This movie is primarily known for being on the infamous "Video Nasties" list in the UK. It perfectly typifies why government censorship is painfully incompetent, as this has next to nothing that would warrant landing on a "banned" list. But let's see what all the hubbub was about, shall we?
About as plain a title screen as can be imagined. Yet, as you'll see, it pretty much fits with the vibe of the film - a slow moving, low key picture by any standard.
The central character and Final Girl is Terry played by
Laurel Munson - her only acting credit. Terry is on the phone telling her mom she's going to a concert with friends.
We are immediately treated to a gratuitous nude scene of Laurel Munson in the shower.
Don't let this get your hopes up for wall-to-wall nudity since
Unhinged is so quick to deliver the T&A. There's just one more scene much later, also of Munson in the shower.
So, Terry gets in the car with her friends Gloria (
Barbara Lusch) and Nancy (
Sara Ansley).
Sara Ansley, like Laurel Munsen, was one and done after this movie. Barbara Lusch did a few minor things, such as "coat check girl" in two episodes of "Coach".
After driving way out into the boonies (obviously taking a wrong turn), Nancy accidentally drives their car into a ditch. Terry wakes up in a strange bedroom.
She's been rescued by these two characters. The caretaker, Norman (
John Morrison), and Marion Penrose (
Janet Penner).
We learn that Nancy is okay, in another room, but Gloria is banged up pretty bad. The house is in the middle of freaking nowhere, and it's too rainy to go out onto the roads. She'll have to stay the night.
Does this setup sound familiar. I've seen it a million times, most notably in
The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Terry and Nancy have to have dinner with Marion and her eccentric mother. They learn that Mrs. Penrose effing hates men after being betrayed by her husband. She also treats Marion like shit - even calling her a "slut" at the dinner table. Terry and Nancy are sufficiently horrified...
Check out Nancy's expression. I love it. However, I will say that this dinner conversation is painfully dull and really long.
Unhinged definitely takes its time.
Well, this is a far cry from a rock concert. Nancy and Terry are reduced to playing dominoes on the moldy old carpet while Marion plays piano, and Mrs. Penrose sits in her chair looking stern.
Oh, and there's also a dark stranger lurking around outside.
Nancy and Terry have a talk in the bedroom. They find this whole place creepy, and Terry swears they're being watched.
Time for a shower. The second and final nude scene of the film. This time we see FFN from
Laurel Munsen, and a side view of
Sara Ansley.
The girls decide that Nancy will walk to town in the morning, while Terry stays with Gloria.
Note that this cast consisted entirely of Portland locals. Sara Ansley was a model whom Director Gronquist had found through a talent agency. The scenes inside Penrose mansion were filmed at the Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon,
Little do the girls realize, they are being watched by a heavy-breathing voyeur. (And I'm sure heavy breathing audiences as well).
Nancy's walk to town doesn't go so well. She's stalked by a stranger with a scythe.
R.I.P. Nancy. The scene isn't very gory, although there is a good deal of fake blood slinging around. You might guess from the double shower scenes and the kill, this is a pretty decent little horror movie. You'd guess wrong. Here's why...
We have to listen to Marion talk incessantly about her crazy mother and her brother Carl, who still roams these parts. Not a bad backstory, but it feels like it takes forever.
Unhinged will never be a well loved classic for this reason alone - it's just too damn leisurely. I'm down with the "slow burn", but this isn't mounting tension, this is just long, boring dialog.
Hey, it's Gloria. Long time no see! We forgot you existed.
After Nancy was killed, I swear there is twenty full minutes of just dinner with the Penroses, living room time with the Penroses, and a few boring scenes where Terry learns she's being watched. An unbelievable amount of "boringness"!
Oh, snap! Gloria barely knew you! The poor girl gets an ax through the middle of her head by the mysterious stalker.
Like another similar slow burn horror film,
House of the Devil, shit really hits the fan in the last five minutes. After 75 minutes of precious little happening, we have almost too much to process.
Marion's brother Carl storms into the room, and Terry wastes his ass with a direct gunshot to the head. Then things really take a turn (spoiler alert)...
Remember S
leepaway Camp? Just like that twist ending, we find that Marion is really a man. And Marion proceeds to hack Terry to death. THE END
I must admit I'd have liked to see Terry survive. I'd also like to see a lot less talking... literally just sitting on sofas talking endlessly. But if you're okay with plodding movies, it's not too shabby, with plenty of great horror ambiance and mood setting. As amateur and snail's pace as this was, I'd still rather see this than most new highly polished Hollywood horror flicks. It has character, it has mood, and it has shower scenes. You could do much worse.
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
