‘ …Your nightmares are about to come true!!’
Drive-In Massacre is a 1976 American slasher horror film produced, written and directed by Stu Segall from a screenplay written by John F. Goff (The Night Stalker; Deadly Intent) and actor George ‘Buck’ Flower, based on Godfrey Daniel’s storyline.
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On March 14, 2017, the film was released in the US on Blu-ray by Severin Films with the following special features:
Newly restored from the original camera negative recently discovered in the ruins of the Sky View Drive-In near Oxnard! Every slash, cut and hack is now rendered in beautiful high-definition, ready to splatter blood across the screens of eager genre fiends
Audio Commentary with Director Stu Segall
Drive-In Days: Interview With Star / Co-Writer John F. Goff
Norm Sheridan Recalls Drive-In Massacre
Making the Massacre: Interview With Director Stu Segall
Theatrical Trailer
On March 14, 2016, Drive-In Massacre was released on Blu-ray in the UK by 88 Films with an interview with director Stu Segall.
The film stars Jake Barnes, Adam Lawrence, Douglas Gudbye, Verkina Flowers (The Witch Who Came from the Sea; The Capture of Bigfoot; Beyond Evil), Newton Naushaus, Catherine Barkeley, Norman Sherlock, Frank Hollowell, Valdesta, Michael Alden, Marty Gatsby, John F. Gott (The Witch Who Came from the Sea; Nurse Sherri; Alligator), John Alderman (Hannah, Queen of the Vampires; New Year’s Evil; Superstition).
A young couple visits a drive-in movie theater in a rural California town, and are butchered by an unseen assailant, who uses a sword to decapitate the man, and skewers the woman through the neck.
Investigating this dual homicide are police detectives Mike Leary and John Koch, who interview the drive-in’s boorish manager, Austin Johnson, and the odd custodian, Germy. The latter mentions that a peeping tom likes to cruise the area to watch couples and lone girls, and he is told to try and write down the voyeur’s license plate number the next time he sees him.
That night, the killer strikes again, impaling two lovers while they are making out in their vehicle…
Reviews:
“The only things that really make this flick (and how appropriate is it that its acronym would be DIM?) stand out are the cultural kitsch value of the drive-in setting and the hilariously cheesy gimmick ending.” Balladeer’s Blog
“Obviously inspired by Peter Bogdanovich’s masterful Targets (1968), Drive-In Massacre has none of its predecessor’s insight, intelligence, or craft. Instead, it’s an ultra cheap slice-and-dice effort that even boasts the tired “They’re coming to get you!” ending designed to make drive-in audiences uncomfortable.” TV Guide
“Aside from a great opening double death sequence, there really isn’t enough happening in the film to recommend it. It’s an oddity, but one not worth much more than a single curious glance. In the right mood and with the right group of friends, it might prove to be a bit of fun…” Oh, the Horror!
“There’s a background story about the land the drive-in is on having formerly been a carnival, and the current workers at the drive-in are ex-carnies. This almost gives a few of the interviewees enough to chew on to project interesting characters, but they go nowhere because there’s just nothing to be done with the combination bad writing and bad acting.” Weird Wild Realm
Cast and characters:
John F. Goff as Police Detective Mike Leary
Steve Vincent as Police Psychologist
Douglas Gudbye as Charlie “Germy” Garmey
Verkina Flower as Girl in Warehouse
Robert E. Pearson as Austin Johnson
Catherine Barkley as Kathy
Norman Sheridan as Orville Ingleson
John Alderman as Jim
Jacqueline Giroux as Arlene
Bruce Kimball as Police Detective John Koch
Marty Gatsby as David
Sandy Carey as Lori
Tiffany Jones [Janus Blythe] as Alan’s Date
Myron Griffith as Alan
George ‘Buck’ Flower as Guy with Machete in Warehouse [uncredited]
Choice dialogue:
“You really wanna talk to that piece of puke?”
“What a turkey.”
Budget:
$30,000
Notes:
The onscreen title is the grammatically incorrect Drive In Massacre.
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