Let’s face it, ‘80s Horror films were not always kind to the younger generation. In fact, most of those being made at the time seemed to dice them up any chance they could. Whether it be naughty camp counselors getting their comeuppance in 1980’s Friday the 13th, or the kids of vigilante parents being stalked in their dreams by Freddy Krueger in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, there always seemed to be someone out there with a blade out to spill blood.
Trends that expanded through the ‘80s era, offshoot films where the plot surrounded a stalking killer targeting youth was plentiful. Reaching peak production between 1978 to 1984, titles such as 1980’s Prom Night, 1982’s The Slumber Party Massacre, 1983’s Sleepaway Camp are just a few examples of these types of films, but there were also others, like The Mutilator. Initially released in 1984 under the title Fall Break, The Mutilator was one of a list of Slasher films to emerge that year; including Splatter University, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, and Satan’s Blade. Written, directed, and produced by Buddy Cooper, plus featuring a cast of recognizable faces (such as Matt Mitler and Frances Raines), as The Mutilator turns 40, it still strikes curiosity.
Much like other Slashers at the time, it centers around a tragic, traumatizing event that happened many years early… only to metastasize into something far more sinister later on. The central focal point, Cooper’s approach to the film was – take this very serious element, and build around it a more light hearted story about a group of college kids seeking a fun weekend on their fall break. With this, the tone of The Mutilator is a bit uneasy; because you have this impending doom, but also a bunch of coeds who are goofy and carefree. That stated, when matters get more serious, the tension is palpable as you watch character by character being snuffed out.
Originally screened as the aforementioned Fall Break in early 1984, by October of that year it was rebranded The Mutilator for another screening, before a New York City premiere in 1985. On its way to finding a larger audience, unfortunately due to the film’s excessive nature the MPAA would not give it an R-rating; so, with an unrated mark, it presented challenges for further theatrical screenings. Frustrating to Cooper, for the sake of his film, he edited it down for an R-rating, and as a result, found a Los Angeles screening in by September of 1985.
With that, two versions of the film floated around for much of the ‘80s on VHS, Betamax, as well as on LaserDisc through Vestron Video. From here the film never officially made the jump to DVD in the 2000s (even though foreign unauthorized releases are out there), but in 2016 finally was given a proper high-definition release through UK distributor Arrow Video. Interestingly enough, while the Blu-ray release was announced in 2015, the high-definition transfer was not available until February of 2016; because a fully uncut 35 mm print of the film was discovered. Wanting to offer the most complete restoration of The Mutilator, it is safe to say that the Arrow Video Blu-ray edition is probably your best viewing option. That in mind, at this point there are also plenty of other chances to give it a watch on numerous streaming platforms including Tubi and Amazon Prime, among others. However, pay close attention to if you are watching the R-rated or unrated cut.
All of this history laid out, the most curious factor about The Mutilator is that in 2021 (37 years after the initial release) news emerged that Buddy Cooper was indeed working on Mutilator 2. An unexpected return, as of 2023, Cooper was seeking distribution for the new film… so hopefully that will be resolved soon. Fascinating to see how the new film will be approached after so much time has passed, it will include original cast members such as Bill Hitchcock and Ruth Martinez, but also well-known actors such as Terry Kiser (Friday the 13th: The New Blood 1988, Weekend at Bernie’s 1989). Something to look out for if you are a fan, as The Mutilator celebrates its 40th anniversary, maybe it is also a good time to revisit the memorable Slasher as well.
No comment