Imagine every newlywed's fantasy, a rustic secluded lover's paradise- Honeymoon Island. What starts as a weekend of love, turns into a nightmare of blood and terror for three young innocent ... Read allImagine every newlywed's fantasy, a rustic secluded lover's paradise- Honeymoon Island. What starts as a weekend of love, turns into a nightmare of blood and terror for three young innocent couples. What lurks in the shadows of Honeymoon Lodge? Is it the caretaker, or perhaps som... Read allImagine every newlywed's fantasy, a rustic secluded lover's paradise- Honeymoon Island. What starts as a weekend of love, turns into a nightmare of blood and terror for three young innocent couples. What lurks in the shadows of Honeymoon Lodge? Is it the caretaker, or perhaps something more fiendish and deadly? Honeymoon Island, where newlyweds joined in holy matrimon... Read all
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Still there's no denying these early slashers do create lingering atmospherics, and here it's a secluded island of woods and lodges. As the killer, a severely burnt maniac (and former owner of the getaway island) terrorizes the (lousy) honeymoon island lodge seeking revenge. The story is rather silly and one-note but just wait until the sheriff and deputy come onto the scene. It's almost like they're from another movie. But what can kill it, is the lack of excitement and momentum. Also surprised to see Sony attached to this production in the opening credits.
The acting is sometimes as wooden as it can get. But that's normal because they were all first time actors, and even last time actors, not one made it further and only Kathy Johnson (tourist) came from a few other flicks but her career stopped with this flick. the worst acting came from Bill Pecchi as the sheriff but he went further as an technician like in Moonwalker (1988) as camera operator.
This flick is a perfect example how bad a flick can be due the low budget. The editing was too slow and it's clear that when they went running outside the cabin the sound was added afterwards. It isn't lipsync at all. But it can get worser. There were so many opportunities for the killer to attack but every time there was something in between so that the killer couldn't attack. If he attacks the editing was done so weird and bad that you misses some important moments of stabbing. Naturally they had to add some nudity which they did with a shower scene. Does I have to say that the killer slashes the nude girl, but just look once she's dead and is discovered by her lover. You can see her breath, her body is moving, go figure that one out!
The last scene were the killer enters the house is funny too. They tried to add some suspense but failed completely. Watch after a killing with an axe the killer watching the victim and her boyfriend just standing there waiting to be attacked. Once everything is solved we go further to a scene with the sheriff and his deputy on a motorboat, it adds nothing to the flick, only stupidity in the story and even the script, listen how he reacts to the CB.
Early eighties, the clothes do add something ridiculous to the viewer too. One guy is as gay as it can be, white socks, a chest with too much hair, and he's wearing a mustach and daisy dukes, but he's as straight as it can be. Men, this is a must see. There are a few bloody moments but from shot 5 you already know who the killer is.
One to add to your collections to classify under weird horrors. I had a few laughs due the cheesy lyrics and the weird editing while the killer goes berserk.
Gore 1/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 1/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5
Directed by Harry Preston in his only directorial effort, the film stars Paul Iwanski (As), Bob Wagner (No Drums, No Bugles), Cheryl Black (Dallas), and Bill Pecchi (The Pyramid).
This is one of those '80s movies that tried to capitalize on the rising slasher craze but didn't quite stick the landing. Everything about it is mediocre-the acting, dialogue, and overall execution. The storyline is a bit corny, but still engaging enough to make you want to see how it unfolds. The kills and corpse effects are lackluster, and the villains aren't as terrifying as intended. Even the big reveal at the end falls flat.
Overall, Honeymoon Horror is an average '80s slasher, worth watching only for diehard fans of the genre. I'd rate it a 5/10.
In the pre-credits we're shown a woman - Elaine (Cheryl Black) - getting on with her lover Vic (Bob Wagner). This fact is emphasised by the music that accompanies the scene which, sounds like it would feel more at home in a seventies porno movie. As the randy couple begin to dress down for the occasion, there's a frantic knock on the door. All of a sudden it flies open and in bursts a rather miserable looking chap. We then find out he's Elaine's husband, Frank. He punches Vic, grabs him around the throat and begins to strangle him. Quick thinking Elaine smashes him over the head with a glass bottle (presumably with some super human strength because it knocks him flying!) and helps Vic to his feet. In the commotion a paraffin lamp falls on the floor and before long the cabin's up in flames...with Frank left lying in it. Fast forward a year and Elaine is back on Lover's Island with her new husband...you've got it, Vic! They've just finished rebuilding the cabins after the tragic 'accident' that occurred 12 months earlier completely destroyed them. Their first customers - three flirtatious sorority sisters with their newly wed husbands in toe - arrive, and all seems to be going accordingly. But before long feelings of content switch to those of fear when a severely mutilated corpse is found on the beach. Stranded and without any form of contact with the outside world, the group must pit their wits against the Island's resident psychopath!
HONEYMOON HORROR is the only period slasher I can think of that manages to look at least five years older than it actually is. The whole flick (especially Bob Wagner's haircut) looks suspiciously seventies! Hmmm. All the genre cliches are present and correct, including the lunatic with heavy breath, the comical lard ass sheriff and of course the aforementioned sorority sisters who make perfect victim material for a deranged killer! Director Preston even pulls off one pretty suspenseful scene. Towards the end, Elaine hears someone trying to open her back door while she's in the kitchen of her cabin - unbeknown to her it's the killer. She turns to open it, leaving you thinking will she or wont she! I wont spoil that short moment of tension by telling you the outcome, simply because that's about as good as it gets, sadly the rest of the flick is pretty much of a disappointment. For a start there's the diabolical acting. It's almost comical how the cast calmly drink coffee whilst they're randomly being picked off and dispatched one by one by the maniacal assassin. Its no surprise, that absolutely NONE of these actors went on to do anything worth mentioning since 1981 when this little 'beauty' was unleashed on to the unsuspecting public! And then there's the incredibly inept sheriff and his goofy deputy. The director tries to add a touch of humour here and there by showing us these two buffoons pulling silly shenanigans whilst accompanying every scene with music that would make Benny Hill blush. But instead of generating any sort of amusement he merely creates two annoying characters that I'd rather not see on my TV screen. He also tries to be clever by not letting us see the killer right until the end and giving us a few would be suspects, so we can play whodunit. But even this doesn't work because (and i say this trying my best not to give too much away.)he shows us a whole heap of clues throughout that point straight at the real murderer's identity. So sadly that's another bad move on the director's part.
I'd like to say that HONEYMOON HORROR is a good reminder of a vintage year for slasher movies - 1981. But sadly it's probably one of the better examples of what killed of the genre. Avoid
Did you know
- TriviaMade in 1982, this was one of the very first Direct to Video films purchased by Sony Home Video and released to the then brand new Video Rental Markets. To this day, this film is unavailable on DVD or sell through VHS and it grossed for Sony, in the rental markets alone world wide - over $22 million dollars. They bought it for $50,000 from the Texas film makers.
- Alternate versionsAn original "Director's Cut" of the film exists, without the "Sheriff" scenes, which were added later by Malcolm Whitman.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Video Nasties: Draconian Days (2014)
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- Texas Honeymoon Horror (1984)
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- $50,000 (estimated)