The Mutilator (1984)

A teenager who accidentally committed matricide finds himself being hunted together with his girlfriend and mates by his now crazed father.

Directors:

Buddy Cooper, John Douglass (co-director)

Writer:

Buddy Cooper

Stars:

Matt Mitler, Ruth Martinez, Bill Hitchcock

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matt Mitler	...	Ed Jr.
Ruth Martinez	...	Pam
Bill Hitchcock	...	Ralph
Connie Rogers	...	Sue
Frances Raines	...	Linda
Morey Lampley	...	Mike
Jack Chatham	...	Big Ed
Ben Moore	...	Cop
Trace Cooper	...	Younger Ed Jr.
Pamela Weddle Cooper	...	Mother
Jimmy Guthrie	...	Bartender
George Sutton	...	Gentleman At Bar
Steve Davis	...	Student In Bar
Tom Outlaw	...	Student In Bar
Pat Jordon	...	Student In Bar

Storyline

A group of teenagers decide to take a vacation at the beach house of one of their fathers. The kid whose father owns the house just happened to accidentally kill his mother when he was a child. When they get to the house, the father has mysteriously disappeared. Hmmm...

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Plot Keywords:

teenager | characters murdered one by one | police | condo | killed with a gaff hook | 

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Taglines:

A vacation that became a nightmare.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fall Break

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$450,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director cameo: Buddy Cooper is the bloodied man in the photograph in Big Ed's trophy room.

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Quotes

Ralph: So my philosophy is, let's have some beer.

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Crazy Credits

Outtakes appear during the closing credits.

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Alternate Versions

Two versions of the film have been released by Vestron Video in th mid 80s: the R-Rated Theatrical version, and an unrated version. Unrated version contains extra blood and gore,most notably in the hook scene and in the end with the killer's demise

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Connections

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005)

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Soundtracks

Fall Break
Theme
Written by Michael Minard and Arthur Resnick
Performed by Peter Yellen and The Breakers (Sanchie Bobrow, Buddy Cooper, Marty Fogel, Anthony Franklin, John Hill, Matthew Hill, Gregg Hollister, Gary Solomon, Abe Speller, Neil B. Whitford (as Neil Whitford))
Associate Producer: Gary Solomon
Music programmer: Rick Stevenson

User Reviews

The essence of an 80's slasher film

I like this film, and am not afraid to admit it. In fact, it ranks among my favorite slasher flicks of the 80's. Note, I didn't say the BEST of the 80's-I said one of my favorites.

In my mind, this film captures perfectly the essence of an 80's slasher film! Violent, over the top gore, cheesy dialog and acting, and an ominous setting all make this film stand as a model for a decent slasher flick.

In an unique plot, a young boy accidentally shoots and kills his mother on his father's birthday. The father never forgives his young son, and years later, he sends him a letter telling his son that he needs to go to their beach house to close it down. The son decides this would be a good getaway for him, his girlfriend, and two other couples. Unbeknowst to them, the father is waiting at the beach house with an array of garden and fishing instruments ready for use on the teens.

To get the full effect of this film, you HAVE to see the unrated version. This is crucial, as the rated R version cuts out much of the gore and the lighting is terrible. To say this is a gory movie is the understatement of the year. The unrated version holds nothing back, and this film contains one of the most disturbing deaths (the fishhook!!) in slasher flick history. I also like the dark, foreboding mood of the flick. The deserted beach fronts makes for a spooky, tense setting.

This film is often criticized for the acting and cheesiness of the dialog; in my opinion, those things come with the genre. Overall, I would recommend this flick to any horror fan, particularly younger ones who have been turned on to the genre by recent flicks such as "Hostel" and "Wolf Creek." You will see where many of the current slasher flicks got their roots. My bold rating 9 out of 10.