I got it off Netflix, and I'm glad I didn't pay for it. I think making fun of the horror genre, both it's creators and it's fans (with the Fangoria convention bits), could produce a LOT of funny material. This seemed to be lacking that. It had it's funny moments, but I didn't laugh out loud much. I laugh more during Spinal Tap/Best In Show/A Mighty Wind/etc, which this seemed to try and replicate but couldn't. The story was fairly predictable, I saw what was going to happen next a mile away. Really, the most enjoyable part was picking out actors from their other work (cameos from recognizable genre actors from films such as Dawn of the Dead, Evil Dead, and the always-beloved low-budget Clerks). It was worth the time of watching it, but I'm glad I watched it alone. I might have felt as if I wasted someone's time if I watched it with a group.
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gavin694220 September 2008Harry Pandarecki has made some good films... well, maybe one. And a slew of really, really bad ones. With funding getting more difficult to procure, we follow him on his one last chance for greatness. This mockumentary, following the film "Brutal Massacre" from scouting to filming to completion, is somewhere between horror and comedy, really missing the point of either.
Fangoria magazine called this the "Spinal Tap" of horror films. And, sure, there are some parallels. But "Spinal Tap" was witty and just plain funny, whereas this film strains to get a good joke across. With Fangoria's Tony Timpone featured in the film, as well as the magazine, it's no surprise they'd endorse this one. There's even a 40% coupon for a subscription in the box. Thanks, Tony, but you keep shilling for failures and what little credibility you have left will be lost.
I saw a twenty minute preview of this film presented by Ellen Sandweiss and Brian O'Halloran. I spoke with both of them later that night while drinking some tasty beers, and they're some very friendly cats. But, sadly, the only part of the preview that was funny was Gunnar Hansen, and this is an accurate description of the movie. Five minutes of laughs, ninety minutes of boredom. If it weren't for all the topless scenes, I don't know if I would have made it through the film on my first try without intestinal distress.
I look forward to meeting O'Halloran again. As I say, he's a cool cat and has made some great films. This is not one of them. Even the lines he ad-libbed (the Amazon jungle rant, for example) just weren't all that clever (and I don't blame him for this... he shouldn't have to pick up the slack of the actual writers) and his talents were wasted on this production. It was great to see Sandweiss, Hansen, Ken Foree... Mick Garris shows up briefly. So they knew what sort of genre people to get the attention of horror fans. Unfortunately, the writer and director (Stevan Mena, "Malevolence") just didn't have the skills to make this what it could have been. For a horror mockumentary, see "Behind the Mask" and leave this one for a last resort. -
killercharm30 July 2020This is like the Bowfinger for horror movies. A has-been horror director who still has followers because of his early "hits" like I'll Take the Ring Back and the Finger Too, is directing his latest project, Brutal Massacre. Lo and behold! A documentary is being made at the same time. Not only is the script of Brutal Massacre iffy but the crew and cast are IFFY. This is funny and silly and topical, a perfect movie for covid lockdown here in 2020.
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kairingler7 April 2009This one will take some getting used to,, first off this is a movie about the making of a movie. it pokes fun at all of the processes that go into making a movie,, like yhou got to deal with whiney cranky actors, missing props, bad hair days,, you name it,, well this fellow Harry the director seems to be cursed from day one,, he even ends up with a dead crew memeber,, get's slapped for touching a girl's breasts, to name a few,, this one does start out extremely slow,, so i would say the first 25 mins were painful to watch,, but low and behold the movie does get interesting and you actually start to care about the characters and wshat happens to them,, so i think that the movie did a fine job salvaging itself from middle all the way to the end.. so not bad,, if you want sometning to laugh at , and poke fun at.
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hanyzzek20 July 2008I saw this movie a few days ago... what the hell was that?
I like movies with Brian O'Halloran, they are funny and enjoyable. When I saw a name of this title and genre I thought great, this one could be really good... some parody for slashers or another gore movies... but.. then i read a preview and thought right it could be good anyway... but it wasn't...
my opinion: if like movies they look little bit like documentary, with little bit of comedy try some Moore's movies or Alien autopsy, they are really about something. this one was empty.
and put A comedy to title... no comment... really bad joke -
Amadio23 May 2018Well, a 'comedy horror' film really can go one of two ways; either down the pan, or just sit on the edge of the pan. Surprisingly, I found myself laughing, and then laughing some more. Shot in mockumentary style, BM follows the travails of director and crew in the shooting of yet another horror film by a failed director. The acting is tight, the shots well put together, and the laughs keep coming. For what it is, it's pretty good. if it weren't a spoof, it would be cringeworthy, as a spoof, it is well made, and funny!
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B-GradeFan1 August 2008I really wanted to like this movie and watched all the way through thinking it had to get better. Don't get me wrong, it's not the worst flick ever but it never lives up to it's potential. The premise is good, the cast is great (I was especially pumped to witness the return of David Naughton) and, God love 'em, you can tell everyone tried their best. It just falls short over and over again. "Brutal Massacre" should serve as a constant reminder to filmmakers that only Christopher Guest can do Christopher Guest movies and, despite the fact he makes it look easy, you should probably just forget trying to do the same. Naughton and Brian O'Halloran are fantastic in this and they should be seen more often...they are the reason this gets 4 stars from me. If you're going to have the "Spinal Tap" of horror I suspect you might want the guy who made "Spinal Tap" to helm it...just thinking out loud there.
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truste_997 March 2014Most movies I've seen about making a movie aren't very good, but this one bucks the system. It's about a director who created one hit movie. After a series of bad movies he is basically given one more chance to create a movie that people want to watch. He and his film crew head to a small town to film his latest movie.
The director is just awful. He hires a cast of kooky film makers and actors. Everything that could possible go wrong while making a movie goes wrong in this movie. The acting is good. The characters are completely clueless.
It's a low budget movie, but is still well done. I barely even noticed the lack of big effects. I just came across this movie and didn't think much of it, but after watching it, I am very glad that I did. -
joemamaohio19 July 2008"Brutal Massacre" is a 'mockumentary' about horror film director Harry, who is seeking to find another hit movie. Documentarians follow him and his crew around as he prepares to make the movie that will bring him back into the spotlight - "Brutal Massacre." In a comedy of errors, anything that could go wrong with the shoot does, with hilarious consequences. What I enjoyed the most about this film is that it's not afraid to make fun of itself, or the genre it represents (the 'importance' of nudity, the 'twist' ending, etc.). It also shows the real life situation about making a movie. It looks so easy when we, as viewers, watch a finished film, but sometimes we take for granted how hard people have to work behind the scenes to make the movie seem flawless.
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Alright, so I've been dying to see this movie. Stoked about the, "who's who" in horror land that are in the film....well, my friend rented this, brought it over, and we started watching it. It's supposed to be a comedy....I did not smirk even ONCE, until the 40min mark.
Does it have to do with the budget? Not at all, in fact, there's films out there that cost CLOSE TO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, and they're amazing (to me anyways). Also, while watching this film, I couldn't help but realize the similarities (i.e., STEALING) to a low budget indie film titled, "ACTRESS APOCALYPSE", read my review about it (it DESTROYS this film BTW).
This film...it had potential it really did. It had the "star power", stolen plot (lets film the behind the scenes of the making of a movie...IE..."ACTRESS APOCALYPSE"....seriously, this angers me the more and more I think about),...it really could've been funny. A LOT, A LOT of the jokes fall flat. The acting is alright for what it is. But it dragged on, wasn't funny, and the plot was totally stolen.
I give this a two, because it wasn't SOOO AWFUL, but that's the ONLY reason. -
patrip7830 December 2009First off, I have to say this film was genius! So many great lines, so many funny scenes. I watched the film over and over and keep catching new things. This is the Spinal Tap of horror films! Any low budget horror filmmakers can connect to this film on so many levels. At first I didn't think that putting B-horror actors in a comedy would work, but Mena made it work perfectly and I think it worked because I'm sure all the actors have been in the same situations at some point in their film careers. Who would ever think that Leatherface, Gunnar Hansen, could pull off comedy. That's all I'm saying. "I was in the Nam P***y Fart". If you want to see the funny side of making a horror flick, this movie is a must see!!! God Bless Penderecki!!! I can't wait to see more of his films.
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mail-324718 July 2008I had really great time watching this film and several times laughed aloud. Actors were charming, and direction is done very light handedly. I wasn't too crazy about the reality TV style of shooting, but one can get used to it and just enjoy two suicides and one murder of the Director (that was my spoiler). The happy ending felt a little forced, but you gotta have one in a comedy!
I can describe this film like something in between "Living In Oblivion" (but not so much tongue-in-cheek) and "Lost in La Mancha" (but way funnier).
In general: great comedy, you will enjoy it, especially if you are a filmmaker. If you are not well, how should I know? -
production-16920 August 2008I really enjoyed this film and found it absolutely hilarious. All of the characters were unique and believable especially David Naughton. David is simply wonderful and even a bit charming as filmmaker Harry Penderecki. I found Brutal Massacre to be very quirky and clever and it actually had me laughing out loud several times. If you are in the mood for something a little different, light hearted, and comical... Brutal Massacre just may be your cup of tea. And if you are a fan of horror, this one is a no-brainer...just get it! This may very well be one of the best genre casts assembled in the past decade. See it, See it, See it!!!
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poe42615 February 2009It's funny, when you stop and think about it: fright film fans tend to a deep and abiding affection toward those who scare the daylights out of them. THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE may give us nightmares, but who among us (the Faithful) didn't feel a very real twinge of love for Gunnar Hansen in BRUTAL MASSACRE- or for Ken Foree, forever and ever the resolute hero of the original DAWN OF THE DEAD? His cameo in the remake made me want to stand up and cheer (as did Tom Savini's cameo); I kid you not. And Brian Halloran and... Well, you get my drift (if not, just stand downwind...). These are some of the Heroes of Horror. To see this many of them gathered together in a single movie is almost unheard of (at least to this degree, to my knowledge). If only the writer(s) had been up to such a monumental task. Maybe someone else, somewhere along the line, will try again. As long as it's not another half-hearted effort (like BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD, for instance).
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scythertitus12 May 2016I want to recommend this movie, the cast have been in some great movies and someone clearly laboured over the script. But in the end it just doesn't deliver enough in any department to truly be all that likable.
The story is about the making of a horror movie and the crew have some problems...That is it. This is the opposite of Smothered, a horror movie starring horror icons where there is no clear direction. Here it is all about the director, but the character work is lacking. Both are trying to explore and satirise aspects of the horror film industry, however in this case the film contains no actual horror but is a straight comedy. While the 'A Comedy' is in the title it is still surprising that a film where the main title is 'Brutal Massacre', there is no horror whatsoever. I was sitting there expecting some kind of horror shenanigans to materialise, but they never do. It's like going into Gareth Edwards' Monsters and not knowing it is a slow art piece more about aesthetics than actual monster mayhem, it makes it hard to enjoy the movie for what it is.
So to be clear, this is a straight mockumentary comedy about low budget horror. It has some good ideas and some kind of funny moments and observations but overall falls flat since most of these are either obvious or have already been done. What's more you never really care about any of the characters all that much and that hurts this film even more than had it been a straight horror, at least in that case there would have been cool deaths to enjoy. There is just too little to root for or care about, and the jokes aren't funny enough to make up for that. It is a 'meh' all-round unfortunately. -
tclark5527 August 2020This film is very clever and funny. Most of the low ratings come from the fact that the reviewers thought it was going to be a low-budget horror film. It is not: it is a fake-documentary about the making of a low-budget horror film.
It reminded me of The Office in some respects (aside from the fact it was filmed (Allentown, PA) not far from where The Office supposedly took place (Scranton, PA). Some of the humor is slapstick, some situational, and some subtle. For example, when David Naughton's director character talks about how Scorcese had problems making Apocalypse Now (it was Coppola) he reminded me of Michael Scott's attempts to appear knowledgeable on The Office.
Of course, The Office did not have the fake gore or nudity this has. -
llscheppink30 August 2008When I read about this movie, I had a feeling I would want to see it. Reading a few negative reviews on this site made me wary, but then again, it never stopped me before.
After watching the movie twice, I can safely say I have no idea where the negative reviews came from. Of course, tastes differ, but this really is an underestimated movie.
We meet director Harry Penderecki (David Naughton), who's struggling to keep alive in the movie industry. After some time of absence, he wants to come back with a major horror movie hit. Of course, things do not go as planned. The bad karma Harry is convinced plagued him throughout his career seems to ruin his last real chance of making a major horror hit.
This movie gives the audience a humoristic view on the set of a B-slasher movie. The acting is good enough, the story is pretty simple, but therein lies part of the strength of the movie. The (often subtle) humour is great, although you have to be a fan of that. Of course, this isn't an all out 'falling of the seat' laughter movie (which I usually do not enjoy) but it has some superb moments.
With a well picked out cast, including Gerry Bednob (known from the 40 year old virgin) as the hilarious camera man Hanu Vindepesh.
Seriously, give the movie a chance, you'll like it. -
ianbonner651 November 2020This film is enjoyable on many different levels, especially for those who have been on a film set. Filmmaking is full of so many trials and tribulations. A must-see.
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I loved this movie! The characters are so enjoyable and it was great to see everyone cast against type. For example, Gunnar Hansen (the original LEATHERFACE) appears as a foul mouthed Vietnam vet and the role of the grip in the film belongs to Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead). It was also fun to see Gerry Bednob from The 40 Year Old Virgin hamming it up with some hilarious one-liners.
This movie had several laugh at loud moments for me, the Retirement Home bit especially. Oh, and you've got to see how Harry's movie ends! Very funny. And lastly, being a big fan of Evil Dead, it was fun to see Ellen, Betsy, and Theresa together again. This is indeed a real treat for horror fans. If you aren't a fan of horror, I can't speak for you, but I feel Brutal Massacre would be a good time for anyone. -
Movie is hilarious. In the same vein as Spinal Tap only for horror movie fans. Will likely become a cult classic. Apparently through word of mouth as it is not easy to find in stores. That in itself is a joke. Really a must see. Gunnar Hansen of Texas Chainsaw fame plays a total slob. Who knew Leatherface could be funny? All star cast for horror fans. stars of Evil Dead, American Werewolf, and Dawn of the Dead to name a few. Also appearing is Dante from Clerks fame. Whats even funnier is that some of the scenarios are based on real events which took place during the making of another horror movie. The director lists Malevolence on his list of credits. It would be funny to think that this was based on making it.
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blondezilla200014 August 2008I really enjoyed this film. I thought it was good, light hearted, fun, movie watching. Weather you're in the film biz or not, there is no way you wouldn't laugh at the zany characterizations of the movie industry. The Indian director of Photography in the film was HYSTERICAL!!! And it was great to see Gunnar Hansen doing comedy, which I thought he was great at. I brought my husband along to the a screening of this and he is notorious for falling asleep during low budget films, not only did he stay awake but really enjoyed it as well! I would recommend this film to anyone who is into the horror genre, because of all the cool cameos. But also anyone who is a fan of the type of movie David Guests makes. I found it delightful!
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Abrc2218 August 2008There is way too much hating going on for this film. People are making it sound like this is horrible, and it's not. This film is not start to finish LOL funny, but it is funny, and there are definitely LOL moments.
All around it's a really good, funny film.
Without a doubt a must see for any fan of B-Movies, Horror Movies - or any fan of funny films for that matter. The cast is hilarious, from original Leatherface Gunner Hansen, to 40 Year old Virgin Gerry Bednob, to Clerks Brian O'Halloran.
Check it out! Truly a really good indie film. -
Photoshop_Kid8 July 2009A friend of mine showed me this movie over vacation. We have worked in films together in the past. He told me that anyone who is a filmmaker or is currently working in independent films needs to see this movie.
Now a lot of people don't think this movie is funny because they will never get the jokes, unless they have worked in low budget films before. I have worked on a couple of nightmare projects myself and almost everything this film jokes about has either happened to me, or, on and off the film set to the rest of the crew. So far we haven't had anyone die on the set yet. This film is so close to the truth of what it is like to work on low budget films. The only people who will find this movie funny is filmmakers. It's just like Spinal Tap for filmmakers. -
texaschainx19 October 2008as a Gunner Hanson fan (check the name) i had to see this movie, what Gunner Hanson fan wouldn't?. When i went to see him at the horror convention he told me about the movie and i said i would check it out.(Gunner Hanson don't lie)so when he said it was good i believed him! Gunner was good in the movie and so was everyone else , just when i was watching i realized that it had the feel of a old wedding video(boring plot and knowing how it unfolds), slow , calm , in no rush to develop a point , damn Gunner u tricked me. I gave it a nine though because i love Gunner (just don't tell him it deserves a 4)or he could kill everyone in the world all at once.