Mother’s Day (I Love Mommy Rape Revenge Slasher)

 

Upon release in 1980, Charles Kaufman’s Mother’s Day has confused, enraged and intrigued audiences the world over with its uneasy mixture of crude humor and sheer terror. Made famous by a scathing takedown by Roger Ebert and praise from FANGORIA, the film continues to baffle with its tonal shifts. Either way, it’s an unforgiving and unforgettable experience. Abby, Trina and Jackie are three old college friends camping in the Deep Barons. All is idyllic until they are set upon by two demented brothers, Ike and Addley, who’ve been trained since birth in the ways of rape, murder and general mayhem by their psychotic and domineering mother. Hilarity does not ensue.

   

Mother’s Day is a tough watch, not only for the cruel violence and anarchy but the deep seated psychological ramifications behind the film. Perhaps it was an accident, but this film definitely has plenty to say about the negative influence of both mothers and pop culture recycling run amok. While it’s hard to find sympathy for Ike and Addley, they’re just as much victims as the innocent women they rape and kill. The real enemy is mom, who drove her sons mad and keeps their at her beck and call through mental manipulation. There’s more that can be said about toxic masculinity and the concept thereof, but Kaufman and screenwriter Warren Leight really were ahead of their time. Speaking of, Vinegar Syndrome strike again with a fully loaded 4K disc with loads of special features that I couldn’t even get through by review time. As an avid fan of the film, I’ve watched many editions of it and this is by far the best release to date. The image quality is absolutely sterling, capturing the rough and tumble quality of the cinematography perfectly. Most importantly, the audio finally got fixed. If you’re looking for a slasher flick with some bones to pick, make your Mother’s Day a special one with this incredible release. Just remember that punk sucks and disco is stupid.

 

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Written by David, Comptroller of Your Last Scrap of Existence

Mother’s Day (2024 on Blu-ray)
Director: Charles Kaufman
Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome
5 / 5