Junior (1984)

...aka: Cut Above, A

...aka: Hot Water

Directed by:

Jim Hanley

After being released from prison, tough broads K.C. (Suzanne DeLaurentis) and Jo (Linda Singer) buy some lakeside property and plan to open a bar there. Junior (Jeremy Ratchford), a chubby, manic, psychotic wannabe rapist/ killer is spurned by the girls and plots revenge. In badly edited insert scenes he talks to his cackling, grinning mother, who is very obviously played by a man in drag. Junior rips a guys hand open with a hook, puts worms in a piece of fish, attacks a pretty houseguest with a chainsaw and kills, while whining and complaining. Technically speaking it's pretty dismal (especially the boring opening and the extremely sloppy editing), but I enjoyed a few of the gore scenes, the pseudo-feminist angle (which is curiously downplayed by exploiting some of the women involved) and the plentiful laughs (many of which are unintentional). The two leading ladies are appealing and try their best, but this MOTHER'S DAY/ TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE hybrid will probably only appeal to fans of cheap, sleazy exploitation movies. Viewing it in that context alone, it's mindlessly entertaining.

★★