In 2005, feature film SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN was distributed through Think Film on DVD. Largely misunderstood, SLAUGHTERHOUSE was ill-received – but the film was never meant to e taken out of context, nor was it meant to be taken seriously. Pictured is the original cover art for the movie, along with, the cover art that was released after distribution. Although the following reviewer has strong feelings about GRINDHOUSE, below is an excerpt from one reviewer that best describes the purpose of SLAUGHTERHOUSE, and the confusion that has followed its release:
Writer/Director D.C. Mann channeled his obsession with cult horror films from the 1960s and 70s with this cryptic thriller. Revisiting the gory themes of those early works, SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN works hard to recreate a decidedly 70s cinematic feel. Set in 1971, the film revolves around Jennifer, an actress put into a mental institution after several psychotic episodes run her off the set of her latest film. Following her release, Jennifer finds herself alone in the desert wandering desperately until a strange group of stragglers pick her up on hte road. After making Jennifer part of their bizarre “family”, the eccentric individuals travel to an abandoned house that is rumored to be cursed.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE was picked up by the prestigious art house distributor Think Films in 2005 to little/no fanfare. Having the same problems that the marketing people at The Weinstein Co. did for “Grindhouse” several years later, SLAUGHTERHOUSE was victim to the marketing folks at Think not wanting to market it 70’s-style like the way “Grindhouse” and “Black Snake Moan” did a few years later — as neo-retro-exploitation films. Instead, they marketed “Slaughterhouse…” like a slasher/”Saw” type film which it is far from being. This mislead many people who were expecting super-gore and were either disappointed, upset or felt cheated when they saw the film which is a funky, stylized film that most people actually thought was shot in the early 70’s and ThinkFilms slapped on some modern gory cover art which gave people different expectations. This film is far from a gore/fright fest. The filmmakers set out to emulate exactly all those creepy late 60’s pre-disco/post-Vietnam psychedelic horror films (that are now pretty disturbing in their “laugh-ability factor” such as; “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” (an obscure classic that Paramount just released after being out-of-print for 20 years), “Last House on the Left”, Russ Meyer films and countless stoner horror exploitation films.
The thing about SLAUGHTERHOUSE is that it fully commits to being a film from that time. So give “Slaughterhouse of the Rising Sun” a chance. Don’t take it seriously and don’t expect to be scared. It’s a film that is a stoner art house film that is tries to be unintentionally funny (such as those films it pays homage to) with the actors at times taking themselves too seriously (on purpose) such as the Manson-esque villain Damon Grey. The tough chicks (Violence Onelove and Guilty Karma) are right out of an number of Russ Meyer flicks (and the Bambi/Thumper sequence in “Diamonds are Forever), a great synth score (similar music cues show up in “Planet Terror”) and the cheesy America/Bread-esque title song, Illuminated
Tags: Review, Slaughterhouse
