The Mangler

Rating:
Summary: Folds, Spindles---& Mutilates! 2 1/2 stars!
Review: How could you possibly go wrong with a movie forged by the Holy Trinity of Terror: the inspired, deranged, ghoulish minds of Stephen King, Tobe Hooper, and Robert Englund---particularly when the subject of "The Mangler" is a demon-possessed industrial laundry machine ravenous for human flesh and blood?

Short answer: you can't! If your local coin-op laundromat is closed for the night, it's certainly worth your while to take your dirty clothes over to the old Bartley mill and get 'em steam-pressed.

For your time and blood money, here's what you get out of this tasty little nugget of pure bloody stupidity. SEE---

*A REAL villain---certainly not your boring, ordinary old serial killer from central casting, but a demon-possessed 19th century steam-belching industrial press laundry machine (the Hadley Watson #6, naturally). This mass murderer means business: rather than just stabbing or shooting its victims---how mundane!---it folds, spindles, and mutilates them, then considerately folds and presses them!

*The great Ted Levine (who played Buffalo Bill in "Silence of the Lambs") woefully miscast as a small-town Maine police detective and hero of the movie! Levine slurs every line in that trademark cross between a gargle and a whine, and I would burst out in laughter every time he talked. Funny stuff! While Levine was investigating the messy death of the portly pill-popping Mrs. Frawley, I kept waiting for him to say "oh yeah, I remember, she was that great big fat person".

*Daniel Matmor as a sort of poor man's Tom Conti, who proposes to "read Leviticus" to the demon laundry machine and engages in a scenery-chewing contest with Robert Englund and the Machine. The Machine wins.

*And of course, Robert Englund himself, cackling insanely, cracking that corporate whip, and waddling about in a kind of combination crutches-lower body exoskeleton like some a demon-possessed version of Lionel Barrymore's Old Man Potter from "It's a Wonderful Life"!

There's a lot of material thrown into "The Mangler"---you've got the demonic laundry machine, belladonna pills, virgin blood, ancient sacrifice, the town's power-mad aristocracy, even a contract between Englund's insane old tycoon and the Hadley-Watson #6--- served up with some nice directorial panache and stylish camera angles by Tobe Hooper. But that said, "The Mangler" isn't about viewing-for-comprehension: this is high-octane garbage, served up with a fine helping up gore and with a side-order of extra-rare gore. Did I mention "The Mangler" is gory?

Levine, despite being stamped forever as the cross-dressing serial killer Jame Gumb in my mind, is actually pretty funny to watch as the lead---you laugh at him, not with him---and he puts some rough miles on a Jeep Cherokee. Datmor plays Watson to Levine's Holmes, and overacts ferociously to the scripture-quoting finish. Englund does his snarling, drooling, leering, cackling thing, evidently has the time of his life, and gets a good tailor in the bargain. Loved the ascot and smoking jacket!

Tobe Hooper keeps up the pace, throws in some moody interiors, cobbles together a pretty ferocious man-eating laundry machine (all stamped Industrial Revolution gears and pressed black metal---brrr!), and keeps up an onslaught of mayhem as workers get pulled into the presser and you start wondering about the damage this is doing to the mill's profit margins.

Moral of the Story #1: If you want to run a profitable and worry-free industrial laundry business, it's probably not a good idea to build it around a Demonic Laundry Machine.

Moral of the Story #2: If you absolutely *must* have the Demonic Laundry Machine in your business, then don't let the virgin mill-worker bleed into the press of the Demonic Laundry Machine.

Moral of the Story #3: If you're a 16-year-old virgin mill-worker, you probably shouldn't work for Robert Englund, and at the very least you should stay far away from the Demonic Laundry Machine.

Is this a horror classic? Absolutely not. Is it enjoyable, bloody, unapologetic, trashy fun, and will you get your clothes back on Monday in time for work? You betcha! Throw this sick puppy in the hopper and let's get to pressing laundry---we're on the clock, and time is money!

Rating:
Summary: The Mangler
Review: I couldnt help but be impressed when I read the all star cast involved in this movie. Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as director, a Stephen King (The Shining) adaptation, and good 'ol freddy krueger (Robert Englund) as one of the main characters.
With these three involved I couldnt help but pick it up and give it a viewing, and get a little excited about watching it.

Unfortunately, like a lot of King movies, it falls quite short of being anything special, in fact the end result is rather mediocre considering the players involved.

Tobe Hoopers creeping claustrophobia is felt throughout the movie,
but wasnt enough to keep the movies head above water.
The acting performances were pretty ordinary, but thats almost the norm with horror movies.

Of course, Im not going to recommend you buy it, but if you are a fan of Hooper or King, or even England, watch it for there sakes, but dont say I didnt warn you.

For you Hooper fans out there, (...)

Rating:
Summary: Stand back for another Stephen King tidal wave of poop!
Review: I have seen this movie.. -Though; -the story look's
really sloppy in terms of bad acting..? -What is likeble
is actor; -Robert Englund. -Ho play's; -Gartley; -a vicious
boss of a factory machine ho it eat's people alive..?

His daughter looks real good..? -The actress playing his
daughter.. -Ho might become a victim of the machine..? -Others
are scared of this crazy machine as it prone's on it's
victim's..? -Mangling them two death unexpectedly..?

This movie is so close in being; -Tobe Hooper's; -Poltegeist
and; -Lifeforce.. -One of my favorite; -movie's of the
80's; -at that time..? -Tobe Hooper's; -direction..? -Is
not that bad..? -I wish their was more detailed where
the demon came from..? -How did it get powers on it's
owner..? -But; -Tobe Hooper is a true master of terror..?
and; -so is; -Stephen King..! -Know's their horror

Anthology..!! -Really well..! -The Detective; -Jeff Levin.?
Doe's a really good job in being a strong man he is threw
out the film..? -Such as his partner ho helps him about
the Mangler..? -This is not a bad freak show for king
fan's..! -Or; -for; -Robert Englund..!! -Nut's..?

Like me..? -So I strongly suggest this those fan's of
"Lifeforce." -And; -Poltergeist.. -Those ho are none
exploitation; -fan's..!

Enjoy..!!

Rating:
Summary: "...it folded her like a sheet"
Review: Let's just set one thing straight, The Mangler is by no means a great film, nor is it one of Stephen King's worthier ventures into moviemaking. However, if you take it upon yourself to view this movie with no notion of pretext (and perhaps without reading the story first) you may just find it to be something you can enjoy, if only to laugh at. Basically the premise is a laundry press, a behemoth of a machine designed to fold laundry, becomes possessed and starts killing workers at the Blue Ribbon Laundry. The small town cop who gets to investigate the deaths begins to suspect foul play and eventually the supernatural.

Everything points to the Laundry's owner, played by Robert Englund who is amazingly unconcerned about the loss of employees. Englund goes to town as a wreck of a human being, bound in metal leg braces and horribly disfigured who runs his business with an iron fist. One might say that's not too much of a stretch from his most famous role but it works.

Overall this is good for those who like gore, scary small town happenstance (gee, that's not a Stephen King trademark is it?), and anything by H.P. Lovecraft. Besides, Tobe Hooper directed this film and if you like the Horror genre that should at least pique your interest.

Rating:
Summary: Ha! Ha! Ha!
Review: OK, I fell for it too. A movie based on a good Stephen King short story (from his "Night Shift" collection), directed by horror meister Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist, Salem's Lot), starring Robert "Freddie Krueger" Englund and Ted "Buffalo Bill" Levine! How could it possibly stink?? Well, it's another case of a short-short story being bloated out to fill movie time. The Mangler itself is pretty scary in the book. On film, it's just one more mechanical monster on the loose. Hooper probably did the best he could with the awful material. Englund and Levine just sort of sleepwalk through the mess. THE MANGLER will cause NO nightmares or shudders, unless you pay to see it that is...

Rating:
Summary: Stand back for another Stephen King tidal wave of poop!
Review: Seriously, doesn't King care AT ALL about the film adaptations of his work? This movie is just ridiculous.
We all know that King has a thing about machines that come to life, but he can't expect everyone else to find that scary. Especially when we're talking about a huge industrial laundry machine that winds up roaming the streets in search of virgins. Oh brother, I wish I was kidding, but that's what this movie is about. The short story on which it was based isn't bad, but it gets mangled (ha ha) along with the careers of everyone who had something to do with this terrible film.
Please, Steve: you're an excellent writer, but for the love of God, show at least a LITTLE discretion when you're approving film projects based on your work. For every "Stand By Me" or "Shawshank Redemption", there's three or four "Christine"s or "The Mangler"s. Shape up! You have the power to say no! You forcibly detached your name from that piece of crap called "The Lawnmower Man"... that was a good start!

Rating:
Summary: not entirely awful
Review: Since apparently only lunatics are writing reviews of this DVD (not you Johhnykay), I thought I'd better chime in to offer a reasonable voice.

First thing: Stephen King has no approval regarding movies like this. He sold off the rights long, long ago, and thus cannot control when and if they get made, much less the quality of the movies.

Second thing: this is not a good movie. Don't make the mistake of thinking that it is. The plot is ludicrous -- it sort of works on the page, but filmed, it is just silly. That said, the movie is not entirely worthless. Robert Englund is fun to watch as the factory owner, and there are a few decent sequences. Mainly, though, I'd say the best reason to watch is for Ted Levine, in a rare starring role as the policeman trying to sort this mess out.

Just don't think this is any sort of undiscovered masterpiece; it isn't.

Rating:
Summary: MANGLED SCRIPT = MANGLED MOVIE
Review: THE MANGLER originated in Stephen King's fun short story collection, NIGHT SHIFT. It was brief and to the point. In trying to expand its merits to the screen, director Tobe Hooper finds himself with a mangled script that gets so incoherent, it becomes annoying. Ted Levine is mysteriously miscast in the leading role, and his performance is wooden and uninspired. Even the formidable Robert Englund seems to be playing another Freddy Kreuger. The inclusion of the belladonna is confusing, and the ending where fingers start being lopped off comes out of nowhere.
Not one of the best King adaptations to hit the screen, but it IS far better than its ridiculous sequel.