Nightmare Begins When You Wake Up

Plot:

Three college girls on their way to a jazz festival crash their car in the isolated woods during a rainstorm, and are taken in by a mysterious family in an old mansion. Little do the girls know, the family has a dark, murderous secret.

Plot Keywords:

Car | Mansion | Old Lady | Secret | Woods

Cast

Laurel Munson	...	Terry Morgan
Janet Penner	...	Marion Penrose (as J.E. Penner)
Sara Ansley	...	Nancy Paulson
Virginia Settle	...	Mrs. Penrose
John Morrison	...	Norman Barnes
Barbara Lusch	...	Gloria
Bill Simmonds	...	Carl Penrose
Francine Molter	...	Terry's Mother (voice)
Dave Hood	...	DJ (voice)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Company:

Anavisio Productions

Trivia:

The film had already received notoriety in the UK after being featured on the BBC News as part of a report concerning the availability of uncertified video films. Even though the film had received a cinema certificate by the BBFC this led to it being banned and included on the DPP list of 74 video nasties. The film was eventually passed uncut in the UK in 2005.

Quotes:

Terry Morgan: I have a hard enough time taking Cinderella and her wicked step mother, but this new twist has really given me the willies.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Discovering 'Evil Dead' (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 20 IN D MINOR, K. 466, mvt. 2

Pretty good slasher.

Don Gronquist's "Unhinged" is a pretty good slasher film.A trio of young girls(led by Laurel Munson as Terry)head off to a rock concert,only to end up knocked unconscious during the car accident on a desolate country road in the middle of thunderstorm.The girls wake to find themselves recovering in the isolated estate of weird spinster and her equally weird invalid mother.Soon some creepy happenings will begin...Director Don Gronquist generates a fair amount of suspense and there is some pretty graphic gore on display.The film is grainy and dimly-lit,so fans of early 80's low-budget horror won't be disappointed.The acting is horrible,but the climax is pretty shocking and unexpected.To sum up,"Unhinged" isn't a great slasher film by any means,but if you're looking for obscure horror give this one a look.Recommended.