DVD Review: Intruder (1989) Unrated Director’s Cut
Movie:
A night shift for the clerks and shelvers at a suburban supermarket is going to be their last. Not just because it’s soon closing for good, but because someone is using the Deli tools to butcher the crew. “Half Off” indeed. Scott Spiegel’s Intruder is an underrated slasher due to the infamous mangling it received by Paramount for it’s original 1989 release. But now it’s here Uncut, and can be judged in it’s true context. What makes the movie stand out from the pack are inventive camera angles, likable characters and a littering of details that ring true for retail clerks.
Audio/Visual:
As is the norm with many Band releases, the transfer is Full Frame. It appears to not be Pan & Scan, which is a good thing, but Open Matte. The reason I suspect that is because there is too much vertical room above character’s heads. This ruins Spiegel’s deliciously framed shots, but at least you’re getting all of the horizontal. It’s a double edged sword. Black levels are too light, but instead of whining about that I fiddled with my contrast bright levels on the ol’ TV until I found a happy medium. The source of the print is unknown, but the quality places it firmly under a film remastering, but firmly above VHS. The sound is crisp and clear enough to satisfy. No background hiss at all, thankfully.
Supplements:
None, which would usually preclude covering it (we are special edition focused where our DVD reviews are concerned) but it is an important DVD release nonetheless. It took over fifteen years to get the film released uncut in an official, readily purchasable form, so I’m keeping that in mind to keep my thoughts grounded here. Sure, I think the movie needs another release down the line with a widescreen transfer and extras featuring the co-operation of Spiegel and the Raimis (those Evil Dead S.E.’s are gold) but for now, it does the job of getting the film out there in a way it was meant to be seen – uncut. It should be noted that there is a trailer included, but it’s a modern-cut and gives away the identity of the killer. Steer clear or you’ll be struck like a deer.
Graphics:
The green artwork and slanted logo implemented for the menu screens is more in tune with the Evil Dead films if anything – and seeing as how this movie shares many principle cast and crew from those flicks I can see why it was chosen. The cover art is nice and stark, sure to reach out to eyes on the store shelves. The only thing that bugs me is the crudely photoshopped Bruce Campbell from Army of Darkness into an Intruder shot on the back cover. Campbell is in the film all of one minute at the end (he doesn’t even get a close-up) and I’m fine with his name being on the front of the DVD to attract sales, because this is a movie the diehard Evil Dead fanboys will want for their collections anyway, but that fake image crosses the marketing line.
Little John Radley leads a horrible life. Struck mute after his father takes off, he’s stuck with his angry mother who loves to taunt the kid at every turn. In fact, he’s kind of the taunting toy in his small town. It seems no one but pretty little Gretchen likes him. The neighborhood kids lure him to a well and then “accidentally” cause him to fall inside it. Flash forward ten years, and John, who now has some creepy facial scars, is living mostly sedated in a mental hospital. Not only did he fall down that well, but he ended up eating his mother. Talk about pent up aggression! Anyway, the new nurse on duty gets kacked and John escapes, heading back to his old town and to Gretchen. Apparently in his unspoken gratitude and undying love, John has decided to kill the kids who goaded him into the well and remove parts of their body and give them to Gretchen as gifts. Hot on John’s heels are the fatty-boom-balatty sheriff and this Dr. Loomis type who is a college professor.
With fans having waited five years for a Sleepaway Camp sequel, director Michael A. Simpson rewarded them by delivering two!
Las Vegas Bloodbath is still a hard movie to recommend. It will be an endurance test for even the most seasoned gorehounds, but at the same time, man, is this film audacious. The scenes in the second half of the pregnant wrestler and her unborn baby are kind of worth the price of the rental. The first time I saw what he did to her, I remember sitting there in absolute disgust. This time I laughed. I also wondered a bit about this woman who is most absolutely pregnant (and sometimes topless!). She was either a great sport or hard up for drug money. Who knows, all that matters is… wow. Just wow.
