Slaughter Hotel (1971)

Released by: Shriek Show
Release date: 05/24/2004
Rating:
Running time: 95 mins
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Region: Region 1, NTSC
MSRP: $17.99

Welcome to the Slaughter Hotel! A psychiatric clinic where husbands leave their wives to be cured of either their suicidal tendencies, nymphomaniac urges, or murderous instincts. Or maybe a combination of all three... Soon enough a masked killer wearing a cape is knocking off the patients one-by-one. Will the patients find out whom is this masked killer before it's too late? Are the doctors of the clinic in on this? And will the police get there in time to solve the mystery before it is too late?

MOVIE: 1.5 out of 5.
Slaughter Hotel doesn't deliver the goods. As a giallo, it's a real disappointment. There's only 4 deaths (from what I remember) in the entire film, and it's drawn out quite a bit. There's very little story line, and the pacing of the movie is horrendous. This could have been easily trimmed down to a brisk 75-minutes, which the cut R-rated version was original at. I wonder if that version would have been any better? Probably not, especially because it would be 75-minutes of no gore and no nudity, which this movie needs to at least entertain. Not even a supporting role by the infamous Klaus Kinski as the doctor who may or may not be the killer can save this film. It's your typical Eurotrash, but of course it's not the good Eurotrash. There's boobs, there's blood, hell there's some softcore porn, but none of this can save this mess.

VIDEO: 3.5 out of 5.
Slaughter Hotel is presented in it's original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The video presentation is anamorphic enhanced. The focus is a tad soft in some cases, and there is some noticeable grain and fading to the print, but considering Shriek Show's other presentations, this is above par for their standards. The cinematograpy is the only redeeming factor in this film, and the video presentation is adequate.

AUDIO: 1.5 out of 5.
Well, it's the original mono track, and it's fairly clear throughout the film. However, there is a complete scene about two-thirds through the film that is completely out of sync... And that scene lasts for a good 1-2 minutes. So other than that huge inconsistency, the audio isn't that bad for a film this old, but the audio that is out of sync should have been fixed. The audio score suffers greatly because of the major sound gaffe.

EXTRAS: 2 out of 5.
The only extras to be found on this disc are the original Italian theatrical trailer, a short interview with the director Fernando Di Leo (whom died shortly after the interview was filmed), an alternate 'clothed-version' of Rosalba Neri's solo bedroom scene, and a small still gallery of actresses Margaret Lee and Rosalba Neri. The best extra and the only thing worth watching on this disc, even over the movie itself, is the theatrical trailer. It's as if some acid-head were given the film,. paid in hits of acid, and advised to cut the trailer. There are more trippy visuals and effects in this trailer then there were hippies at Woodstock. Well, that's probably exaggerating, but none-the-less, it's a freaked-out trailer!

OVERALL: 1.5 out of 5.
Avoid this one. It's a sorry excuse for a giallo, and even fails at being entertaining Eurotrash. My advise is to watch the trippy trailer for Slaughter Hotel on YouTube, and then be on your way.