Shriek of the Mutilated - a Fresh Review

When I told hubby that I'd never seen Shriek of the Mutilated, he couldn't believe it. Apparently, it was a required subject in his dorm at college. I suggested we watch it again - sober, not college-style - and give it a more serious look. It was absolutely nothing like I'd expected, and only vaguely resembled the preview material. Nevertheless, it made an impact.

In true monster movie fashion, the legend of the Yeti is carried by a crazy alcoholic and an eccentric (obsessed) professor. Their accounts leave only two options. Either the professor is just as brandy-addled as the screwball loudmouth, or the town nut isn't so nuts. Since the movie has a sasquatch on the cover, I was inclined to believe that the creature was going to step out of the realm of myth... and probably maul some cute girls.

Fear not! There are two cute girls who are featured prominently, and there are monstrous attacks. The blood wavers from ketchup-style to chocolate-syrup-style. Who am I to say that isn't exactly what they used? The Yeti is, of course, a guy in a Yeti suit. It's a better outfit than I expected, and the film crew did a decent job in masking its flaws through lighting, motion and quick cuts. I was impressed with the acting. It reminded me of other low-budget films from the seventies, including the training videos from my drivers' education class. The lines were smoothly delivered.

If you've read any other reviews, you know that Mutilated has an offensive aspect. One of the characters, an "Indian," is a poor racial stereotype. There are no Native Americans in the cast, only a muscled caucasian man with excessive body hair and a cheesy headband and a dumb look on his face. His name is Laughing Crow - laughable - and he's a butler. His "employer" speaks to him like a child. He's greeted with amusement and fear, perpetuating the idea that indigenous people are either entertainers or enemies. But I hope that you can see past that and enjoy the rest of the film.

I don't want to spoil your experience, but I do want to assure you that this film will take you in an incredibly unforeseen direction. Even this B-horror veteran misread the foreshadowing. And there's nothing I like more than a challenging movie. Unlike most of my selections, I recommend that you take this film with a grain of seriousness. I would normally serve a low-budget film with beer and popcorn. This time, please set the beer aside. It might dull your attention span and rob you of the experience you deserve. But keep the popcorn.