Motel Hell (1980)

Having been increasingly disappointed by the recent slew of 'horror' films that have bee released I was greatly cheered when I caught this at a late night show recently. It was a timely reminder that there is good horror out there - even if it is over 20 years old!! For once, the blending of horror and comedy really works. The film is played dead straight (most of the time) and that is why it succeeds where so many recent horror/comedies fail. By not constantly tipping it's hat to the audience and pointing out how clever it's being it allows the audience to really appreciate how ludicrous it is - without the frequent reminders that the filmmakers think they're cool. In the space of 90mins we get nudity, cannibalism, amateur surgery, a hilarious 'love' story, creepy characters, a dumb policeman, a chainsaw duel, lots of gore and some very spaced out characters. What more could you ask for? It's this movies overwhelming sense of fun that really works. You can imagine the filmmakers laughing their asses off making this - and that enthusiasm comes right of the screen and is very infectious. The audience I saw this with laughed, clapped and some gave it a standing ovation at the end. Do you need a better recommendation?

Fmovies: Funny, deliciously campy black comedy-horror spoof is a bit of a forgotten gem.

Just what kind of meat is it that Farmer Vincent and his sister are cookin' up out there at their rural motel? My, it just tastes so good!

Motel Hell stands out as one of the best horror comedy combos out there. The whole movie has such a tongue-in-cheek manner, with moments of purely hilarious absurdity. It has a kind of DC Comics dark humor that really works to the film's advantage. There's plenty of memorable moments and jokes, not to mention a lively climax that's probably the greatest (and most humorous) spoof of Texas Chainsaw' ever! Yet director Connor manages to give the movie a strange seriousness that only adds to the comic feeling of it all.

The cast is pretty good. Rory Calhoun is best as the unforgettable Farmer Vincent (who has a secret!). Nancy Parsons is a trip as Vincent's portly sister Ida. Paul Linke is perfect as the bumbling younger brother of the two who is also the local sheriff.

There's a few moments of violence and gore, especially in "the garden" scenes. Lance Rubin offers up a surprisingly elegant music score for the movie. Also, let's not forget the memorable country theme song "You're Eating out my Heart and Soul".

For those who have yet to see this movie, watch it. It's best taken in a non-serious mood!

*** 1/2 out of ****

In my opinion, there's only one way when mixing comedy and horror actually works, and that's when the comedy is pitch-black. Director Kevin Connor got that part all figured out, and thus MOTEL HELL can be regarded as a successful horror/comedy mixture. It also manages to give a big nod to THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE by paying homage to it and making fun of it (as opposed to what some people might think, MOTEL HELL is not a TCM-rip-off). I even suspect Tobe Hooper might have found some inspiration in MOTEL HELL for his end-battle in TCM 2 between Dennis Hopper and Leatherface.

The cinematography and camera-movements are surprisingly decent for this rather low-budget flick, as well as some make-up effects (I loved it when the camera slowly travels through the dark living-room only to reveal Nancy Parsons hiding behind the door, holding a big knife at the end of the travel-shot). It's best that you know nothing about the story, but then again knowing that it's about a farmer running a hotel does say a lot, doesn't it. Farmer Vincent Smith sure re-defines the word "agri-culture". There isn't very much gore to admire but the idea alone is sick enough to satisfy any horror-fan. The story itself is fun and has a satisfying climax. I only had one problem with the motivations of Nina Axelrod's character. Why wasn't she more upset about her dead boyfriend? Why did she stay with the Smiths anyway? Didn't she have places to go or weren't there friends and family waiting for her? But I guarantee you'll soon forget those questions when she provides some welcome nudity.

So MOTEL HELL has black humor, demented farmers and a creepy motel. That makes up for a good movie, I'd say.

Motel Hell fmovies. I really enjoyed this movie! It is so funny! Rory Calhoun does an excellent job as Farmer Vincent, and I give credit to the filmmakers for concocting such a masterpiece! Rent this movie as soon as possible, you definitely want to see it before you die!

Rory Calhoun gives one of the best performances in his career in this masterpiece of a movie as Farmer Vincent, a man who makes meat products with "Special" ingredients. Helping him out is his sister, in a good acting job, Nancy Parsons as his sister Ida. Also rounding out the supporting cast is Bruce Linke as Cousin Bruce, and Nina Axelrod as a woman who Vincent takes in after a motorcycle accident. It also has the famous Wolfman Jack in a small role as Rev. Billy

This is a great comedic horror, and has the obviously famous line "It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters"

I love this movie! Nothing beats a deranged hillbilly farmer who wears a severed hog's head to terrorize people.

Rory Calhoun and Paul Linke are wonderful in their roles. Rory effectively pulls off the mild-mannered farmer with a dark secret routine, while Paul Linke handles the role of jealous cop perfectly.

Nina Axelrod supplies the sex appeal, and capably I might add. Though her penchant for much older men is a little disturbing.

This film has gained a solid cult following thanks to end showdown of good vs. evil, with Rory wearing that hog's head and chasing after Paul Linke with a chainsaw.