Scared woman in a white dress + psychotic looking hillbilly + running chainsaw = intro to Savage Weekend.
This is one of my first ventures into the company Cheezy Flicks. I’ve read several reviews on their releases over the years, both good and bad, but one thing’s for sure, they’re stuff is cheap, and sure do have appealing artwork.
The print used is in fullscreen, but quite clean, and looked pretty good upverted on my Blu-Ray player. CF has released this title before, but recently decided on a re-issue with new artwork (above). Why, I don’t know, as I really prefer the prior one (below) which was used on Paragon’s VHS release, but I’m sure there’s good reason, maybe a rights or licensing issue.
This title has also been released by Mill Creek Ent. in 2006, Synergy Entertainment in 2008 (same year as CF), Desert Island Films in 2011, on several multi-packs, and supposedly a 3-D version in 2012, so my guess is it’s a public domain title and fair game to anyone who wants to spend a little dough to release it.
The story revolves around a group of people who come to the countryside to relax, party, and help build a boat, and also a hillbilly handyman named Otis, played by William Sanderson, who went on to become a veteran TV actor with appearances in the Lonesome Dove’s, Newhart, Coach, Walker, Texas Ranger, and more recently, Deadwood and True Blood.
There’s quite a bit of sex and boobs on display, including a strip tease and a scene with a cow’s teat that’s meant to titillate. The killer’s mask is kind of a Leatherface (1974)/Michael Myers (1978) hybrid, and the storyline blends with other backwoods horror films of the era, but there’s not a lot of grue, other than a branding, a hanging, a spike impaling, and some chainsaw action, with which Otis isn’t always the culprit.
There’s very little that’s memorable, but as a fan of the era, it’s cool (and laughable) to see the inspiration filmmakers borrow from other movies. Maybe pair this as a double feature with Rituals, so you won’t be so pissed off for the time spent. Not a great movie, but great artwork to accompany others in your collection, and just as misleading as many others were in the heyday of horror VHS, as video store owners smirked while stuffing your dollars in their pockets.
I’m not sure how long it lasts, but at the time of writing this, Cheezy Flicks has this on their site for 3.99, so it’s a cheap add for fans of this type of cinema, and maybe they have some copies of the old artwork left. Thanks to them for sending me a screener copy, and more reviews to come.
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