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A laundry-folding machine has been possessed by a demon, causing it to develop homicidal tendencies.

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Tobe Hooper (screenplay), Stephen David Brooks (screenplay) (as Stephen Brooks) | 2 more credits »
1 win. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Englund ... Bill Gartley
Ted Levine ... John Hunton
Daniel Matmor ... Mark Jackson
Jeremy Crutchley ... Pictureman / Mortician
Vanessa Pike Vanessa Pike ... Sherry Ouelette
Demetre Phillips Demetre Phillips ... Stanner
Lisa Morris Lisa Morris ... Lin Sue
Vera Blacker Vera Blacker ... Mrs. Frawley
Ashley Hayden Ashley Hayden ... Annette Gillian
Danny Keogh Danny Keogh ... Herb Diment
Ted Le Plat ... Dr. Ramos
Todd Jensen ... Roger Martin
Sean Taylor ... Derrick Gates
Gerrit Schoonhoven Gerrit Schoonhoven ... Aaron Rodriguez
Nan Hamilton Nan Hamilton ... Mrs. Ellenshaw
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Storyline

When an accident involving a folding machine at an old laundry occurs, detective John Hunton decides to investigate. What he finds is the owner of the laundry, Bill Gartley. Meanwhile the folding machine has acquired a taste for the flesh of human beings, but is there more to Bill Gartley than meets the eye, and does he know what monster hides behind the machine? Written by Action Dan <actiondan@talk21.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Escape is not an option. See more »

Genres:

Horror | Mystery

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for gory horror violence and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Hadley Watson is the manufacturer of the Mangler, it's displayed right on the front. Each of those words have 6 letters in them. There is a big 6 right underneath those words. That's 3 6's. 666 is the sign of the Beast. See more »

Quotes

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

The Unrated version is about 30 secs longer than R-rated. Here are the differences:
  • Sherry tries to rescue Mrs. Frawley from the mangler by grabbing her legs. Just after she has done that, there is a bloody close up of Frawley's head inside the machine (2 sec)
  • About 16 secs later there is another close up of Frawley inside the machine. It shows her upper body covered in blood (2 sec)
  • The death of Frawley is also shown in close up. It shows when her head is crushed by the roller. (2 sec)
  • When Pictureman takes the second picture of Frawleys mangled body, the close up stays longer and shows a pile of flesh (3 sec)
  • In the scene where George gets stuck in the machine, a close up is shown when the axe hits his arm, it sprays blood first on the man who cut Georges arm, then on Sherry. Gartley yells "Sherry", a close up of Georges face and the bloody stump is then shown. George yells in agony and Sherry looks up to Gartley. This lasts about 11 sec
  • When Lin Sue gets killed, it shows in close up her body beeing mangled (2 sec)
  • A few sec later, there is another close up of her mangled body ( 2 sec)
  • The death of Gartley, it shows a 5 sec shot when his thigh gets folded to his stomach. Intercut is close ups of Hunton.
  • About 14 sec later when Gartley finally has been mangled, a close up of his waist is shown, it sprays blood up in the air. What only remains is his upper body (2 sec)
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Connections

Followed by The Mangler Reborn (2005) See more »

User Reviews

Unbelievably dumb "horror" movie about an evil steam press(!)
29 September 2001 | by InfofreakSee all my reviews

Tobe Hooper has directed a couple of good horror movies (e.g. 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre') and too many bad ones (e.g. 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2' and this piece of garbage). After watching this atrocity it's a wonder he has any career at all!

This movie is based on a Stephen King story I haven't read. I really find it hard to believe that most of what we see on the screen had anything to do with King's imagination. The plot is so unbelievably STUPID and badly executed that you will be unable to understand how it ever got financed. It flabbergasts me that people read this script and gave it the green light! Shame on you! It's ridiculous movies like this that have nearly killed contemporary horror.

Robert Englund has been hamming it up for more years than I care to remember so it's not much of a surprise to see him appearing in schlock like this, but it's a crying shame that an actor as talented as Ted Levine ('Silence Of The Lambs', 'Bullet', 'Heat') is. Poor Ted, I suppose he has to pay the bills...

One of the poorest, most embarrassingly silly horror movies of the last twenty years. Don't watch it!


18 of 45 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

South Africa | UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1995 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Mangler See more »

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK See more »

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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$933,809, 5 March 1995

Gross USA:

$1,781,383

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,781,383
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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