Memorial Valley Massacre

Director - Robert Hughes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog)

Starring - John Kerry (Dolemite, Black Dynamite), Mark Mears, and Mark Caso (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the tent"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     October is the perfect time to dive into some slashers.  Typically, I spend my October watching Halloween themed flicks that I love or movies that I've never seen before.  This October I was able to dig into films that I had seen previously that was sent over for review from various companies.  Several years ago, way before I was married, I watched the 1989 slasher Memorial Valley Massacre.  The film was in a set of other flicks that was in poor quality but that didn't stop me from enjoying this oddball flick.  Recently, Vinegar Syndrome released the film on blu and was kind enough to send a copy my way for review.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a new opened camping ground that is running into several issues on their opening day.  To make matters worse, their water supply is contaminated when someone throws a dead dog in the well.  The owner's son, George (Kerry), arrives to help and with the park ranger soon come face to face with a murderer in the park.  Is it a deranged killer or is it the ranger's long lost son that has been trapped in the woods for all these years?

     Memorial Valley Massacre is known for being bad but I can't help but enjoy it.  I know it's rough around the edges and extremely goofy but I love those kind of films.  I have a horrible taste in movies but MVM is cheap fun.  The acting in this one is super campy and cheesy but I fucking love it.  I love the characters and the cast hamming it up really makes them stand out when compared to the more serious toned slasher.  They are fun performances but no one is winning awards.  The story for this one is that normal slasher in the woods formula following campers getting picked off one by one.  It almost works but having the killer be a young adult dressed in furs killing campers is just way too goofy.  It was fun for a few laughs but it does take the slasher tone away from it.  Honestly, if the movie took a more realistic "hermit" approach to it and have the killer look like the woodsman from The Forest it would have made the film feel more like the slashers we all love.  Finally, the kills in this one are unique in terms of how they are done.  They are all mostly done with a primitive touch to fit the theme of the film.  The blood is bright red and I really like what they bring to the table but the practical effects are pretty bare and minimal.  Overall, Memorial Valley Massacre is not a memorial slasher.  I know, the pun game is strong with me.  Anyway, the film is pretty forgettable but the laughable moments and kills are fun.  If you are looking for something new to watch I would suggest giving this one a go.  It's not as bad as most make it out to be.  In fact, it has it's own charm.  The blu is absolutely fantastic leagues over the DVD set I bought all those years ago.  Check it out.