Each Roger Ebert and Joe Bob Briggs raved about Kevin Conner’s “Motel Lodge” (1980), which is why it went on my radar at a younger age.
It wasn’t the one time that Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic and one half of essentially the most well-known film critic duo ever, and Briggs, host of assorted drive-in film specials for many years, agreed on one thing.
But, one can’t assist however be curious when two extremely completed and all the time pleasurable movie authorities each circled their wagons round a film with the notorious film poster tagline, “It takes all sort of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters.”
Farmer Vincent is performed by Rory Calhoun and Nancy Pearsons performs his sister, Ida. They run the Motel Good day, a rundown however serviceable little place out in the midst of nowhere. Once we meet them, they appear caught within the life they dwell, because the childlike Ida has fallen asleep carrying pajamas whereas watching a fire-and-brimstone preacher on tv and Farmer Vincent watches the highway, patiently, with a tinge of loneliness and nervousness.
A telling early element that surfaces: Farmer Vincent’s meats “are solely distributed inside a 100-mile radius.”
Conner’s movie is self-aware of how outrageous this all is, however he and the solid play it straight. The movie has it each methods, rising as a intelligent darkish comedy and a real-deal problem to the gag reflex.
FAST FACT: Conner recalled his preliminary disgust with the very first web page of the “Motel Hell” script in a 2023 interview, together with a reference to a intercourse toy in plain sight. The studio agreed along with his critiques, rewriting the venture to emphasise the darkish humor facets of the completed product.
One other main asset is Lance Rubin’s surprisingly stunning, wealthy rating and the skillful cinematography by Thomas Del Ruth, the filmmaking veteran who bought his begin as an assistant Director of Images on movies like “The Sand Pebbles” (1966) and “Planet of the Apes” (1968), then later filmed motion pictures like this, “The Breakfast Membership” (1985) and Stand by Me” (1986).
Rubin and Del Ruth give this an aesthetic sheen that instantly counters expectations.
Conner adopted “Motel Hell” with the fascinating, Japan-set ghost story, “The Home The place Evil Dwells” (1982), a far much less profitable movie, and principally labored continuous for many years afterward making TV motion pictures.
“Motel Hell” feels extra like a response to Tobe Hooper’s “The Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath” (1974) than a rip-off. It manages the difficult feat of being gross and stunning however avoids specific gore and principally implied violence. Its finest scenes are as humorous as they’re grotesque.
Along with a wild premise and the sheer pleasure everybody appears to be having in enjoying their roles, you additionally get a cameo from Wolfman Jack, in a humorous sequence involving a swinger couple with no thought of the hazard they’re in.
There’s additionally the horrific reveal of Farmer Vincent’s “secret backyard” and, to not be outdone, a climactic chainsaw battle that’s as suspenseful as it’s burly and thrilling in its staging. I’m not sure if it’s a greater chainsaw battle than the one within the climax of “The Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath 2” (1986) however I’m nonetheless giving Farmer Vincent the win in that class.
One other good facet of “Motel Hell” is that there’s no sequel, because the wrap-up scenes give this a correct conclusion with out forcing a follow-up.
Each time I revisit “Motel Hell,” I’m all the time struck by how humorous and atmospheric it’s, along with how its premise is informed like a scary cautionary story about trusting seemingly benevolent public figures and never simply an excuse for reasonable thrills.
Whether or not seen as a farce about how outdated timers and outsiders view each other or simply taken straight as fun and gasp fest, “Motel Hell” simply will get higher with every viewing. Comfortable forty fifth birthday, Farmer Vincent!