Memorial Day Viewings!
Another Memorial Day came and went this week, and I’m always in the mood for weird themed horror movies, so its time to talk about the strange movies I watched. Before we even begin, I will own up to one thing, only one of the movies below technically takes place on the weekend of Memorial Day. But the other two are thematically related, so I stand by their inclusion! And they’re all weird stuff anyway that you wouldn’t typically have a reason to watch, so when else am I gonna be able to talk about these? Time to get patriotic and celebrate the American institution of slasher films with our first film, Uncle Sam!
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is the story of Master Sergeant Sam Harper, a US soldier killed by friendly fire during the Desert Storm operation in Kuwait. Sam’s body is returned home to the small town of Twin Rivers where his patriotic nephew Jody is crushed to learn of the passing of his Uncle Sam. Jody’s rage towards his neighbors who don’t love America as much as he does is dwarfed only by Sam’s, as the soldier returns as a zombie dressed in an Uncle Sam costume who inflicts terrible punishment on everyone he deems unpatriotic. With the Fourth of July celebration rapidly approaching, only Sam’s mentor has any chance of stopping the most patriotic bloodbath Twin Rivers has ever seen!
Is This Satire Or Just Bad Writing?
This may go without saying, but Uncle Sam is an incredibly strange movie. Not just because the killer is dressed as Uncle Sam, but because Twin Rivers is the most divided town I have seen in a movie in a long while. There are only two kinds of people in Twin Rivers; excessive patriots who love America and everything covered in red, white, and blue, and America-haters who despise the military, the government, the national anthem, veteran gravesites, and anything and everything else that good red-blooded Americans should like. I think this is supposed to be some kind of satirical point about the left-right divide, but I’m not quite sure what the point is. Maybe it’s just trying to take shots at both sides so no one can accuse it of being biased.
There Are Murders. I Guess. Not Super Thrilling.
Having all these freedom haters around does have one good side-effect though, it does give Sam a lot of ammo when he finally gets to being the patriotic slasher we were all promised. He goes on an instant-karma spree, taking vengeance on ne’er do-wells who besmirch the glory of Old Glory. There are a lot of kills here, I just wish they were more fun! Maybe I’ve seen too many slasher movies, but the violence here is a bit uninspired, there’s always something a little off and too tame about the way Sam kills people. I mean, I’m all for slow build-ups, but one of your first kills should not be burying someone alive, especially after they spray-painted a swastika on a headstone. Call me a gorehound, but half your kills should not happen off-screen!
Oh Isaac Hayes. We Didn’t Deserve You.
Most of the movie is not focusing on these kills, instead, it is about the trials and tribulations of Jody, a young boy who idolizes his Uncle Sam and denounces anyone he meets who does not meet his patriotic standards. His actor, Christopher Ogden, does his best, but no one could read any of Jody’s constant and obnoxious put-downs of everyone around him and remain a sympathetic character. The only person who rises above the material is the late Isaac Hayes, who was trying way harder than he had to as Sam’s mentor, Jed. Most of the other performances are pretty unremarkable, not to be too critical, but how many ways are there to make a character whose entire personality is ‘sleazy’ or ‘even sleazier’ memorable?
Still, I’ve Seen Way Worse.
None of this is to say I disliked my viewing of Uncle Sam! When you put on a crappy slasher movie you definitely know what you’re getting into. Plots that don’t make much sense, kills that may or may not be satisfying, and bizarre murder mythologies. I almost always have a good time with slasher films, but this is one you will spend more time laughing at than with. If, for whatever reason, you need a slasher movie with a villain dressed like Uncle Sam, I can’t imagine there’s a better one out there. If you’re looking for a slasher that’s a bit more enjoyable, stick around, because the next movie on this list may be for you!
Memorial Valley Massacre aka Memorial Day aka Valley of Death
On Memorial Day weekend, throngs of campers eager for parties and debauchery head out to the newly opened campground in the pristine Memorial Valley. A young man, David Sangster, arrives with them, hoping to get a job at the construction site, as his father Allen Sangster (played by Cameron Mitchell) is the owner. When David arrives, he learns that progress has been slow, as a mysterious saboteur has been causing problems for the construction workers. Not taking no for an answer from his foreman, Allen declares that the campground will open anyway, putting everyone who comes camping in the direct path of the saboteur, who doesn’t take kindly to this intrusion.
The Fascinating Story Of A Movie That Should Not Work.
Memorial Valley Massacre is an interesting movie to talk about because on its surface it should not at all work, and yet somehow I really liked it. The plot isn’t anything special, mostly because there is barely a plot at all beyond ‘people go to a camp and then get killed’, but there’s so many little weird details that make the movie fun and interesting, usually character related. There are so many weird moments, like at the very beginning when Allen Sangster comes to the camp to speak to the foreman about what is going on, only to leave moments later and never appear in the film again! Why would a powerful businessman/investor personally drive to the middle of nowhere to have one conversation with a guy? The movie is full of odd sequences like this and that’s part of what makes it so charming.
A Good Fun Cast.
A big part of what makes the movie so watchable is the weird assortment of characters who show up; there’s a small biker gang, an obnoxious family with a kleptomaniac son, a young woman and two young men who are in a stated competition to prove themselves worthy to date her, and a retired military man (who is played by William Smith, who also had a bit part in Uncle Sam!), and more! Typically these kinds of slasher movies are full of annoying people you want dead, but most of this cast is endearing, and their jokes and quips are surprisingly funny. I didn’t want most of these people to die, especially the camp caretaker Deke Brown who is the real MVP of the film, and that kept me invested even when the plot gets pretty silly.
Narrowly Averted Some Horrific Racism.
I haven’t talked at all about the killer yet, so let me cover that before I wrap things up. In the first couple minutes, we see a young man with long unkempt hair, screwed up teeth, and wearing animal furs skulking about. I was really concerned that this was going to take a super offensive turn and have this guy be a white dude in brownface playing a Native American killing white people to keep them from despoiling his sacred grove. I am happy to report that this was not the case and that the slasher’s motives and origins are weird and out there and fun! Sure, his kills aren’t always the best, but I can imagine they were working on a pretty limited budget.
Some Technical Issues, But I Had A Good Time.
While I did enjoy Memorial Valley Massacre, I do recognize that it is not a very good film technically. The version of the movie I watched on YouTube looked like it was taken straight from a VHS and the sound quality wasn’t that much better than the picture. The plot isn’t great and a lot of stuff doesn’t make sense but there’s great energy to everything happening. They wanted to make a fun, campy slasher movie and by god, they succeeded! Just don’t try to do a close-reading of whatever the hell is supposed to be happening. This is the kind of movie you riff with your friends over some beer and snacks and if that’s what you expect going in, I think you’ll have fun with it.
Deathdream
During the Vietnam War, soldier Andy Brooks is shot by a sniper and appears to be dead. Shortly after, the Brooks family back home gets word of Andy’s death and falls into depression and denial at the news. The family is even more surprised when Andy returns home unharmed the next day, but they assume that the notice of Andy’s death was some kind of bizarre mix-up and try to return to their normal home life. That proves difficult, as Andy’s actions become more strange and worrying by the day, a change in behavior that coincides worryingly with the nearby murder of a trucker. Desperate to figure out what is going on, Andy’s father tries to investigate, with disastrous results.
Wait A Second, A Movie With Something To Say?!?
We’ve covered two slasher movies of varying quality today, so I reckon it’s now time for a movie that might actually be unironically good for a change! From Bob Clark, director of Black Christmas, Deathdream is a satirical horror film whose story I’m quite fond of. It may be slightly on the nose for the point of “going to war changes you”, but I always appreciate wanting to reinforce this message. Beyond the satirical elements, the real story is about a family unit falling apart, with everyone reacting differently to Andy’s strange behavior on his return. This opens up a lot of old wounds and peels back the layers of the “nice suburban family that gets along” in an unnerving way.
Acting That Feels A Bit Too Real.
It certainly helps that the acting here, particularly from Andy and his parents, is disturbingly realistic. Everything feels very human about the ways the Brooks family deals with this new situation, which makes the events feel that much more personal. There’s a particularly natural feeling to the methodical way the plot unfolds, one that drives home the unremarkable reality of people changing and not everyone being able to recognize and deal with that change. While there isn’t as much action or gore as there could be, the strength of the narrative is what drives everything, and I was deeply invested in how exactly this story would go.
I Just Wish It Moved A Bit Quicker.
My only real problem with the movie is its pacing. I can appreciate a slow-burn, but the escalation of the story here was a mite slow even for me. Every time a shocking new development happens I thought that now must be the time for the pace to increase and for questions to be answered and for maybe a bit more action to come up, but even the action ending feels very subdued. That may have been intentional, but it comes across as strange and kind of dour, particularly when the ending leaves so many questions unanswered already. Definitely not a film for people who enjoy briskly paced works.
A Bit Classier Fare After Some Slasher Fun.
Deathdream is a horror film for a specific mood, one which may not be to everyone’s taste. This is a bit more of a contemplative movie than the others on this list and its feelbad mood would probably bring a lot of people down. But if you’re on the market for a movie that has a horror take on a real-life issue, this may be what you’re looking for. With good acting, atmosphere, and story, Deathdream is another success from Clark’s weird horror phase. Just go into it knowing that it is a bit slower than most modern horrors.
Thanks For Reading!
I’m working on some exciting stuff that should be ready soon! As always, if you have any recommendations or requests please leave a comment and I’ll check them out!
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