Customer Reviews

The Mangler

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Since apparently only lunatics are writing reviews of this DVD (not you Johhnykay), I thought I'd better chime in to offer a reasonable voice.

First thing: Stephen King has no approval regarding movies like this. He sold off the rights long, long ago, and thus cannot control when and if they get made, much less the quality of the movies.

Second thing: this is not a good movie. Don't make the mistake of thinking that it is. The plot is ludicrous -- it sort of works on the page, but filmed, it is just silly. That said, the movie is not entirely worthless. Robert Englund is fun to watch as the factory owner, and there are a few decent sequences. Mainly, though, I'd say the best reason to watch is for Ted Levine, in a rare starring role as the policeman trying to sort this mess out.

Just don't think this is any sort of undiscovered masterpiece; it isn't.

I couldnt help but be impressed when I read the all star cast involved in this movie. Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as director, a Stephen King (The Shining) adaptation, and good 'ol freddy krueger (Robert Englund) as one of the main characters.
With these three involved I couldnt help but pick it up and give it a viewing, and get a little excited about watching it.

Unfortunately, like a lot of King movies, it falls quite short of being anything special, in fact the end result is rather mediocre considering the players involved.

Tobe Hoopers creeping claustrophobia is felt throughout the movie,
but wasnt enough to keep the movies head above water.
The acting performances were pretty ordinary, but thats almost the norm with horror movies.

Of course, Im not going to recommend you buy it, but if you are a fan of Hooper or King, or even England, watch it for there sakes, but dont say I didnt warn you.

For you Hooper fans out there, (...)

Seriously, doesn't King care AT ALL about the film adaptations of his work? This movie is just ridiculous.
We all know that King has a thing about machines that come to life, but he can't expect everyone else to find that scary. Especially when we're talking about a huge industrial laundry machine that winds up roaming the streets in search of virgins. Oh brother, I wish I was kidding, but that's what this movie is about. The short story on which it was based isn't bad, but it gets mangled (ha ha) along with the careers of everyone who had something to do with this terrible film.
Please, Steve: you're an excellent writer, but for the love of God, show at least a LITTLE discretion when you're approving film projects based on your work. For every "Stand By Me" or "Shawshank Redemption", there's three or four "Christine"s or "The Mangler"s. Shape up! You have the power to say no! You forcibly detached your name from that piece of crap called "The Lawnmower Man"... that was a good start!

I have seen this movie.. -Though; -the story look's
really sloppy in terms of bad acting..? -What is likeble
is actor; -Robert Englund. -Ho play's; -Gartley; -a vicious
boss of a factory machine ho it eat's people alive..?

His daughter looks real good..? -The actress playing his
daughter.. -Ho might become a victim of the machine..? -Others
are scared of this crazy machine as it prone's on it's
victim's..? -Mangling them two death unexpectedly..?

This movie is so close in being; -Tobe Hooper's; -Poltegeist
and; -Lifeforce.. -One of my favorite; -movie's of the
80's; -at that time..? -Tobe Hooper's; -direction..? -Is
not that bad..? -I wish their was more detailed where
the demon came from..? -How did it get powers on it's
owner..? -But; -Tobe Hooper is a true master of terror..?
and; -so is; -Stephen King..! -Know's their horror

Anthology..!! -Really well..! -The Detective; -Jeff Levin.?
Doe's a really good job in being a strong man he is threw
out the film..? -Such as his partner ho helps him about
the Mangler..? -This is not a bad freak show for king
fan's..! -Or; -for; -Robert Englund..!! -Nut's..?

Like me..? -So I strongly suggest this those fan's of
"Lifeforce." -And; -Poltergeist.. -Those ho are none
exploitation; -fan's..!

Enjoy..!!

To disagree with another review of this gory adaption of a King short story, the movie hardly follows the story at all. Sure, the plot elements are the same, but minor details are different. Details just minor enough o affect the outcome of the story. Because there's so many I'll only reveal one: Both the man characters are wifeless. Levine's wife is dead and his pal's a bachelor. Also, Englund' character and the pact he's made with the demon in the machine is different. Englund's character in the book is only mentioned once or twice, and he isn't a main player in the events. Overall repulsive, yet shockingly entertaining. Much like Rob Zombie's: "House Of 1000 Corpses". But, what more to expect from the director of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

The Mangler for all its hype, boasting three of the best in the business, is unfortunately blasted to death in parts by some very hammy acting from Daniel Matmor who plays a nerdy supernatural guy that advices our main protagonist about the paranormal. Whenever his presence is on the screen the film just fails miserably. If he was cut from this movie it would automatically be elevated by two more stars.

The premise is a simple one. A town's laundry press machine has a life of its own. It gobbles up the women workers there and a detective (a great Ted Levine!) is set to try and figure out what is going on. The factory owner (Robert Englund) is over the top in his performance, but he just does it so well that you enjoy it! The story from Stephen King is not that bad and there is lots of blood and suspense along the way. This is not a bad horror movie but unfortunately Matmor and his scenes are completely out-of-touch with this movie and since he is in 40% of it well we can do little more than award it two stars when we could have given it four.

Having Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs playing the detective here is a classic call by director Hopper. It was a great idea!

How could you possibly go wrong with a movie forged by the Holy Trinity of Terror: the inspired, deranged, ghoulish minds of Stephen King, Tobe Hooper, and Robert Englund---particularly when the subject of "The Mangler" is a demon-possessed industrial laundry machine ravenous for human flesh and blood?

Short answer: you can't! If your local coin-op laundromat is closed for the night, it's certainly worth your while to take your dirty clothes over to the old Bartley mill and get 'em steam-pressed.

For your time and blood money, here's what you get out of this tasty little nugget of pure bloody stupidity:

*A REAL villain---certainly not your boring, ordinary old serial killer from central casting, but a demon-possessed 19th century steam-belching industrial press laundry machine (the Hadley Watson #6, naturally). This mass murderer means business: rather than just stabbing or shooting its victims---how mundane!---it folds, spindles, and mutilates them, then considerately folds and presses them!

*The great Ted Levine (who played Buffalo Bill in "Silence of the Lambs") woefully miscast as a small-town Maine police detective and hero of the movie! Levine slurs every line in that trademark cross between a gargle and a whine, and I would burst out in laughter every time he talked. Funny stuff! While Levine was investigating the messy death of the pill-popping Mrs. Frawley, I kept waiting for him to say "oh yeah, I remember, she was that great big fat person".

*Daniel Matmor as a sort of poor man's Tom Conti, who proposes to "read Leviticus" to the demon laundry machine and engages in a scenery-chewing contest with Robert Englund and the Machine. The Machine wins.

*And of course, Robert Englund himself, cackling insanely, cracking that corporate whip, and waddling about in a kind of combination crutches-lower body exoskeleton like some a demon-possessed version of Lionel Barrymore's Old Man Potter from "It's a Wonderful Life"!

There's a lot of material thrown into "The Mangler"---you've got the demonic laundry machine, belladonna pills, virgin blood, ancient sacrifice, the town's power-mad aristocracy, even a contract between Englund's insane old tycoon and the Hadley-Watson #6--- served up with some nice directorial panache and stylish camera angles by Tobe Hooper. But that said, "The Mangler" isn't about viewing-for-comprehension: this is high-octane garbage, served up with a fine helping up gore and with a side-order of extra-rare gore. Did I mention "The Mangler" is gory?

Levine, despite forever being cross-dressing serial killer Jame Gumb in my mind, is actually pretty funny as the lead, and puts some rough miles on a Jeep Cherokee. Datmor plays Watson to Levine's Holmes, and overacts ferociously to the scripture-quoting finish. Englund does his sneering, leering, cackling thing, and gets a good tailor in the bargain. Loved the ascot and smoking jacket!

Tobe Hooper keeps up the pace, throws in some moody interiors, cobbles together a pretty ferocious man-eating laundry machine (all stamped Industrial Revolution gears and pressed black metal---brrr!), and keeps up an onslaught of mayhem as workers get pulled into the presser and you start wondering about the damage this is doing to the mill's profit margins.

Moral of the Story #1: Don't let the virgin mill-worker bleed into the press of the Demonic Laundry Machine.

Moral of the Story #2: If you're a 16-year-old virgin mill-worker, you probably shouldn't work for Robert Englund.

Is this a horror classic? Absolutely not. Is it enjoyable, bloody, unapologetic fun? You betcha---and it's good enough to cry out for proper DVD treatment. Throw this sick puppy in the hopper and let's get to pressing laundry---we're on the clock, and time is money!

When I first saw the peview to The Mangler I am sure that I asking myself why this flim was not more popular. Being it was a Hooper/Englund/King combo I had high expectation for is one.
But all this movie turned out to be was a forgetable and weird story of a machine that is eating the factory workers who are working for an old, rich, crazy, guy played by Englund, who owns and love the machine very much even though it is possessed by the devil. The machine also very much injoys 16 year old virgans on their brithdays.
The movie gose from good and scary to lame over and over agian in a trend almost. The Mangler also has one of the cheesest screenplays i have ever heard. I will give this movie some props for the great and sinster acting by Robort Englund, and Ted levine.

This picture is most boring for a long time. It contain three robots, two of which are evil. One is our loveable friend, though whose heart contain much love but dead birds as well. This robot is corrupted by a jerk police officer who calls him son of bicth. Then he kicks off. His head and demon spirits release to a factory which becomes posessed. The back of the movie I beleive says that the movie contain cameo by actor who plays chewbacca in star trek. It didn't to my knowledge. I might be a mistake. Factory possesed by loveable robot's spirits, turns into monster, kills freddy cougar who plays a robot in the film, and chases cop and lady who I have never seen before into sewer. It then leaves them alone and they go"oh well", even though monster is still living the movie ends. This doesn't contain very spooky themes - don't watch it.

Although the acting in this film was as low budget as the special effects, the story behind the movie was frightening enough to keep me up for a week!!!