Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day

From last year: Of all the mother-themed films that I could have watched for Mother's Day, MOTHER'S DAY (directed by Charles Kaufman) was chosen by proxy.  Never having been a fan of misogynistic slasher films or torture porn, this 1980 Troma release has always intrigued and repelled me at the same time.
The story goes like this: former college roommates Abbey (Nancy Hendrickson), Jackie (Deborah Luce) and Trina (Tiana Pierce) have gone their own ways in the world, but manage to meet once a year for a surprise getaway. Abbey's got a bed-ridden mother, Jackie is trapped in an unloving relationship and Trina's a Beverly Hills blonde, so they look forward to seeing each other and escaping their lives for a bit. Jackie decides this year's surprise trip will be camping in New Jersey! Yay! 

Meanwhile, we meet Mother (1950s TV sitcom actress Beatrice Pons) and her two unattractive and mentally challenged sons Ike (Holden McGuire) and Addley (Billy Ray McQuade) – a white trash trio who get off on torturing and killing random strangers. Fun!

Mother attends a motivational seminar by a group called E.G.O. where she ensnares two group members and takes them back to her cabin where her boys have their way with them. Pretty gruesome stuff. Mother's house is a redneck GREY GARDENS, filled with garbage, junk food and lots of dirty graffiti on the walls. 
After some fun and games (and a charming college flashback of the girls) Ike and Addley kidnap our three heroines and take them home to visit Mother. They decide to tie them up in their weight room and enact demented role-playing games with them for Mother's amusement. While the movie has its share of light and satirical moments, the brutal assualt and murder of Jackie is hard to watch. The film gets much better when Abbey and Trina exact their well-deserved revenge on Mother and her lunkhead sons.
Beatrice Pons' spirited performance is quite enjoyable, but you have to imagine what made her take on this role - since she probably did not get paid much. I guess that's why she's credited as "Rose Ross". The rest of the cast is watchable, and likeable - only I kept wishing they were in a different movie - more MOMMIE DEAREST and less I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.

As far as recommending MOTHER'S DAY, I would say only if you are a fan of this genre, otherwise stay clear. I'd give it a 7 outta 10. Any ideas for Father's Day???

1 comment:

laura linger said...

For Father's Day, I would suggest a "Who's The Boss?" -a-thon. With your bong.

Take a huge hit whenever Tony says:

"Moonuhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"Suh-MAAAAAAAN-thuh...."

"Jon-uh-thin....."

"ANNNNNNN-juh-luh...."

You'll be blitzed by the first commercial break.