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Retribution (1987) - Guy Magar


George decides to commit suicide on Halloween at the exact same time as a gangster named Vito. Just so happens that due to supernatural events Georges body survives and houses both himself and Vito. Slowly, Vito starts to make his way back out with murderous results. George keeps envisioning himself murdering all of these people. Much to the annoyance of his psychiatrist. 

The acting is nothing to write home about. Dennis Lipscomb does a really respectable job. The other actors are passable. It's just a shame that the editing and direction is so subpar. It doesn't stop this from being a really interesting feature though. The plot is strange but I kinda like it. This is a sort of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story that has been enhanced for the modern age. Well, maybe enhanced is too generous of a word. This movie is absurd, campy, gory and wonderful. It's not amazing but that doesn't really matter. It's fun. It's a shame that it took Guy Magar so long to find distribution. 

The movie isn't scary. I just can't seem to be frightened with Dennis Lipscomb's weird haircut making me laugh. This also has one of the most infamous b-movie death scenes of all time. George's alter-ego murders a guy in a meat packing plant by trapping him inside of a hanging carcass. Then he runs him down a conveyor belt to a spinning saw. It's great. It also has a really eerie synth-y sountrack. It's kind of Giorgio Moroder-ish. 

Parts of this movie are so outrageous the're laughable. It reminds me of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace on Adult Swim. I recommend this movie. It has that forgotten eighties cult charm. Definitely something to dust off and play at parties. Everyone will get a kick. It should be pretty easy to find. I looked online and saw that they actually have a three disk blu-ray set. Crazy. 

Director: Guy Magar
Producer: Guy Magar
Writer: Guy Magar, Lee Wasserman
Starring: Dennis Lipscomb, Leslie Wing, Hoyt Axton and Suzanne Snyder
Studio: Overseas FilmGroup, Taurus Entertainment Company and Taurus Entertainment Company
Release Date: March 1987
Did ya know: This never had an official theatrical release. It was funded by director Guy Magar.







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