Motel hell by Kevin Connor (Usa/1980)
Length: 101′ – Genre: Comedy, horror, thriller
When young motorcyclist Terry is rescued and taken to the “Hello Motel” ( whose faulty neon sign flashes the ” O “) she is unaware of how siblings Vincent and Ida Smith, owners of the motel, prepare their lunches, and when she falls in love with Vincent things become complicated by the morbid jealousy of Ida and Bruce, Vincent’s brother
Directed by a British director who in his time was in the business of ” Amicus “, the rival film company of ” Hammer “, a nice mix of ” Psycho “ and ” Texas chainsaw massacre“ not at all limited by the very small budget but rather enhanced by it, and certain sequences are really grim and disturbing like few horror films. In short, high-level B-series and almost of anthology the final duel between Vincent and Bruce (with the former’s outfit seeming to anticipate that of one of the key characters in the ” Saw “ saga ). The cast includes Rory Calhoun, who became famous at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s playing the gunslinger ” Bill Longley ” in the series ” Texan, ” and Nancy Parsons the unforgettable professor ” Balbricker” from the ” Porky’s ” saga. ….
(Antonio DI CARLO)