Making low budget movies is hard work. There are several drawbacks, long hours, crappy pay and, for the lower totem polers, no recognition or appreciation for their hard work. What you grow to learn in the industry is that making films or TV shows really is not about expressing oneself creatively, no matter how much directors, actors, producers, writers, or craft services people like to delude themselves. The sad fact is that it never, in this country anyway, is about art, it will always be about money. Most times when you find a project that succeeds both creatively and financially (like this summer’s amazing “The Dark Knight”) it’s usually some kind of happy accident. “Brutal Massacre” is about the trials and tribulations of working in independent horror. It succeeds in showing, although way exaggerated, the inner workings of an independent horror film from pitch to premier. It strives to be the horror genre’s answer to Christopher Guest, but what it ends up achieving is an enjoyable time waster that will give fans some insight on what low budget filmmakers go through.  

            Harry Penderecki (“American Werewolf’s" David Naughton) is a b level horror movie director that is in desperate need of a hit. His last three films have all been flops, and he’s beginning to run out of ways to get new movies made. What follows is a “mockumentary” on the making of Harry’s latest film “Brutal Massacre” where, in true Hollywood fashion, everything that can go wrong does.

            It’s difficult to review “Brutal Massacre” without looking at it in terms of other “mockumentaries” like “Spinal Tap” and “Best In Show” because it’s trying to literally copy the style and feel of those films. And in terms of shot composition and editing, it accomplishes that goal. The real problem is that where the Guest films are mostly improvised by the cast, this film chooses to go with a scripted approach, which leaves it feeling less authentic. That being said, if you’ve ever been, or known someone who has made low budget films, you will find moments of “Brutal Massacre” side splittingly hilarious. I’m sure there anecdotes from the filming of Director Steven Mena’s own low budget slasher movie "Malevolence” lead to the creation of this film. And even thought the pacing is slow at first, some of the gags are hit or miss, and it fluxes between real film and “mockumentary” styles at times, Mena eventually finds the right tone, and it becomes much more enjoyable mid film.  

             David Naughton did not impress me in the first third of this film, there wasn’t a manic energy that I thought the performance needed, but I grew to like his sad sack director character, and he grew more watchable as the film progressed. There is an impressive cast of Genre actors (including good ole Ken Foree and Gunnar Hansen), but the one who really stood out for me was “Evil Dead” vet Ellen Sandweiss as Producer Natalie, she literally must have channeled the spirits of production coordinators on  these types of film sets. She does a hilarious job of conveying the right type of frustration and balls needed for this type of character. It’s also nice to see Brian O’Halloran in the film, even though he’s basically playing Dante from “Clerks” if he had a different job. But his delivery is the perfect blend of sarcasm and pleading, just right for an AD!!    

             I would recommend that you rent before purchasing this film. It may be hilarious for people that understand low budget filmmaking, but those unfamiliar with the process won’t find a thing to laugh at. Despite its flaws “Brutal Massacre” gets it right in the end, and in low budget filmmaking that’s all that matters.