The Newlydeads

Director - Joseph Merhi (Epitaph)
Starring - Jimmy Williams (Epitaph), Jean Levine (L.A. Vice), and Jay Richardson (Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers)
Release Date - 1987
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Till DEATH do them part"

Rating (out of 5):

     This is once again a Troma flick from that notorious box set I keep talking about.  Before I broke out the box set I was on a bit of a slasher kick so when I saw this one in the set I had to watch it as well.  Many film critics say this is the film that killed the 80's slasher genre before it made its 90's comeback.  So I knew this was a shitty flick but just how shitty could it be, to some, to kill an entire sub-genre?

     This film starts with a resort owner checking in an attractive blonde.  After putting the moves on her he is able to take her up to his room.  After sipping some wine they begin to kiss...until HIS wig falls off.  The resort owner tells the man in drag that he likes girls and the man attacks him and in self defense is killed.  The movie picks up years later as he is getting married. During the ceremony the resort owner has a vision and sees the dead tranny he had murdered years ago.  He shakes it off and continues his wedding before heading off to his resort.  Also staying in in the resort are some other couples getting who are either getting married or renewing their vowels, as well as, a medium that can see things that are going to happen.  The medium tried to warn the resort owner about the horrible murders that will take place but he does not listen.  After the first couple is murdered he starts listening to her and tries to find a way to kill the tranny for good.

     This movie is seriously horrendous.  I can see why the movie gets the title as "slasher killer."  I know slasher movies were still being produced after this flick but they were not in abundance like they were before hand.  The story is a not really anything different for a slasher flick except the killer is a transsexual.  The movie also received a backlash for supposedly being a film about gay bashing.  The tranny is the only person that is not hetero to die and he is not murdered for that reason.  He is murdered for punching the resort owner because he wouldn't screw him.  To me the movie should have had a backlash for being shitty instead of homophobic.  The acting is ok and most of the cast had some decent success with their acting career.  The effects are horrible.  The tranny, once dead, looks like he has grey oatmeal smeared all over his body.  The kills are stock slasher kills with one being borrowed straight from one of the Friday the 13th films.  If your looking for a good obscure slasher check out The Burning or the original Prom Night and avoid it at all costs.