The Masked Mutilator — The Masked Mutilator( Blu Ray)

Wrestling and horror have seemed to go hand in hand since the explosion of the WWF in the early 80's, and the overblown acting and story lines are wonderful partners in crime. As world collided, Brick Bronsky began to be a staple in Troma films, and soon ventured out into an independent project, The Masked Mutilator. Shot in 1994, but unfinished, this tale of wrestling, troubled youth, and murder was recently finished with modern book ends and finally released. Released by Severin's Intervision imprint, The Masked Mutilator has finally entered the squared circle to fight for it's much awaited viewership.

Low budget and showing all the tell-tale signs of it, The Masked Mutilator has all the trappings of a poorly executed passion project by amateurs that lack story telling ability. However, there is something to their passion that lifts this film up and makes it greater than just the sum of its parts. The plot is like the wrestling version of Friday the 13th Part V, with a home for troubled teens as the setting, and a slasher killing off the residents. However, a former pro wrestler, The Masked Mutilator, is the house parent, and he himself has a troubled past. His punishment style is a bit out of the ordinary, but nothing deadly...until a killer starts murdering the kids. Shot on 16MM, The Masked Mutilator is a pretty standard amateur horror offering, but it is bolstered by a different approach and some fun gore and violence. This film may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was produced and presented with passion, and it shows. Not giving up on it after 25 years speaks to the commitment of its creators.

Intervision presents The Masked Mutilator on both Blu-Ray and DVD, and comes with an informative audio commentary with Dale Schneck (producer), Paul Sutt (F/X), and actors Steve Mittman, Tom Taylor, and Jim "the Tank" Dorsey. Along with this audio, there are audition tapes, and individual interviews with Tom Taylor, Paul Sutt, co-writer/co-producer Ed Polgardy, Dale Schneck, and even "Mean" Gene Okerlund gets involved.

Intervision gives Dale Schneck's passion project a well done release, and treats this horror/wrestling crossover with the greatest care. After 25 years on the shelf, it's great to see that The Masked Mutilator is finally given it's time in the sun. While this film may not be the most expertly crafted piece of celluloid, it is enjoyable and its back story is as interesting as the film on the disc.