Customer Reviews

Unhinged

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I just finished watching Unhinged and found it to be an entertaining 80 minutes of low budget horror. Though there's less blood than most '80s slasher films, it's well-made and features a good cast. There's a few genuinely creepy breathing-in-the-darkness moments, a somewhat shocking, find-the-bodies scene that utilizes some unique camera work, and an atmospheric quality that actually works. Of course, being a low budget film, there are some problems. Don't expect groundbreaking, high art, and, if you like the older slashers such as The Dorm That Dripped Blood and Sleepaway Camp, you probably won't be disappointed.

However, if you do appreciate low budget horror, you'll probably be annoyed and disgusted by the "comedy narration" special feature. This commentary by "The Detractors" was by the far the most obnoxious, hackneyed, insulting, and unnecessary feature I've ever experienced on any DVD. A group of writers and would-be gadflies who had nothing to do with the film strives to be MST3K, but ends up sounding like an inarticulate group of drunken frat kids with no understanding of the horror genre. It's the sort of reaction you'd get from a 5 year old who has just been exposed to surrealism for the first time. "That is SO stupid! Stupid! I don't get it!" They make fun of one actress's teeth. Nudity gets overreactions of "whoa, yeah!" They attempt to skewer overhead camera angles by making bird sounds. They see the name of the director and joke about how he hasn't achieved a high level of success. Great satire, really great. Way to stick it to Don Gronquist. How brave. Basically, it's really, really embarrassing. The fact that these people, with no knowledge or comprehension of low budget filmmaking, were hired by the distributor to childishly insult everyone involved in the making of the film is offensive to the viewer, as well as the cast and crew. Seriously, when you're the creator of "Too Much Coffee Man," you really shouldn't be throwing big, banal stones around your little glass Portland-area apartment. Why this desperate and mean-spirited attempt at comedy was included in the official release is inexplicable. If there's any poetic justice in this world, everyone involved in this Detractors debacle will have their artistic work showcased 25 years after its creation, only to learn that it is being done so for ironic purposes and that a group of children who know nothing about comics or journalism is waiting in the lobby to point out Brian Vandiver's bad teeth and Shannon Wheeler's receding hairline. Well, that's my rant. It's obviously sad and disproportionate, but if you've experienced this commentary and have any respect for the people who make cheap, independent horror movies, you probably understand.

I have seen hundreds of horror films in my time, and I would put this one in the top five worst I've ever seen. It's not even that charming so-bad-it's-good kind of flick. It's just plain bad. I found myself checking my watch throughout the movie and hoping that something--anything--would happen on screen. There are three bloody murders, but the rest of the movie is terribly slow and dull. The lighting is too dark, the editing looks like it was done by high school students, and the acting could have been better performed by robots. If you are forced by gunpoint to watch this movie, check out the special features. They contain an interview with the director and co-writer. Try to make some sense out of what he's talking about--or even if he's capable of speech--and you'll see why this movie is such a disaster.

In the wake of the legendary controversy over Tobe Hooper's THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974), John Carpenter and his then-partner Debra Hill created a modest but well-made little independent horror film called HALLOWEEN (1978). Wildly successful--much to the surprise and delight of its creators and distributors--HALLOWEEN was a trailblazer in the horror sub-genre known alternately as "splatter" or "slasher" cinema and thus became the inspiration for countless imitations of varying quality that were released throughout the 1980s (and even beyond).

1982's UNHINGED is one of those HALLOWEEN wannabes. Like Tobe Hooper's film before it, UNHINGED was shot outside of Hollywood (in this case, Oregon) using mostly local (and unknown) actors. And as with both Hooper's and Carpenter's films, it was made on a shoestring budget. Unfortunately, the cast and crew of UNHINGED didn't have the one underlying thing that both of those other films had going for them--talent!

It would be impossible to enumerate all of the copious flaws in this film, so let's just tick off the obvious ones. First, the smoke-thin plot of UNHINGED is highly derivative: Three young girls on their way to a rock festival lose their way and wind up in the clutches of a family of loonies. Genre fans will recognize this basic outline from the plots of countless earlier films, not the least of which are genre greats like Hitchcock's PSYCHO (1960) and Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) and THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977). Secondly, the acting is atrocious. Especially lacking in thespian abilities are the girls portraying the three young concertgoers, who most of the time come off as simply stoic cardboard cutouts that talk. Thirdly, the cinematography is marginal, and the night scenes, especially the outdoor ones, are murky, often making it difficult to see what's taking place. And finally, the film's runtime is often padded out with unnecessarily long fades between scenes and lingering shots of trees and other exteriors. This quickly becomes an irritation to the viewer.

Though they are few and do not outweigh the bad, UNHINGED is not without its good points. These include a couple of delicious nude scenes, one of which has two of the pretty female leads showering together. Also, the atmosphere is perfect for a horror flick. The film is set primarily in an old, isolated Victorian mansion, and most of the time the weather at this locale is either rain or a dreary overcast sky. A delightfully eerie ambiance. The requisite kills offered--death by scythe, an axe through the head, and repeated stabbing with a machete--are also pretty good, although the actual dirty deeds take place just outside the frame and are therefore implied. Lots of realistic-looking blood in the aftermath, though, makes up for the off-screen action.

Much has been said by other critics about the film's "surprise" ending. Though there are a few hints to the ending elsewhere in the film, it is true that the revelation at the film's climax will surprise many viewers. However, the same sort of surprise ending was carried off to better effect in the following year's SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983), and the later film also had much more talent both behind and in front of the camera.

There's also a lot of talk about the fact that UNHINGED is a "banned" film. Yes, it was on the notorious "video nasties" list in the UK. But after screening UNHINGED, modern viewers will scratch their heads and wonder what all the hubbub was about. By today's standards, the gore and violence are minimal, and residents of Great Britain see just as much nudity, if not more, on the telly each day.

The DVD release of UNHINGED from Brentwood is inexpensive enough, but even so, serious film buffs will balk at the quality of the disc. The digital transfer is at an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and while this appears to be the original aspect ratio of the film, the fuzzy image quality and occasional appearances of translucent rainbow swirls makes one wonder if the disc was mastered from a VHS tape. And the extras are sparse. The only bonus feature worth viewing is a segment from an Oregon-based TV talk show in which the film's director, Don Gronquist, and actress J.E. Penner are interviewed. If there are any doubts about the filmmakers' lack of talent and showmanship, this interview will clear things up. The only other extra, a comedic commentary, is a waste of precious time.

In short, UNHINGED is truly a minor footnote in the history of horror films. Ardent fans of the slasher sub-genre might want to view it once for "academic" purposes, but the average viewer will want to avoid this flick like they would the Plague.

3 girls are stranded at this old ladies house and get picked off one by one all the while every time this happens the remaining girls or girl think nothing of it asking the old lady why didn't whats her name get back yet from hours ago or whatever and they seem to be not so worried. The continuality is horrible as the girls have totally differnt clothes on from scene to scene(in one scene a girl has different clothes on after panning across the room and back!)There's a quick shower scene with a couple of girls from back in the day before shaving was in style).Being a guy i thought i'd mention the only redeming quality of this terrible boring mess of a movie,oh yeah 1 of the kill scenes was cool,but both of these points are a combined total of 20 seconds long and you have to deal with the other 99.5 percent of this stinker. Totally not worth your time unless you want to torture yourself waiting for some fun slasher action to take place,as i mentioned that's a couple seconds long,minus the boobs and bush.It's also very far in between the rest of this snoozer. I can,t see why this was banned in the U.K.,didn't they have Porkys' and Friday the 13th there. If your curious remember that old saying curiosity killed the cat. Don,t touch this if you see it in the dollar bin like i did, life's too short but not short enough to write this and help out my fellow humankind. Save your dollar for a candy bar or homeless person on the street corner.

It's almost always the case when you speak of an early 80's horror film, that you'll speak of bad acting, trite dialogue, cheesy effects and that grainy look. all of the above are represented in this below average early 80's horror flick.

This is one of those movies that was banned from video during the video nasties campaign in the U.K during the 1980's

I would say this movie is pretty tame to get that label but some films, I believe may have been banned due mostly to the title or artwork on the cover of the film ("Driller Killer" (1979) comes to mind)
Anyway, while the film does have it's moments, "Unhinged" drags along at an almost painfully slow pace, with very little action until the last 30 minutes or so. While the body count is low, the styles and gore of the killings would be pleasing to fans of the genre. The ending is well worth the wait, which has an unexpected, nice twist.

If you don't expect too much you'll find this film pleasing but there are better horror films out there.

Three young pretty girls go on a road trip to a concert. All of a sudden they meet into an accident due to a storm which drives them off the road. They are taken in by a kindly couple & an old lady in a wheelchair in a Gothic-style Victorian mansion where everything & everyone seems a little odd...

I bought this DVD from Best Buy with the lurid titles that said that this low budget American film contains "NUDITY, VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, DISTURBING THEMES", & it was "BANNED IN ENGLAND IN 1985 & WAS PULLED FROM DISTRIBUTION". Wow! What clever marketing by the producers of this DVD to disguise the fact that this is nothing more than an average slasher, teen-aged girls in peril film. Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I saw this independent;y produced low budget American horror film. As a film by itself, it was not bad. It was filmed in grainy film stock which conveyed good use of lighting which gives a very atmospheric look to the film. At times, the film looked very muddy which is a big disappointment as well. The nudity was there, but not as lurid as the film suggested. The gore was minimal, only bloody moments & the actual killing were done off-screen.

Very disappointed in this film. Good for a rental...maybe. Just your run-of-the-mill slasher film. Nothing more. You can probably find more disturbing & creepy moments if you bought LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT in which this film tries to emulate, but failed. Watch LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT instead.

And the audio commentary by "The Detractors" was very annoying & not comical at all.
I give this film 2 stars out of 5.

well my girlfriend actually came across this movie in best buy one day while searching for new horror films to watch. the uncut banned version really caught my eye and the cover made it look like it was a gore movie....its not. i will not give the movie away but its pretty generic....3 girls go on a trip, get into car accident...wake up in spooky mansion...weird family... you get the idea. this movie does have a suprise twist ending and some really decent parts, but if your a gore hound expecting a blood fest then you will be dissipointed but overall a real decent movie.

OK, let me be honest, this in no classic horror film. But for bonafide 80s slasher film fans, it's a must have, or at least a must-see. Why? Some good murders, a great cheesy synth score, and the sleazy shock ending.
Three cute chicks get stuck at an old mansion after their car crashes, put up by a spinster and her batty old mother for the night. Of course, there is a mad killer on the loose...
Outrageously over the top acting, goofy dialogue and bad 80s make-up and hair had me laughing out loud.
Don't get me wrong, the film has it's flaws....not enough killings (although the few we get are top-notch), a tad too slow paced....but it's an important part of the 80s slasher craze, and is a must for completists.

This is the worst movie I've ever seen, and I have seen plenty of low-budget flicks. There is plenty of dead time between scenes, the story line is ridiculous, the acting is the worst I've ever seen, and the pace of the film is so slow that I dare you to try to stay awake through the whole thing. Buy this film only if you are looking for the worst one ever (which is why I bought it).

I loved unhinged. It started off slow and alot of the movie focuses more on the intense drama of the situation in which 3 friends Nancy, Gloria and Terry are caught when their car goes off the road on the way to a jazz fastival. Enter Marion Penrose- a slightly awkward, quiet and delicate woman who lives alone in a grand mansion-like home with her sexest, bitter, wheel-chair bound mother, Mrs. Penrose. Nancy and Terry are fine from the collision but Gloria will have to stay off her legs and rest for a while. In the attempt to contact their parents, Marion informs them that there is no phone. To get to a phone one of them will have to walk through the woods to town- where several young females have gone missing lately. In the following nights- Terry begins hearing heavy breathing; male heavy breathing and suggests this to Marion. Marion insists it is nothing. Until Nancy starts her trek to the woods and is violently slashed by a hooded apparition with a long scythe. Will Terry survive the horror that awaits? I won't spoil the rest as it has a 'killer' twist- and although slow at times dont let that stop you from buying it! Its a great film and I highly recommend!