MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981)

zombie no.one · February 14, 2008, 09:47:46 AM

It's valentine's day so why not bring up this minor cult classic (apparently that's what it is)...in fact I only got this DVD the other week after wanting to see it for years, not least because the band that took their name from this film (My Bloody Valentine, duh) are probably one of my favourite bands ever.

okay probably a few of you have already seen this anyway, but for some reason I expected this to be a kind of low-key creepy movie with some dark suspense. it's actually about as scary as an episode of scooby doo, and about as fun to watch as well. loads of really blatant corny humour, token drunk teens partying, very cheesy soundtrack. it's not scary but there are a couple of gore 'shockers' along the way, head falling out of a dry-cleaner being the best. and the inevitable 'twist' at the end isn't actually that suprising even though it would be hard to guess it.

overall I'd give this a worth-seeing-once-or-twice 7/10 rating.

RCMerchant · February 14, 2008, 01:39:43 PM

I seen it many moons ago on it's Showtime premiere in the 80's. Unfortuantaly, not since.
What I DO rembeber is that I was sick and tired of blatant HALLOWEEN rip-offs (and yes-FRIDAY the 13th was one of them).
But....I really did enjoy this one...if nothing other than the fact that it seemed to be having a lot of fun with itself (ew!) and I was able to kick back and not take it too seriously either.

Favorite gore scene-the human heart boiling in the pot of weinies! Yuuuuum-Yum!

The Dungeonmaster · February 14, 2008, 02:46:11 PM

I love that movie but oh man that cover art blows. But so does the original. I've never seen packaging that does the movie justice.

I especially love the fat guy with the mustach.

The Burgomaster · February 14, 2008, 07:36:41 PM

I bought this DVD awhile back when I was filling in my collection with post-HALLOWEEN "mad slasher" movies (MADMAN, DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE, HELL NIGHT, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, etc.) It's another run-of-the-mill flick in this genre . . . but a mad-slasher collection would not be complete without this title.

Mortal Envelope · February 15, 2008, 11:46:43 AM

Gotta love this one - haven't seen in for many years though.

Miner Gear = scary/creepy!

AndyC · February 15, 2008, 12:31:00 PM

Quote from: Mortal Envelope on February 15, 2008, 11:46:43 AM
Miner Gear = scary/creepy!

Have to agree with that. I think the mine setting and the killer's mining gear were what made the movie memorable for me.

Jordan · February 15, 2008, 01:04:09 PM

But who can truly forget the song during the end credits, namely the "Ballad of Harry Warden." Its cheesy to the max but dang it, it's a pretty catchy little folk ballad. I have an mp3 of said song and will be posting it on my site this weekend for anyone that is interested.

KYGOTC · February 17, 2008, 02:27:02 AM

Quote from: RCMerchant on February 14, 2008, 01:39:43 PM
if nothing other than the fact that it seemed to be having a lot of fun with itself (ew!)

Favorite gore scene-the human heart boiling in the pot of weinies! Yuuuuum-Yum!

......Dude, you crack me up.

Cult Movie Mania · February 17, 2008, 12:46:53 PM

Quote from: The Dungeonmaster on February 14, 2008, 02:46:11 PM
I love that movie but oh man that cover art blows.

I hear you. I'd love to buy the DVD, but I simply don't know if I can tolerate that cover art in my collection.

threnody · February 17, 2008, 09:14:33 PM

I haven't heard of this, but I do love the band. I didn't know they took their name from a film. I will have to see if I can find a copy, even if I have to get it on VHS.

DARKTIGER · February 17, 2008, 10:28:28 PM

I remember when I first saw this on cable about 82 I was 8. my older brother and sister caught me watching the movie with them. That scene with that dead old woman's body in the dryer that freak me out.

Jordan · February 18, 2008, 04:15:29 AM

The cover art for the Paramount DVD release of "My Bloody Valentine" doth sucketh mightily. However, there is a fix for this problem: http://retroslashers.net/images/custom_mybloody.jpg

There's a lot of cool custom DVD cover art at Retro-Slasher.net. The cover they offer is much better than Paramount's, even if it is just a quick cut and paste job.

Mr_Vindictive · February 18, 2008, 06:18:06 AM

My Bloody Valentine is one of my favorite, "non-franchise", slashers of the 80s. It's not as formulaic as most of the films in the genre from the time and it's just an interesting damn film all around. The mines make for a great place to have a climax of a horror film, and this film delivers with the kills and such.

The film is quite heavily cut from it's original form. At the time of it's release, Paramount had to cut the hell out of it to get an R rating, despite George Mihlaka's protests. The cut footage still exists, but Paramount didn't listen to the fans and released the DVD in it's regular form. I'm still holding out for an uncut DVD release, but it looks like the chances of seeing one are quite dim.

TheDope · February 18, 2008, 10:06:45 AM

Quote from: Jordan on February 18, 2008, 04:15:29 AM
The cover art for the Paramount DVD release of "My Bloody Valentine" doth sucketh mightily. However, there is a fix for this problem: http://retroslashers.net/images/custom_mybloody.jpg

There's a lot of cool custom DVD cover art at Retro-Slasher.net. The cover they offer is much better than Paramount's, even if it is just a quick cut and paste job.

(NOTE - karma, Jordan, for pointing me to Retro-Slasher.net - GREAT SITE!)

That is a big improvement - why the release companies muck around with the original artwork on movies for the DVD covers is beyond me. Sacrelige, I say!

But yeah, this is one of those I'd read about back in the day in Fangoria, seen some cool promo pics for it therein, saw the TV ads and even caught bits and pieces of it here and there late at night on TV but have never seen the whole thing. I sure would like to, if just for historic purposes of seeing one of the also-rans of that period that never made it into "series territory".

But with an ad campaign like this, how could it miss?

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eNeCcKt8jw&feature=related

KYGOTC · February 19, 2008, 12:42:17 AM

Quote from: TheGreatWhiteDope on February 18, 2008, 10:06:45 AM
Quote from: Jordan on February 18, 2008, 04:15:29 AM
The cover art for the Paramount DVD release of "My Bloody Valentine" doth sucketh mightily. However, there is a fix for this problem: http://retroslashers.net/images/custom_mybloody.jpg

There's a lot of cool custom DVD cover art at Retro-Slasher.net. The cover they offer is much better than Paramount's, even if it is just a quick cut and paste job.

(NOTE - karma, Jordan, for pointing me to Retro-Slasher.net - GREAT SITE!)

That is a big improvement - why the release companies muck around with the original artwork on movies for the DVD covers is beyond me. Sacrelige, I say!

But yeah, this is one of those I'd read about back in the day in Fangoria, seen some cool promo pics for it therein, saw the TV ads and even caught bits and pieces of it here and there late at night on TV but have never seen the whole thing. I sure would like to, if just for historic purposes of seeing one of the also-rans of that period that never made it into "series territory".

But with an ad campaign like this, how could it miss?

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eNeCcKt8jw&feature=related

At the end of that trailer, does he say "My Bline"?