Title-Savage Weekend
Source-Blu Ray
This is kind of a forgotten proto-slasher from the early 70s. I had never heard of it. Then on one of Mill Creeks 50 horror films in one huge boxsets I discovered it. This battered cropped and what I found out later on severely cut film caught my attention. And now thanks to the above pictured Blu ray you can see this oddity in it's original theatrical version.
Set in what I am guessing is upstate New York,a group of 5 young adults from the city go on vacation. Were after the gay member of this group gets the best of a bar full of rednecks,we find out that mentally challenged handyman Otis,William Sanderson in a very early role,has a history of violence. And not long after this we get a series of strangely shot and scored kills.And these kills are fairly bloody and for the early 70s halfway graphic.
This is a somewhat slowly paced film. But for me it was never slow enough it got boring.Every 7 minutes or so something was happening to keep me interested. I am betting Sanderson took some of this Otis role and used it when he was on the 80s sitcom Newhart.Also of interest is that Yancy Butler has a small role in this as one of the 5's daughter.
Since this blu has come out I am starting to see an increase in interest in this fairly fun,but a bit slow proto-slasher.
Savage Weekend gets a B-.
