The Turnpike Killer

Director(s) - Evan Makrogiannis (Grindspoitation) and Brian Weaver (The Super)
Starring - Bill McLaughlin (There's A Maniac in My House), Edgar Moye (Devil Moon), and Lyndsey Brown (Donuts and a Double Homocide)
Release Date - 2009
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "All roads lead to death"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Wild Eye Releasing is easily my favorite distribution company in the game right now.  They rarely, and I mean rarely, release a film that I do not like.  They recently released a slew of horror films that has been met with a lot of  hype from the horror community.  Those films are; My Name is A, Play Hooky, President Wolfman, Memory Lane, and The Turnpike Killer.  One film caught more attention than the rest and that really made me curious about the flick.  That film, The Turnpike Killer, made me really want to check it out and I finally caved in and threw it in the Xbox One.  Wild Eye was nice enough to send me a copy and for that I thank you guys!
     The film follows the hulking Jon Beest (McLaughlin) as he travels the streets killing women that he deems to be the chosen one.  That is until he learns they are sinners in one form or another, or they do not desire to have him.  The voices in his head forces him to continue his search all while leaving a pile of bodies strung out along the New Jersey turnpike earning him the nickname the Turnpike Killer.  The police frantically search for the killer as he searches frantically for his "chosen one."
     The last decade or so has seen the rise of throwback films trying to capture the charm of the horror films from the late 70s and early 80s.  Very few films are able to actually capture that look and feel while others pull it off flawlessly like Wild Eye's Hi-8.  The Turnpike Killer tries hard to capture that 80s shot on video vibe and damn does it ever.  The film has a shot on video authentic look to it and after watching it I felt a strong urge to toss in a Tim Ritter flick.  The acting in this one is solid by the entire cast.  The ladies in the film are beautiful and do a damn fine job at portraying the damsels in distress.  The star of the show is powerhouse Bill McLaughlin who was perfectly cast as the monstrous killer.  The story for this one is simple and, at times, moves at a snails pace.  We have seen several horror films following a killer looking for the perfect woman but very few are as brutal as this one is.  Sadly, the film moves slowly between each kill which really tries the viewer's attention.  Shaving some time off the film would have helped a lot.  Finally, this film is wall to wall with blood and gore with several on screen kills scenes full of great practical effects.  These kills are fun and fantastic making this one a great S.O.V. effort.  Overall, The Turnpike Killer is a wet dream for bloody direct to video horror fans.  This film is not for everyone especially if you like your films full of non-stop action.  The film has plenty of gore and beautiful women so check it out.