MOTHER'S DAY [1980]

In MOTHER’S DAY, vacation spells “agony” for best friends Jackie, Abbey, and Trina. The three girls plan their annual reunion getaway expecting to feel rejuvenated by its completion. They decide to spend their weekend together bonding in the woods of New Jersey. From the car ride to the campsite, the sabbatical is brimming with laughter and reminiscing about the good ol’ days. The merriment carries on until night two, when the girls are packed up into their sleeping bags and kidnapped by two male inbreds, Ike and Addley. Like a cat would present a mouse to its owner as an expression of loyalty, the primitive perverts deliver the three victims to their mother. The redneck family then beams with pride. Beyond that point, the abnormally sadistic mom insists on dictating how the girls will kill their vacation time: getting raped, beaten, and tortured. Jackie, Abbey, and Trina are used as tools for coaching the twisted brothers on how to become the greatest brutes on the planet, while the tenacious female trio plots to escape with their dignities intact.

MOTHER’S DAY is packed with the kind of action and brutality that only a mother could love. Despite the staggeringly dark basis of the story, the movie is filled with hilarity. On one hand, the rape scenes are repulsive and intensified by quick shots that cycle through multiple viewpoints. On the other hand, it is dangerously comical to watch the mother’s lax demeanor remain unscathed as she witnesses her sons fulfill their carnal desires. As a matter of fact, it is almost challenging not to smile, laugh, and shake your head when the savagery manifests. Yes, on the surface, it seems terribly immoral to find such behavior awfully entertaining. However, the film is assembled in a manner that the mood alternates so rapidly, any negative feelings you may experience are quickly dissolved. The movie contains the essential helping of bright red blood and nauseating scenes that are sure to increase heart rate. Mother’s Day is an all-original gem to be eagerly shared between horror and exploitation fans. It might even become your new favorite movie.

Rating: 10/10

Director: Charles Kaufman [FEROCIOUS FEMALE FREEDOM FIGHTERS]

Cast: Nancy Hendrickson, Tiana Pierce, Frederick Coffin, Beatrice Pons
Country: USA