Plot: What’s it about?
Hard times have hit Lester Bacon (Don Barrett), a man who believes that the best meat comes from the skilled blade of a butcher, not from machines. But while other plants moved with the times and added more technological advances, Lester stuck with the old ways and now he faces foreclosure. He turns down repeated offers to sell the place, but the bank has finally had enough and moves forward to take the slaughterhouse from Lester. Things look dark for Lester, but a glimmer of hope shines when he discovers his son has murdered two local teenagers. At first Lester scolds Buddy (Joe Barton), his beefy but not so bright son, for killing the teens, but he quickly sees a silver lining. After all, if Buddy would kill some kids for teasing his pigs, maybe he could take out the men seeking to shut down the slaughterhouse. Thus begins a reign of terror for the overalls clad Buddy, as he begins to pile up bodies to make his daddy proud. But as people disappear, suspicions start to grow and the local sheriff is on the hunt to find out who is behind the killings. At the same time, a group of teens including the sheriff’s daughter head to the slaughterhouse to see who can stand the spooky place for an hour. Will Lester and Buddy finish their blood soaked vengeance now that everyone is at the slaughterhouse, or can anyone escape this hellish place?
If you’re even a casual fan of 80s horror, then you’ve likely seen Slaughterhouse, as it is a popular slasher movie that rose to prominence on VHS. The film remains well liked even now because it offers a solid story, a memorable killer, and of course, some gore slopped in generous doses. The plot is basic but does just what it needs to in order to set up the kills, while also injecting some slight social commentary about the rise of automation. But the real attraction is Buddy Bacon, the overweight slob in overalls who shines throughout Slaughterhouse. You have to like the guy even as he mauls his victims, as he is so happy and squeals with such delight. The actors who played Buddy and Lester had terrific chemistry and really push Slaughterhouse above what it could have been. Any slasher movie benefits from having a memorable killer and Buddy more than fills that role and ensures the movie will always have a place in the hearts of genre fans. The gore isn’t quite what the reputation of the film might lead you to think, but there are numerous kills and some cool executions. The pace is good and ensures things never get dull, which is nice and the kills flow at a consistent rate as well. Vinegar Syndrome has done right by the movie too, with an excellent new transfer and a host of extras fans will devour. I think this will find a legion of new fans thanks to this release and if you have even a slight interest in 80s horror, this set deserves a place in your collection.
Video: How’s it look?
Slaughterhouse is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen. This is simply light years superior to previous home video versions, just a fantastic visual presentation. The print looks clean and you can tell some work was put it to really make it shine, this wasn’t just a quick port at all. I was also relieved to see that detail remains strong and there wasn’t a DNR mess washing out the visuals, so the print looks natural and authentic. No issues with colors I could pick up on and I found contrast to be spot on, leaving proper detail even in the dark corners of the night. If only ever 80s slasher was given this level of care, right?
Audio: How’s it sound?
A DTS HD 5.1 soundtrack is included and sounds great. The music gains the most benefit, as the new wave soundtrack is able to come alive in this mix. The audio also comes alive well whenever Buddy is on the hunt, but a good portion of the movie doesn’t offer memorable audio presence. Even so, this track delivers about as good an audio treatment as you could want, so fans should be quite pleased.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The film’s director and production designer provide an audio commentary, but that’s just the start of the supplements on offer here. You can also find a new interview with the lead actress and several interview featurettes that shed light on how Slaughterhouse was created. A 30 years later retrospective is also included, along with news coverage of the film’s premiere, two other featurettes, some outtakes, a No Smoking promo that is humorous, and a host of promotional materials like tv ads, radio spots, and of course theatrical trailers.
