MURDER WEAPON

(directors: Ellen Cabot; screenwriter: Ross A. Perron; cinematographer: Michael Seaman; editor: Clayton Woolley; music: Del Casher; cast: Karen Russell (Amy), Linnen Quigley (Dawn), Lyle Waggoner (Dr. Randolph ), Stephen Steward (Kevin), Lenny Rose (Dr. Gram), Allen First (Cary), Damon Charles (Jeff), Michael Jacobs Jr. (Eric), Rodger Burt (Bart), Richard J. Sebastian (Billy); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: R; producer:Fred Kenwamer; Cinema Home; 1989)

“Nudity, raunchy dialogue and gore are plentiful.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A weird slasher thriller ineptly directed by Ellen Cabot (“Prison of the Dead”/”Talisman”/”Leeches!”), using the pseudonym of Davis DeCoteau. The screenplay is by Ross A. Perron, who loads up on cheesy dialogue but keeps things entertaining as schlock.

Amy (Karen Russell) and Dawn (Linnen Quigley), both daughters of mobsters, are best friend inmates released from a sanitarium after having sex with their respective shrinks (Lenny Rose & Lyle Waggoner) and blackmailing them. The two man-hating felons, off their meds, immediately host a party in the wealthy Amy’s secluded country home she inherited from her deceased gangster father. They invite to the party 6 old boy friends and make them think there’s a chance of getting back together. During the party, the boyfriends start disappearing one at a time.

Nudity, raunchy dialogue and gore are plentiful. The sole killer is not revealed during the killings. The gruesome murders include one of the boys getting repeated blows to his head with a sledgehammer. A shotgun blast causing an exploding head. Broken glass used to slash the neck of one vic. Another vic has a bottle shoved down his throat. A man is set on fire. And a hand ripping through a sleeping man’s chest rips out his heart.

We’re also treated to watching a scene out of the director’s Nightmare Sisters (1987) on a TV set.

It’s not art, but if it’s schlock entertainment you’re craving look no further.

REVIEWED ON 4/21/2016 GRADE: B-