After Shout Factory, the leading provider of many memorable cult movie classics launched its newest series under Scream Factory they have been churning out the classics. The latest to be delivered to Blu-ray for the first time is the double feature presentation of Boaz Davidson’s 1982 film X-Ray and David Paulson’s 1980 film Schizoid.
X-Ray aka Hospital Massacre follows a woman who goes to a local hospital for a “routine examination.” Once inside, she discovers that someone doesn’t want her to check out…unless it’s in a body bag. A psychotic killer keeps her trapped inside the hospital, having fixed her x-rays to make it look like she has a terminal illness. Meanwhile, he brutally murders everyone she comes in contact with! This is one of those clichéd slasher films that is by the numbers and cheese filled that it is great fun to watch. The killer is pretty simple sporting a doctor’s coat and surgical attire, but his over the top actions and heavy breathing through his surgical mask is entertaining on so many levels. There are a few bloody moments, but they do a lot of the old school close up and slow movements to attempt to build the terror of each kill that is both classic horror and cheese like no other. What makes this film work way better than it probably should is that they are clearly trying to take it seriously but are so over the top at times that it’s laughable, but at the same time is what makes most of these classic slasher films so awesome.
Schizoid follows a newspaper advice columnist who starts receiving threats from a mysterious person. At the same time, the female members of her psychiatrist’s therapy group are being murdered one by one…by a maniac wielding a large pair of scissors. Could these incidents be linked? This film plays up the mystery well as well as using the classic close-up technique of the weapon before the kill to create the tension before the kill. This has a bit of a who-dun it vibe, but it’s pretty clear early on whom it is, but still manages to work. There’s no overly bloody kills like most of the gore hounds hope for, but enough of the slasher vibe intact that any fan of the genre is sure to dig this classic addition to the genre. Unlike the other film in this set this one does have some cheesy moments, but is crafted in a way that it never really comes across as straight cheese.
This Blu-ray double feature is sure to be a must have by all horror fans so make sure to grab yours when it hits stores on August 20th.
For more information or to pre-order your copy head over to www.shoutfactory.com