I was interested in watching 'Savage Weekend' after hearing it mentioned in the same breath as 'Black Christmas' and 'Silent Night, Bloody Night' in being a type of proto-slasher flick as, despite being released in 1979, it was filmed pre-'Halloween'. However, apart from being made in the 70s and featuring a killing spree, it has nothing in common with the aforementioned films and is really more of an exploitation flick than a slasher. Maybe some would consider this hair-splitting, but the main thing is that, regardless of how you categorise it, 'Savage Weekend' is basically an exercise in almost totally forgettable film-making.
The plot has a rich New York businessman taking a vacation upstate with a group of friends to his summer house where a creepy local has been hired to build a large boat for him. While there they hang out, sunbathe, flirt, and have sex a lot which for some may seem a bit gratuitous. For my money, the sex is an important part of the attempt at a plot as it is the sexual politics among the city types, the libidinal frustrations of the locals, and the interactions between them which pushes the film forward (albeit at a slow pace) and indeed the sexually charged atmosphere is well crafted in parts and may have resulted in a better film.
Two-thirds in, the violence kicks in. However, the release of the sexual tension isn't executed well and the sloppy editing lets the film deflate before your eyes and robs the kills of any suspense or anything to sate those in search of 'Friday the 13th' style Tom Savini kills save for the needle kill, that is. In conjunction with the painfully, painfully obvious red herrings and consequent (yawn) "twist" reveal, as well as the lacklustre final confrontation, when the film finished my overall feeling was one of boredom. Sure there are a few good scenes, and a couple of good ideas, but taken as a whole this movie offers nothing. Whether you chalk it up as a slasher or an exploitation film, this rates quite poorly and can be safely avoided.
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Public domain movie. Watch free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKz3-WBcVv8
The plot has a rich New York businessman taking a vacation upstate with a group of friends to his summer house where a creepy local has been hired to build a large boat for him. While there they hang out, sunbathe, flirt, and have sex a lot which for some may seem a bit gratuitous. For my money, the sex is an important part of the attempt at a plot as it is the sexual politics among the city types, the libidinal frustrations of the locals, and the interactions between them which pushes the film forward (albeit at a slow pace) and indeed the sexually charged atmosphere is well crafted in parts and may have resulted in a better film.
Two-thirds in, the violence kicks in. However, the release of the sexual tension isn't executed well and the sloppy editing lets the film deflate before your eyes and robs the kills of any suspense or anything to sate those in search of 'Friday the 13th' style Tom Savini kills save for the needle kill, that is. In conjunction with the painfully, painfully obvious red herrings and consequent (yawn) "twist" reveal, as well as the lacklustre final confrontation, when the film finished my overall feeling was one of boredom. Sure there are a few good scenes, and a couple of good ideas, but taken as a whole this movie offers nothing. Whether you chalk it up as a slasher or an exploitation film, this rates quite poorly and can be safely avoided.
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Public domain movie. Watch free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKz3-WBcVv8