|
The Carpenter
(Construction/Madness/Slasher) 8********skulls
* Blood * Violent * Strong Language * No Nudity * Sexual Situations * * Gory *
1987/Color/87 Min./Republic Pictures Home Video & Gold Gems Ltd./Not Rated
Director.........David Wallington
Screenplay.......Doug Taylor
Music............Pierre Bundock
Producer.........Pierre Grise
Executive Producer.....Jack Brassman
Special Effects by Andrew Campbell
Special Effects Make-up by Michael Bougie
Dramatis Personae
The Carpenter...Wings Hauser (Mutant, Pale Blood, Reason to Die)
Alice...........Lynne Adams (Blood Relations)
Martin Jarrett..Pierre Lenoir
Rachel..........Barbara-Ann Jones
Laura Bell......Louise Marie Mennier
Roland..........Jon Cuthbert
Barnes..........Robert Austern
Landis..........Tony Ulo
Farnsworth......Bob Pot
Mr. Mort........Richard Jutres
Sheriff.........J.J. Johnston
Crazy woman.....Beverly Murray
Critique: A film of impressive technical qualities with an engagingly professional musical score. The mutilations are oddly abstract, nicely reflecting the psychological state of Mrs. Jarrett, blurring fact and fantasy. This is a horror movie for the do it yourselfer. It also is less predictable than your usual slash 'em up. Some first rate humor a la "The Stepfather" as Ed extols the merits of workmanship and shakes his head over the evils of aluminum siding, punching further holes into one of the intruders for emphasis. Later, after taking a blow to the head with a hammer from Alice, he grabs it and says, "this is a tool, not a toy." As we get the idea that Alice has not been sleeping well and avoiding taking her medication, the ensuing events become more and more plausible. Also plausible is the husband being driven out of the house by Alice's madness. The ending, it must be said is a bit disappointing. As is so often the case, an extra twist for good luck can strip the screw and wreck the whole assembly. Fortunately, the damage here is not that dire. Only the previous hour leads one to expect a more artistic solution to Alice's problems.
Plot Summary: A man's suit is cut to pieces. Apparently that's sufficient reason for troubled Alice Jarrett to be stuck in a hospital for observation. Although she is released, she remains plagued by some disturbing dreams. Barry Farnsworth is in charge of the renovations on the place she goes to for rest and relaxation. The house starts to shape up, and it appears the nervous breakdown is a thing of the past. One night there's a sawing late at night. While husband Martin remains dead to the world, Mrs. Jarrett gets up to see what the commotion is about. It's just a mystery carpenter doing some midnight work. The next day the workers are grumbling about who might have done the work in the basement. Mrs. Jarrett is left alone in the house with the workers--apparently Martin doesn't trust her. Martin's going to be late again tonight. He teaches at the college and his late nights are decidedly extra curricular. Roland, one of the workers, forces his way into the house that night, however, the mystery carpenter happens to be doing some late night work and has a little surprise for the fellow who is fooled by his disarming smile. When Martin gets home, he's baffled by a drop of blood and the half finished bottle of wine. Martin asks Alice about the wine, wondering whether that mixes well with the medication. She says she no longer takes her medication. Soon Mrs. Jarrett shows up at the paint store, applying for a job. Roland has apparently disappeared, but Barry Farnsworth seems to have disappeared. Mrs. Jarrett has another meeting with the late night mystery carpenter. When the crew arrives the next day, two of the men whom Martin had reported for horsing around are fired. Oddly, the house has made great progress while the work crew was away. A motorcycle cop shows up at the site and explains to Mrs. Jarrett (Alice) that the guy who had originally built the house was an odd ball who wouldn't hire anyone to help build the house. The previous owner fell into financial problems and didn't handle it well when the repo men came, as he dismembered them. The boys who were fired decide to steal the tools to get back at Farnsworth. Unfortunately, they decide to go down to the basement for the sander. As mystery Ed is finishing off the job, Alice comes down and they have a chat over the mutilated corpses. Martin has a talk on the phone with his coed from the college. Did Alice hear. Soon Alice's sister shows up and Martin is still more estranged from his wife. That night, Martin comes down and sees Alice painting the wall. Martin sneaks some medication into a late night glass of milk. Alice has a late night dance with Ed. Alice tells her sister Rachel about Ed who comes to see her at night. She seems distracted at the paint store, ending up covered with red paint. When Martin's girlfriend shows up to tell Alice about her being pregnant, followed by Martin who sees what became of her, things get messy for all concerned.
|