Mother's Day (remake)

[tazber]

Posted: 9/1/12 at 10:30pm

Just caught this one.

Based on a Troma film and directed by Darren Lynn Bousmann I had very low expectations.

But it was a tight thriller, and Rebecca DeMornay hams it up brilliantly. Worth seeing just for her.

Rebecca, where have you been? You should be a genre icon by now based on this performance!

Bousman shows uncharacteristic restraint styling a film more about tension than gore. And he largely succeeds. When I literally clap as various characters get their comeuppance I know I'm enjoying a movie.

When those characters are the bad guys and not some brain dead teenager "protagonists", I really know I'm having fun.

There's a third act twist that will have you throwing your popcorn at the screen, but it doesn't ruin the overall movie one bit.

Anyone else see it?

Btw, other than the central premise of a psycho mother and her equally deranged kids it has nothing in common with the original. A completely new story (thank god).

....but the world goes 'round

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/1/12 at 11:06pm

I've seen the original, I'd be curious to compare. It seems odd to me that all of these barely remembered late 70s and early 80s movies--primarily slashers--have been remade, often with no similarity to the original. Surely the title rights alone cost some money... Has the remake of the brilliantly wanko Happy Birthday To Me (by the director of Cape Fear!) come out yet?

[tazber]

Posted: 9/2/12 at 12:06am

Troma was one of the producers of this remake. It was one of Troma's earliest films, and was another variation of the rape/revenge exploitation flicks that were so popular on the grindhouse circuit back then.

Fortunately the remake is a completely different movie. It's more of a home invasion type thriller. There is no sex (!!!) and the victims are actually adults playing adults, not adults playing teens.

The Happy Birthday to Me remake was just an awful cash grab by the studio. I am very fond of the original, but the straight to video remake was easily worse than any Asylum/SyFy monster mash.

For those of us on here who love our horror, I really recommend Mother's Day (2011). Although, like I said it's more "thriller" than "horror".