Drive-In Massacre (1977)

   
Produced, Directed & Story by: Stu Segall

Written by: George Buck Flower & John F. Goff

Starring:

Bruce Kimball .... Detective Larry
Adam Lawrence .... Detective Mike
Douglas Gudbye .... Germy
Newton Naushaus .... Austin Johnson

Special Appearance:

George Buck Flower .... Suspect in Warehouse
Janus Blythe .... Alan's Girl

Release Date: Theatrical: January, 1977

*Images courtesy at: www.publicdomaintorrents.com

 

 

Rating:

 

A Drive-In Theatre opens up in California during the summer as people go there for some romance while watching a movie but they are being slaughtered by a sword wielding maniac.
Two detectives named Larry and Mike try to go to the theatre to catch the killer but many people are suspects during this incident including an obnxious owner named Austin Johnson (Newton Naushaus) who didn't like the idea of opening one up in the first place.

 

The beginning looks fairly amusing when we spot people entering the drive in as to how they pay for their tickets and situations like that if no one ever went to a drive in before.
While the drive in movie starts we spot a couple making out as well as their pointless discussions as this looked stale to watch as well as him trying to try and adjust the sound on the speaker next to his vehicle as this leaves a clue that the first slaying will happen but yet it drags big time as the makers didn't do their job in the cutting room floor as we think to ourselves "Get to the point!" After what happens it looks sick and disgusting as well as the female being slayed looking phony as to how she dies.
Then there's a moment with the two detectives Larry and Mike questioning the owner Orville as well as the janitor Germy about the murders in which this looked horribly trashy and boring to watch on all that was said.
When the next drive in moment happens we spot a perverted man Orville trying to park in his place which takes forever since this seems to be an excuse for a time killer for the movie. Yet we spot a couple in their car nearly having a big argument as this seemed to nearly look effective and then they are making out which is overly long too but yet we spot the perverted Orville peeking at them as this looked dark and creepy to watch this.
However a strong situation happens in a scene when both Larry and Mike question Orville about what had happened as the filmmakers finally did something right for a change with this moment as well as a great action moment when they chase him while he tries to run away as the moments are full of adrenaline while we watch all of this taking place.
We spot a terribly conrballish moment with both Larry and Mike going undercover and one of them is dressed in drag along with another scene on a date watching something at the drive in and then we spot the boyfriend wanting to get it on with her while she wants to watch the movie and tries to tell him about each scene that's happening as all of this looked completely stale to watch.
A nice powerful moment with them insisting Austin Johnson to shut down his drive in and he gets obnoxious about it which was solidly paced.
There's a moment with a suspected killer with a sword holding onto a little girl which looked phony by each other's reactions as well as terrible writing as I was thinking to myself "Is this for real???" Yet when this girl tries to escape and hide, the camera shots look convincing and the moments look quite dark too.
We come down to the nitty gritty with Larry and Mike going to the drive in as well as an announcement that there's a killer on the loose and the police are coming which was awfully corny to put into the story. Then we end up with a disappointment when we are waiting to find out who the killer is when they try to come into the act. It was terribly unorganised watching this all unfold.
Bottom line: This film made no sense at all and was a waste of time to do plus made on a very low budget. The story remains an unsolved mystery but they did that in Black Christmas too. Yet that one had more going for it and a superb style too as this flick was amateurish and sickly trash too. The audio is badly done as well the picture looked hard to see alot of the times too which didn't help matters at all. The film is very obscure and forgettable and made out this was based on real life events too but if that was the case the makers could have made alot more effort with this crappy splatter/slasher flick.

The acting is very average, nothing special and full of virtual unknowns as most never did anything else with their career in the business. Bruce Kimball (Detective Larry) drew in a great seriousness as well as showing a nice calmness to whatever he did. Plus had the right burly looks. Seemed to do well with his questioning and acts very mature on stuff. I found him very suitable to whatever he did in the film. He was believeably tough and made his point clear to whatever he did.
Adam Lawrence
(Detective Mike) seemed to act very similar in his role with his cohort offering a nice seriousness as well as doing well by acting gruff and demanding. Seemed to offer the odd humor while going undercover. Shows off some nice energy into his part and played a great sidekick.
Douglas Gudbye
(Germy) tries his best to pull off a strange type of drive in employee cleaning litter but really overly does it as he seems very mellodramatic and silly when he says his lines. He wasn't believeable as an eccentric type and too corny. He does show off alot of energy but that isn't saying much at all.
Newton Naushaus
(Austin Johnson) is one of the best actors in the film as an obnoxious drive in owner and shows nice aggressions to his part in the film.
He seemed to do well with his loud voice as well as having the perfect motives to whatever he had to do. Seemed convincing as a possible suspect. He came off as a pimp or a leader of a mafia as well as having the perfect nasty looks too. Also does well coming across as someone who will be violent if you cross him. He stood out the most out of the whole cast.
George Buck Flower (Suspect in Warehouse) usually pulls off a good job in anything I see him in except for this one as he was too amateurish with his craziness as he seemed way too hokey by his aggressions or threatening behavior. I was laughing to myself and not in a good way at all. He was uncredited probably cause he was embarrassed with his performance in this.

Supporting actress Valdesta briefly shows her breasts while her shirt is unbuttoned and her bra taken off in a car at night.

This is definetely a gorefest.
We have some bloodied chopped off heads showing the remains of the bodies
Gruesome slit throats
A sword being stabbed through people

The music has cheesy and stale synthesizer playing but yet it sounds very creepy and deep when a murder is about to take place as it blends in with the grossness plus there's some sharp sounds too which has some decent surroundings. However we hear some scraping and high tones playing throughout alot of the scene's as this really got on my nervies big time. Also there's odd heartbeats and thumpings too which was mediocre sounding as well as airy synthesizer sounds that seems suitable for the low budget of this flick.

Detective Mike: We have a witness, who saw you crawl out of your car and over to the victim's car, what were you doing? Pissing on the hubcaps?
Orville: I just wanted to beat my meat!