My Bloody Valentine(1981) Review

7.5/10

The year is 1981, and films like "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" have already paved new boundaries for the slasher genre.  Who would've thought that the next big movie would take place in a mine.  "My Bloody Valentine" brought horror films to a whole different level with its explicit violence and brutal nature. It was not a favorite of the critics at the time of its release, but it has become a huge cult hit since.  I find this film enjoyable without a doubt, but it is also quite flawed, and it isn't anything significant in my standards.

The movie starts out in a very original way for horror films. We see a bunch of workers in a mine, and one of the females becomes flirtatious with a man.  The scene just looks very sensual at first, and we think she knows the man well.  Then suddenly, he pushes her back into his pick ax and stabs her.  This scene was quite surprising to me, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was obvious that someone was going to die, because romance never ends well in these kind of films, but the nature of it was very different than what I thought would happen. 

One of the first things that I find interesting about this movie is the changes in atmosphere. A lot of movies like "Halloween" or "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" just stay dark the whole time, but this film is extremely diverse.  There are dark moments like the killings, but there are also quite a few scenes that are very happy and lighthearted.  The red and pink color scheme of decorations and look of the happy small town really brighten the viewer's mood, which is extremely clever in the way it sets up the other scenes. 

The idea of having the film take place on Valentine's Day was genius for a few reasons. First off, the holiday is supposed to be one of the happiest days of the year, yet there is brutal killings and terror taking place amidst the fun the characters were trying to have. Second off the holiday has a lot to do with hearts, and they bring a lot of significance to the brutality of the film. 

The acting is good in this film, because all of the cast members really give a great feeling of a blue collar mining town. They are very hospitable, kind, funny, and genuine people, and a lot of the men in the mine have a very close knit and brotherly relationship. This comes across greatly in the way they talk to each other, and by the goofy nature of their performances. One of the exceptions of this kind hearted personality was the character TJ Hanniger; whom was played by Paul Kelman. While he is a good guy, he has a certain darkness to him, and he doesn't get along with everyone as well.  This makes a good balance in the film, because it is more realistic to have a mix in personalities.

One of the infamous factors of the film is how the MPAA slashed nine minutes of footage for the theatrical cut of the film.  This caused the movie to lose a lot of the gore and special effects that were made, and it took away from the positive appraisal that the film could've gotten. Now on DVD, there is the option to buy an extended cut, and several of the gory minutes are back.  Watching this version of the film I was mindblown by some of the killings. While they aren't frightening at all, the scenes are super gory at times, and very brutal. One of the most iconic killings is when Harry puts his pick ax through a man's chin, and it takes an eyeball out of its socket. This is fully onscreen, and very very bloody.

One of the things in the movie that I find to be a blessing and curse was the fact that the movie tried to be more than just a horror movie.  Much of the film was going toward a romantic drama, and sometimes even a comedy when it wasn't being horrifying. On the positive side, the filmmakers were obviously trying to add some different elements into the genre so we didn't feel complete déjà vu from other films. Also, it gives us a more open look at the town, and makes us feel for the people a little more. On the negative side, I feel that the diversity almost made the script a little but scattered, and almost grating at times. The whole love triangle between the main characters is interesting at first, but by halfway through the film it really just feels like beating a dead horse, and I just really want things to go back to the horror side.  

Another complaint that I have with the film is the score.  It really just doesn't fit the movie at all, because it'd be better suited for something like a mystery film.  I feel that the instruments were a little bit too muffled, and it doesn't give the same suspenseful feeling that a great score like "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th" had.  I also feel that the score had been used before, or at least has a similar sound to other films. I really love a movie to have distinct music/themes. When I hear the "Halloween Theme," I know exactly what is on right away. With this film though, if the music came on randomly, I wouldn't have clue of what movie it was from. 

The last thing I can really say in negativity toward the film is that even though it is highly enjoyable and brutal, it really didn't do much to set itself apart from other films of the genre. Yes there was a new level of gore, and yes the setting was unique, but in the end, it just followed a basic formula for horror films, and didn't bring anything new to the genre.  This doesn't make it a bad film at all, but it just takes away any extra significance that I find in a better film like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

The ending of this film was pretty awesome. There was quite the plot twist when the killer is revealed. I honestly wasn't expecting the person it ended up being at all. I thought that this was very cleverly done, almost like the original "Friday the 13th" movie, and I give the filmmakers props for it. 

Watching this film 34 years after its release, I feel that it aged pretty well. The humor stayed pretty fresh even with the time difference, and so do all of the characters.  I feel that even though the filming definitely has a vintage look to it, it still seems pretty cool because of the darkness it gives to the movie. One of the things that isn't exactly relevant anymore is the film's setting in a mine. While there are still mines in America, it isn't nearly as common of a job, and it doesn't define a town like it did back then. While it doesn't connect to a viewer of now compared to one back then, it doesn't take away from the coolness of it at all. I find the setting to be a genius idea, because a mine is so dark and isolated, that there really isn't much chance of escaping. 

Overall, I find this film to be quite enjoyable. It isn't a masterpiece in any sort, but it is a fun bloody mess of a horror film.  I almost feel that the movie is more of a novelty for its infamous controversy, because it has much more of a reputation than it really deserves. It is worth watching for sure, but don't expect anything different.