Brother and sister
An old cult horror classic appeared today and we jumped on it like metaphors jumping into a lake of jellied similes. Actually, my Arts Editor was quite reluctant. The movie is the famous Motel Hell (1980), starring Rory Calhoun. A brother and sister, now in their later years, are running a motel and smoked meat store; their little brother is the sheriff. People tend to have accidents rather easily in the area, and then disappear, but this doesn’t bother the proprietors none. After all, everyone loves their smoked meats. Even if they’re hiding a secret.
They use preservatives.
A young lady, fresh from the accident that kills her boyfriend, comes under their care, and if the sister is a bit unstable, perhaps even jealous of the young lady, the brother is more than willing to stand up for what’s right. Hell, he won’t even accept a kiss from the youngster without a proper marriage proposal. But the sister has her uses, including the medical skills needed on the small farm the pair run to support their little store. And all is well.
Until the produce breaks free and starts running around.
The production values were surprisingly good, my Arts Editor remarked, even as she gagged a little bit. Several of the vehicles appeared to be spotless antiques, at least at the start of movie; near the end, they might have been a bit banged up. And the acting was actually fun, with the actor playing the sister, Nancy Anne Parsons, doing a particularly good job of chewing the scenery. There was even a good bit of logic to the plot, and it seemed apparent that the scriptwriters really did care for the story, as they covered what appeared to be plot holes quite nicely.
Still, this is an acquired taste, so you’d better like campy horror if you’re going to appreciate Motel Hell.
