Unhinged (1982) User Reviews

Should Be Unwatchable, But...

[davidkennedy-91087 · 6/10 · 4 July 2019]

Unhinged didn't exactly show up with the highest of expectations. It hailed from a lousy looking (but cheap) multi-DVD set featuring a bunch of other unknown horror films (many of which were, indeed, awful), so I wasn't expecting much. As the film started, my fears seemed well founded for about 5 or 10 minutes as we're introduced to our three leads and watch them get ready and drive to a concert. They end up hitting a log and wrecking their car. They come to and that's when Unhinged starts heating up.

Unfortunately for them, they've been "saved" by a creepy spinster (who's a dead ringer for Miss Jane Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies) and her man-hating mother. From here on out, it becomes obvious that there's someone else in the house with them and they're really into casual voyeurism, heavy breathing, and chopping up women with a scythe.

Unhinged won't be winning any awards anytime soon, but there are some moments that are bizarrely effective and unnerving. The music score is appropriately spooky and the main mansion location is dripping with atmosphere and potential threats around every corner. It's hard to tell since the version I watched looked like a VHS master of some sort, but some of the cinematography isn't half bad, either.

On the other hand, the acting is either eye rollingly inept or overcooked community theatre level. Still, they're not exactly required to recite the works of Tennessee Williams, so they mostly get by ok.

Unhinged might just be worth your time if you're a non-picky horror or slasher fan.

Amateur But Atmospheric Slasher.

[drownsoda90 · 6/10 · 2 July 2006]

I happened to pick up the "uncut, uncensored" DVD version of "Unhinged", a film I had never heard of before, but since it was only $6.99, I decided to give it a try. And I actually think it was a little better than I had expected it to be. The story is about three college-aged girls who crash their car in the woods on their way to a jazz festival. They awake in a large, dark mansion that belongs to a woman and her mother. One of the girls is badly injured, but the other two are alright, so they join the woman and her crazy, man-hating mother for dinner. The mother rambles on about how she believes her daughter is sneaking men into the house under her nose, and while we are thought to believe she's crazy, there does seem to be a man lurking around the mansion late at night. The girls then begin to die one by one, before the film reaches it's twist-ending climax.

To start off, the acting in this film was horrible. I mean, really, really bad. The dialog was cheap, and the actors didn't make it any more convincing. There was a load of nudity, which serves the purpose to please it's male audience, and the gore (when it happens) was fairly nasty (although not violent enough to get this film 'banned', as it was), besides the cheap effects that were used. So, does it sound like I hated this movie? Well, I didn't. I liked the atmosphere the movie gave off, it reminded me a little of "Suspiria", although this film is nothing close to "Suspiria" in terms of quality. As for the writing though, I thought the premise was solid. The idea has been done many times, but there were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. Plus, the twist ending is one heck of a twist, that came completely out of nowhere. I have to applaud this film for that.

I found it interesting when I learned the movie was filmed at the Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon, the city I was born in as well. Strangely enough, I've been to the Pittock Mansion before (it is now open to the public as a historical site), and I recognized some of the areas used in the film. Apparently all of the actors and filmmakers were Oregonians, and I don't think any of them went on to do any major projects after this. And it makes sense, because this really isn't a top-notch movie - it's a very low budget, B-movie.

To sum it up, "Unhinged" is a low-budget video nasty, and while it's not completely horrible, it's far from great. I think if some of the characters were a tad more developed, and there was some better acting, this could have been much more improved. Although, I do tend to have a soft-spot for cheesy 80's slashers of this type. But if you can look past the bad acting and all of the shortcomings (mainly due to the film's low budget and whatnot), there was a solid attempt at something good here. It may be amateurish, but it was a step in the right direction. 6/10.

pchycological thriller worth a look

[lthseldy1 · 4/10 · 30 December 2005]

This movie should be along with the cult classics, it's a pchycological thriller involving a demented mother and her daughter and somewhere during the movie a mentally disabled son. A group of girls are caught during a storm when their car wrecks and are soon brought to a house of the old lady and her daughter and soon discover their strange relationship. This movie is so full of curved balls you can't figure out just who the killer is in this movie that leads to the end of the travelers lives. One thing that was not explained was the weird way the old lady acted during the dinner table staring at silver salt and pepper shakers or whatever they were, which was one of the many strange things she did. There were a few strange scenes in the movie; why would somebody just sit in front of a piano and listen to this loony toon play the piano playing checkers? But it's all worth the watch as the end climaxes and the whole movie just throws me for a loop. Well worth a watch if you like strange, spooky thunderstorm type movies.

Superior slasher film once banned in Britain

[lazarillo · 28 February 2005]

Three girls on the way to a concert crash their car in a rainstorm on a desolate country road. They wake up in the house of a very homely but apparently kindly young spinster. At dinner they meet her invalid mother who has a pathological hatred of men (after her late husband was caught molesting a young girl) and is convinced that her daughter is secretly carrying on under her nose with various men in the deserted house. The old lady seems crazy, but the guests soon realize that there does seem to be a strange man lurking around. . .

Ironically, this movie has become well-known because it was once considered a "video nasty" and banned for many years in Britain even though it has only three (admittedly very violent) killings, which has to be some kind of record for these type of films. It is actually one of the few post-"Friday the 13th" slasher movies that is more interested in creating an eerie atmosphere and truly intriguing mystery than in racking up a high body count of hapless teenagers. It is also sometimes compared to the original "Sleepaway Camp" (which I personally consider the nadir of the slasher flick if not the horror genre and cinema in general) largely on the basis of its similar ending. But where the "surprise" ending in "Sleepaway Camp" comes out of nowhere, the ending here fits in perfectly with the creepy plot. And where the ending in "Sleepaway Camp" was a blatant cheat created by ludicrous special effects (the naked body of an older man pasted onto what is obviously a barely pubescent teenage girl)this movie will genuinely fool you.

It is admittedly a pretty amateurish film. The acting is awful, especially the actresses playing the stranded teens (but they stop and take a shower every half hour or so, so you kind of forgive them). And its low budget in a way adds to its spunky indie charm. At any rate, it's miles above "Sleepaway Camp" or many of its fellow 80's slashers ("Bloody Moon", "The Dorm that Dripped Blood") that are famous now for no other reason than having once been banned in Britain. Definitely check it out.

Unique To Say The Least

[janeannafoote · 5/10 · 18 October 2020]

What starts out as your average old dark house movie picks up its dragging feet towards the end and delivers a whopper of a finale. It's not a very good movie - some of the actors appear to be in danger of falling asleep mid-line reading, the pacing is uneven, and some of the scenes are lit so dark that you have to imagine what's actually going on, but when Unhinged rises to the occasion, it can be very effective.

Lo-Fi Slasher

[kevinfbarker · 5/10 · 21 October 2020]

Unhinged might be a bad movie in most traditional ways. The acting varies from overenthusiastic community theatre level to appearing like they were just given strong hospital grade sedatives and it's not the most action packed script in the world with only 2 or 3 major murder scenes. That said, there's a lot to enjoy about Unhinged including an unforgettable ending and some good moody moments.

Good Atmosphere, Rotten Script

[briandwillis-83825 · 5/10 · 5 January 2021]

After crashing their car on the way to a rock concert, three young woman wake up in a spooky mansion where a repressed spinster and her unstable mother live. There's also a bloodthirsty killer who doesn't want the girls there.

Unhinged is a mostly unremarkable series of slasher and old dark house movie cliches, but I'd be lying if I were to say some moments don't possess some sort of lo-fi eeriness. It's not a poorly shot film, there's some rain drenched atmosphere, a few nasty murders, and one truly insane final twist. That's more than you can say for a lot of movies. If it weren't for the mostly pedestrian script and wooden acting, Unhinged might really be something special.

A Slow And Atmospheric Mystery Thriller

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 7/10 · 2 June 2017]

It's the story which makes this a little gem of a film. Three college students are on their way to a concert when they take a wrong turn and crash the car due to bad weather. Luckily for them, a handyman finds them and takes them to a nearby house where he does odd jobs. The doctor authorises them to stay in the house for a few days to rest, especially since one of them has a suspected concussion. However, things are not so black and white in the house. The relationship between Mother and Daughter is strained, due to the Mother's opinion on men. Is there someone else in the house? Are they watching the girls?

The writers Reagan Ramsey and Don Gronquist (who also directed) do a great job in building the story slowly creating an uneasiness and unsureness about the house and its occupants. You're never quite sure what is really going on or who is behind it. Gronquist does an okay job when he dons his directorial hat, though the pace is a little slow, even in exciting moments, and there are times when more action or drama is required so as not to bore the viewers. It would have been a little better if Gronquist could have injected a bit more tension and eeriness into the film and the surroundings.

The lead role, Terry Morgan (played by Laural Munson), is a little wooden and sometimes the pauses in her conversations is a little too long so that you think she could be reading off of cards. The best actress by far is Virginia Settle who portrays the bitter and twisted matriarch, Mrs Penrose; she gives a strong and believable depiction and helps to make this film better.

The other thing which makes this movie one to watch is the twist at the climax, you know roughly what's coming though Ramsey and Gronquist add an extra twist to throw the viewer slightly off the mark. This is a film worth watching at least once, especially if you like mysteries and thrillers as this ticks the boxes, though you will need to like the slow and less action-packed style.

This one should have stayed lost in the 80's!

[RazorFriendly2 · 3/10 · 26 January 2009]

I bought Unhinged because I got suckered by the gory picture on the cover. If you want to see all the good parts of the movie just look on the back of the box. All the kills are shown and I can honestly tell you that they look much better in the still frames than they do in the movie.

Having said that, let's look at the plot. A group of college girls driving to a rock concert (by way of the deep, dark woods in one of the longest driving sequences ever captured on celluloid) slide off the road. No visible damage is done to the car but apparently it was enough to put one of the characters in a comatose state for the rest of the film (or perhaps she read the script and was already in a coma before filming began).

The two remaining girls wake up in a big, isolated house. The house, by the way, is fabulous and manages more drama just by its presence than any of the actors in the film. For some reason, though, this house has no roads going to it. The only way you can get to the main road is by hiking five miles through the woods. The girls spend the rest of Unhinged sitting around listening to weird conversations between an old rich bitch (who looks like George Washington in drag) and her equally homely, sexually repressed daughter. The girls apparently were in no hurry to get back from that concert anyway being that they packed more clothes than the cast of Gilligan's Island for that three hour tour.

By the time we, the viewers, get to the kill scenes, we no longer care. We wish that someone would kill us just to end our suffering . Unhinged finally wraps up with a quite shocking ending that deserved to be in a much better film. It's almost as though the ending, the one good idea in the film, was written first and then the writers tried to make a movie leading up to it.

Unhinged is ultimately a boring film with bad acting, inept directing, and a plot with more holes than a leper in a porno film (sorry. I'm not sure where that came from). You will get an idea of how bad this movie is during the opening credits when, for some reason that is never explained, the screen goes black for about two minutes while the characters talk about nothing worth remembering. Don't waste your time. You'll just feel Unhinged and want your time and money back.

Dumb Fun

[amandagellar-31077 · 6/10 · 7 April 2019]

Unhinged doesn't seem to have much going for it. The acting is amateurish (to say the least), the pacing can be a bit plodding, and there's a body count of about 3. However, there's something about this movie that helps it stand out from some of the other slashers of the time.

The plot of Unhinged is paper thin. Three monotone, mouth breathing young women are headed to a concert when their car breaks down. They wake up and find themselves in a strange mansion, being taken care of by an odd middle aged woman and her elderly mother who seems to hate men. Also, there's a heavy breathing maniac on the loose and...well, you can probably tell where the rest of this is going.

As I said, the acting is more wooden than the forest surrounding the film's main location, but it's almost endearingly awful. Surprisingly, there actually is a little mood and atmosphere to spare and that goes a long way in keeping the viewer engaged while there isn't much of anything going on.

There's an almost giallo flair to a lot of the stalking/murder scenes which is appreciated and the synth score isn't half bad. Unhinged even manages to pull off a pretty creepy twist ending that will stick with you.

Perhaps with a little recasting and a tighter, more interesting script, Unhinged could have been a minor slasher classic. As is, it's a flawed, but entertaining piece of low budget horror filmmaking.

Starts off somewhat promisingly, but in the end it's just bizarre.

[TOMNEL · 3/10 · 14 September 2009]

Twist endings can be really cool in a movie. It's especially interesting when the twist is right in front of our eyes, but we just don't pay attention. Those type of twist endings are the one's that make people think. Then we've got twists like this film has. Twists that, whether or not you pay attention, you have no clue what's going to happen. When they reveal this kind of random twist, instead of shock, it's somewhat a dumbfounded reaction. This film starts off like it's going to be an interesting take on horror, but after about 20 minutes, it's nothing but boring dialogue and a stupid twist.

Three young women are going to a concert, so they get lost traveling through the woods, and hit a tree trunk. They end up at some old creepy lady's house, who hates men, and they are greeted by her homely daughter Marion (Laurel Munson). Strange goings on happen as these girls stay at this house for several days instead of trying to leave or get home, and the suspense progresses into a dumb slasher.

This film is too caught up in it's dialogue, and it's always between only a few characters. We have the main three girls, the creepy spinster and the old lady, and conversation of any importance does not go beyond these five. To make matters worse, they never have anything interesting to say. It's actually quite maddening sitting through their conversations. We want to know what's going on, and instead they just talk and talk and talk (about nothing).

Plot holes are abundant here. The house these girls stay at when they get in their car accident is apparently three miles from anywhere...wow, three miles! A two hour or less walk will kill them. Why didn't they get a ride with the worker for this household who was driving into town? Did he have a one seater? How come these girls never question leaving and just willingly stay, rarely even checking up on each other? Why did this have to have so many dumb twists? Maybe the answers are in the boring script.

Having a slasher film with five characters is really a bad idea. It's not thrilling, it's not scary, and the ending is definitely out there, but undoubtedly dumb.

My rating: * 1/2 out of ****. 79 mins. R for nudity and violence.

Underrated video nasty.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 3 November 2015]

Three young girls set off for a concert, and have to look for shelter.

I have to begin by commenting on the acting, it is rather woeful, the trio of girls in particular are somewhat off with their performances. Janet Penner was surprisingly fun to watch as Marion.

The film is definitely a low budget horror, but the success lays in the fact they managed to create a level of atmosphere that's sometimes lacking in many horror films. The climax is particularly shocking, it's brutal and seemed to come out of nowhere, I wonder if it had something to do with the film's banning in the UK?

So it's full of clichés, it has a very clunky score, but it is hugely watchable, full of shocks. If you haven't seen it and you like slasher/b-movie horrors I would whole heartedly recommend a viewing. 8/10.

Odd, surprisingly creepy 80s slasher.

[DesperateHouseboy · 6/10 · 5 March 2012]

This movie seems to be most known for being apart of the 'Video Nasties' list during the 1980's. Its about three girls who end up crashing their car on the way to a concert, and end up in a huge mansion with a creepy woman, and her elderly wheelchair bound mother. The acting isn't the best, but what do you expect from an 80s slasher film right? And it can be kind of slow in parts, but on the plus side, the murders are well done, (especially for such a low budget movie), the music is eery, and the ending is quite shocking! I'd definitely recommend it to slasher fans to check out.

The only thing that puzzles me, is why it made it onto the video nasties list in the first place. While there's a decent amount of blood for the killings, there was much bloodier movies out there, and with that said, I can see why some people don't like this movie, and felt let down, by what this movie suggests. Still though, if your an 80s horror/slasher fan, pop this one in, and give it a try. Its not the best out there, but its decent, and surprisingly creepy, which a lot of 80s slashers lack. You could do a lot worse!

Underrated Slasher Flick

[acidburn-10 · 5/10 · 1 May 2007]

The Plot Three teenage girls are on their way to a concert when they crash with their car. They wake up in a big mansion where a woman and her crippled mother lives, far away from any civilization. It soon becomes more and more obvious to the girls that not everything is as it should be, but will they be able to get out of the house before it's too late.

I actually ended up liking this movie, it's not your typical Slasher movie, in fact, even though the body count is quite low and the action doesn't quite kick until the final ten minutes, I was constantly glued to my TV screen watching as it kept me intrigued through the whole thing especially the strange bond between the mother and daughter living there.

This movie may not be very gory but it's so much more than just a teenage slasher movie this actually has an interesting story to it, the best thing about Unhinged is the surprise twist ending. I'm usually great at predicting how horror movies - especially slashers, end, but this time I was just blown away.

The three girls in this movie are all very attractive especially the lead heroine Terry played by the gorgeous Laurel Munson, pity they can't act, Janet Penner who played the daughter Marion Penrose who was kind hearted and was clearly the most interesting character in the movie and the cruel hateful mother played by Virginina Settle was just odd and what's with that weird trance thing with the 2 metal cups.

All in all Unhinged is more of a psycho drama than a gory slasher flick which was still entertaining, and plus watch out for the shock ending.

Truly a startling ending.

[horns-1 · 8 July 2003]

Unhinged is a movie that'll likely endear itself to me the more times I see it. I will say that without the ghastly end scene this one would've been cast into the inky black void of the forgotten. There are films, especially in the horror genre, that are buzzed to have twist endings, powerful surprise endings that shock and have never been encountered, well, in regards to Unhinged that's almost the truth. While the idea/situation/plot may not be entirely underived (having an essence of Hitchcock's Psycho, for example), the film's progression shrewdly shrouds the climax. Being the seasoned, desensitized horror fan that I am, even I sat up captivated, feeling a bit unnerved as I watched the last scenes unfold. I can't say many splatter flicks have that effect on me. The killing was extended, which made it all the more uncomfortable and startling to watch, yet is exactly what many horror films lack. To compare Unhinged to Sleepaway Camp (1983) would not be entirely wrong (with slight similarities in the plot), but instead unfair, as this film was the first made of the two (1982). I find it laughable sometimes when I run across reviewers who state that the film they've watched was same old same old, nothing new when they're reviewing a horror movie from the '70s or early '80s.

Despite all the stalely delivered dialogue, Unhinged is a good horror film. On the DVD release I have, in "special features", there's a TV interview with the director, Don Gronquist, and one of the actresses who I felt gave the best performance. Mr. Gronquist is one of the worst speakers I've ever listened to. I wonder what he's like on the set. `Sp-p-p-p-p-p-it it out, junior!' Anyway, if you're a fan of '70s and '80s slasher films you must see Unhinged.

Sleepy Psycho Rip Off

[garyrogers-67484 · 5/10 · 11 December 2021]

Three dull as can be concert goers break down and wake up in the home of a weird spinster and her domineering mother. There's also some creepy, heavy breathing man who watches everyone undress and might also be a killer.

The filmmakers of Unhinged might know much about picking decent actors, but they sure can pick great locations. The main location of the film gives Unhinged a lot more production value and mood that it deserves. It does have an interesting, if possibly offensive, twist in the film's final minutes.

Horrible But Endearing

[eyecandyforu · 2/10 · 6 June 2008]

Unhinged follows the typical plot of the early 80's slasher trend. Pretty Young Girls In Peril. I have to give it up for the filmmaker who used a helicopter for some of the early road-trip shots, you actually think for a second there's going to be quality in the production. Watching "Unhinged" was like seeing an amateur acting class go through it's warm-up. Some of the most awkward, badly lit, overlong scenes are played out with the gusto of a Valium overdose. I wondered why they didn't just put the cue-cards on camera so the actresses wouldn't have to constantly shift their gaze. The two main girls were obviously chosen for their T&A factor rather than talent. Laurel Munson as the main chick Terry is as exciting as watching paint dry. Two nude scenes make for an adolescent thrill. Janet Penner and Virginia Settle as the crazy/creepy daughter and mother the chicks find themselves stranded with compete for Worst Acting Ever. Long pauses, weird expressions, emphasis on the wrong word, it's all there and is a delight for those of us out there who love bad films. The scenes shift suddenly with long black-outs you could drive a Mack truck through. Cartoon lightning crashes across shots without even bothering to show the sky. Eighties eyeshadow assaults the viewer. But ya know, it grew on me. I felt sorry for it. I wanted to hug it, kiss it's boo-boos and make it better. The ending doesn't make up for the damage it's caused but I grinned anyway. I have my own theories regarding the whole "banned" hype and hope that anyone who chooses to view this film does so with substantial substance abuse and a sense of humor. Otherwise pass.

What a waste...

[soggycow · 1/10 · 20 August 1999]

When I rented "Unhinged", I was expecting a gore movie. The box even claimed that the movie had extreme scenes of violence that were cut from the theatrical release (I now have serious doubts about this being released in the theater). After finishing the movie, I wondered how it could even receive a video release.

The plot is as follows: A group of three young women on a car trip crash their car into a tree. These women somehow manage to make their way to a mansion, which contains an extremely sexist woman. Beyond this point, the movie is mainly composed of useless scenes that are intended to make the movie long enough for release.

One of the things that makes this movie awful is the acting. Lisa Munson, who plays the main character, looks as though she is reading her lines off cue cards. The others acting is bad, but not nearly as bad as hers. Another thing that makes this movie bad is the camera technique. Many shots are taken by cameras attached to the ceiling. This gets very annoying as the movie progresses. On top of all that, there is very little gore, which makes the box very misleading.

Don't waste your time on this one. My rating: 1 out of 10

A capable thriller that rises above its limitations

[happyendingrocks · 7/10 · 13 April 2011]

With a cast of barely serviceable non-actors and a threadbare budget that presents itself frequently, this largely unseen slasher outing should probably be an absolute mess. However, thanks to excellent direction and a plot that gradually unfolds one layer at a time, Unhinged is actually a thoroughly decent film that emphasizes suspense over splatter and ultimately ends up being a modestly original and highly enjoyable romp.

All of the components of 80's slasher fare are present here, but despite the killer's point-of-view shots and creative uses of sharp implements, it's clear that director Don Gronquist had something different in mind for Unhinged. The body count is notably small, especially for a film that touts its splatter roots on the DVD cover, but as a result the bloodier bits of the movie are played for maximum impact, and end up being rather impressive and gruesome set-pieces. The bulk of the film is devoted to developing the characters and wringing every bit of tension out of the set-up, and in this respect Unhinged stylistically lands much closer to Halloween than Friday the 13th (although please don't take those references as an assertion that this humble affair is anywhere as great as either of those films).

The basic scenario isn't anything earth-shattering: three young girls on a rustic road trip get into a car accident and wake up under the care of seemingly benevolent hosts in a strange house, only to slowly discover that things in the abode aren't as benign as they seem at first. The twist Unhinged throws into the mix is that the kindly samaritans who take the girls in are a homely spinster and her witchy wheelchair-bound mother, both of whom are hiding sinister secrets that come to light as the girls delve deeper into their back-stories.

The film takes its time rolling out each bit of the unsavory truth, and hardcore splatter enthusiasts will probably be disappointed that they won't see a murder until 40 minutes in. The payoff may not be as spectacular as that lengthy sustain seems to promise, but it's still a suitably graphic scene with a grisly punch that comes as a pleasant surprise after such a subdued and lengthy build-up.

The emphasis on character here shouldn't be as engrossing as it is, especially since we're dealing with strictly amateur actors, but the sordid origin tale for the spinster and her overbearing matriarch is grim and unsettling enough to command our attention. While the acting is certainly stilted at times, the performances by both of these twisted matrons are effectively creepy and somehow more realistic because of the limited experience of the actresses. Ditto with our trio of buxom lasses who find themselves entangled in the twisted happenings, none of whom seem to have any idea what acting is, but still give everything they have to their roles and come across as authentic and realistic characters.

The musical score is especially nifty, even if it blatantly apes Goblin at times, and while the soundtrack is clearly the product of a low-budget composer, it ends up being yet another one of the film's examples of how people with good ideas can adeptly deliver above-par work without a huge bankroll.

The last 10 minutes of the film pack in all the gore Unhinged has been saving up, and there are some truly gruesome and fun grand guignol touches as the plot reaches its twisted conclusion. The final reveal is a suitably shocking and unexpected turn, and the savage murder that parallels it is by far the most brutal scene in the film. The accompanying monologue by our outed murderer reaches into absurd heights of silliness, but the sequence as a whole puts a satisfying punctuation mark on this effective and surprisingly solid outing.

I'm a bit skeptical of the "Banned In The U.K.!" label on the promotional materials, however. Other than two blatantly gratuitous scenes of frontal nudity and three murders, there isn't a whole lot in this film to offend the sensibilities of anyone who is even remotely familiar with the crop of splatter films that arrived during the same era as Unhinged (this isn't Make Them Die Slowly by a long-shot). Even if that claim is more than a gimmick, watching the film with that in mind is bound to lead to a let-down for ravenous gore-fiends. The killings in Unhinged are certainly delightfully graphic, but it is the overall dearth of violence in this film that makes those scenes so powerful. Anyone expecting a wall to wall gorefest may not walk away from Unhinged as pleased as I was.

Even if the film doesn't live up to its bold insistence of infamy, there is still plenty about it to recommend. Unhinged may not be the bloodiest movie you've ever seen, but those who don't mind reveling in atmosphere and suspense between bouts of carnage will find a real gem here.

Not the Best

[jamiemiller-07611 · 5/10 · 24 April 2022]

A low budget Oregon production that gets a lot of production value out of its crumbling mansion location, eerie synth score, and rainy atmosphere. Only one of the actors is doing anything noteworthy and it's the not the most exciting or gory slasher you'll see, but when those moments come, they come hard and without warning, making them all the more surprising. A final twist will either make you groan or laugh uproariously.

Better Than Expected

[dperky · 7/10 · 30 March 2019]

When I bought Unhinged in a multi-film DVD set, I expected the worst, but it ended up easily being the best of all the films on that set. It's fairly well shot with attention to atmosphere and mood, the music is creepy and synth-heavy, and there's a crazy final twist I genuinely didn't see coming.

On the downside, the acting is a mixed bag with the two older women being good (if not a bit too theatrical and hammy) and the three younger victims being some of the most wooden, dead-eyed performances I've ever seen in my life. Really, they're terrible. If you're looking for a well acted horror movie, you can definitely do way better than this. Perhaps, if this film had stronger leads, it would be better known.

Given that this is a low budget B-movie, it wears its limitations on its sleeve, but there are a few moments of genuine creepiness and a handful of moments that I haven't been able to get out of my head (and I saw it a few months ago).

Unhinged won't be everyone's cup of tea. The acting, budget, and bloodier scenes will put off the stuffy crowds, but the languid pacing, mood building, and limited body count will probably anger slasher fans. Poor Unhinged was just destined to be one of those movies that a small sect of weirdos like me would enjoy.

The forest may be pretty, but stay out of it!

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 26 June 2023]

Schlocky fun all the way, this cheap slasher film may be poorly acted, cliched and overwrought with silly dialog, but it's a bloody good way to waste 90 minutes. Poor weather strands three young women in the country with a demented old lady who hates all men and her aging spinster daughter (who looks like a young Margaret Hamilton) taking them in, one badly injured and a car that has broken down. The plain Jane daughter actually seems desperate for a man, and her mother admonishes her every chance she gets. The old woman resembles Bette Davis in looks but has a softer voice, closer to Olivia de Havilland, and is delightfully campy, her line delivery the stuff that unintentional laughs were created for. The murders are pretty gruesome, using a reaper as the main weapon. I wouldn't call this a good horror film, but it's deliciously hideous and thus highly recommended for those who can stomach strong gore.

One of my all time favorite less than perfect slashers

[Milo-Jeeder · 8/10 · 27 March 2015]

In "Unhinged", three college friends named Terry, Nancy and Gloria go to a music festival in Pinewood, but during a dreadful storm, their car falls into a steep ravine and the girls are rescued by a man named Norman, who takes them to a nearby mansion. The owner of the place is a woman named Marion Penrose, who lives with her crippled mother. Marion advices the girls not to go out again during the storm, and offers them to stay for as long as they need.

For dinner, Marion introduces the girls to her mother, Mrs. Edith Penrose, who turns out to be a delusional, uptight harpy. Mrs. Penrose ruins dinner for everyone by making awkward comments, accusing Marion of being a tramp and going off on a rant on how awful men are, especially her ex-husband, who cheated on her. Later that night, Terry and Nancy talk about what a horrible time they're having and both agree that they want to leave as soon as possible. Also, Terry tells Nancy that she thinks there's someone lurking outside the house, watching them, but her friend doesn't believe her. Things keep getting more and more tense between Marion and her mother and Terri can't wait to get the hell out of there, not only because she knows that there is someone watching her, but also because she can't tolerate the weird mother-daughter relationship.

For some reason, "Unhinged" was banned in the UK, which is something that is proudly mentioned on the DVD cover. Honestly, I don't get it; the film isn't that violent. We see a few murders on screen and they are gory too, but it's nothing so vile that we need to look away from the screen. I am a horror fan, but I dislike extreme gore and I can honestly say that I wasn't freaked out by this at all. It is perfectly endurable and I can't understand why this film was banned at all. It can't be the nudity either, since it is something very innocent (we only see the girls showering). Could it be that the movie was banned due to the offensively bad acting instead? That I can believe!

"Unhinged" was filmed in Portland, Oregon and director Don Gronquist decided to cast Portland locals with little or no acting experience… and it becomes evident as we see the film. To my surprise, Virginia Settle, who plays Mrs. Edith Penrose, was actually a stage actress. Mrs. Settle is probably one of the highest points of this film due to her over-the-top acting that gives this film an undeniable campy nature. The way she yells and gesticulates, while she's accusing her daughter of being a whore is simply hilarious. The high-pitched voice, the eyes wide open and the whole refined and snobbish aristocrat stereotype makes Mrs. Penrose a very memorable character, but I would have never guessed that she was actually a trained actress. Perhaps the declamatory acting is part of her theatrical training. Janet Penner, who plays Marion Penrose was probably the more decent actress on this film and thank god for that, because even though Terry is the main character, she is pretty forgettable as a lead and the actress, Laurel Munson is very unskilled. Marion is a more interesting character; Penner gives a solid performance throughout the entire film and during the last minutes, she displays a lot more strength and histrionics, while managing to stay serious and avoiding the campiness. The ending is campy by itself, but Penner doesn't make it more bizarre. The two other girls were awful; Sara Ansley, who portrayed Nancy, was a model whom Gronquist had found through a talent agency and maybe she was an excellent model, but as an actress, she was terrible.

The filming locations are probably one of the best things about "Unhinged", since most of the action takes place at the Pittock Mansion, which is the perfect scenario for a horror film. The place is beautiful for sure, but it's also eerie and it gives a feeling of uneasiness, since the girls seem to be lost and trapped in that isolated location.

Throughout the entire film, we hear a weird synthesizer music that doesn't really fit for a horror movie that is supposed to be serious and creepy, but somehow, it works well in this film.

While this film doesn't really offer anything that special to the horror genre, I found the twist in the end to be rather interesting and fun. I have read other reviews stating that the twist was predictable and unoriginal, but I myself don't feel the same way and it's one of the reasons why I love this film so much. The thing about "Unhinged" is that, clearly, it is a less than perfect movie, but there's just something about it that makes a lot of people love it, without being able to explain why and I am one of those. I love this film and I regard it as one of my all time favorite slasher flicks, even though I also understand that it isn't all that great either.

I don't really know why, but I liked it

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 20 October 2004]

Unhinged starts with the opening credits over a black background. Once the director credit disappears the screen stays black for what seems like an eternity! Then we hear an alarm clock which belongs to a pretty young girl Terry (Laurel Munson) who, when she eventually appears on screen, gets up out of bed and takes a shower, the filmmakers obviously wanted to get some nudity in there nice and quickly! Soon after that she is picked up by two of her friends, Nancy (Sara Ansley) and Gloria (Barbara Lusch). While driving during a thunder storm and hard rain they crash their car in the middle of nowhere. A local odd job man, Norman Barnes (John Morrison), finds them and takes them to a large mansion, he works there for the owners who happen to be an old man hating lady Mrs. Penrose (Virginia Settle) and her supposed daughter Marion Penrose (J.E. Penrose). One of the girls is hurt, so they decide to accept the Penroses hospitality and stay. However, this being a horror film, strange things start to happen. The Penroses act weird, they find teeth on the floor, see people at the window looking in on them and just generally get a very bad vibe about the place. Before to long people start being murdered. Co-written and directed by Don Gronquist, I rather quite like this film. If you examine it piece by piece then it should be awful, very flat direction and photography, poorish acting, very slow pace at times, not enough murders, and a very strange twist ending. Yet I like it for these reasons, the murders are few but quite cool and contain a bit of gore, including a scythe through someones stomach, an axe buried in someones head plus a work shed full of fresh body parts and jars of eyeballs. One thing that I really like about Unhinged is that it has a good atmosphere and to some extent the slow pace really helps this, plus I really love that ending, it surprised me which is difficult these days. Oh, and the film is quite dark, I watched the recent British DVD and while it had a good picture everything considered, it was just a little bit too dark especially the climax in the outhouse, hell I want to see all those bits of cut up bodies not a near black screen! I cant imagine how bad this would look on VHS so get the DVD. Give it a chance, its an unusual little film you may just like if you have patience and put the effort in.

Perfect weapon for a slasher film!

[damianphelps · 4/10 · 27 September 2020]

Its just an effective horror movie, with some good elements and some scenes of effective tension.

It is very standard for this era of slasher films, some scares, some tension, some gore and some boobs.

The coverart and the weapon of choice are the highlights for me.

Watchable but forgettable.