I saw shades of all my favorite slasher movies from the 70s, plus a few pop culture references that may go over others’ heads. The 70s were such a distinct period visually, so how did the team come up with what references to include in the film?
Some films take you back to the ’70s. Brute 1976 is a new slasher film that snatches you up and drops you directly into the era with references to all your favorite classics of the time.
Joe Knetter, yes that George A. Romero’s Twilight of the Dead Joe Knetter — wrote this, and ardent fans of horror will immediately catch the references as the film progresses.
The plot: In 1976, a group of people in the desert for a photo shoot stumble upon an abandoned town called Savage. But they are not alone. A family of masked psychopaths have claimed Savage as their own and are hell-bent on living up to its name.
The audience will be inclined to lean into this engaging cast. Adriane McLean, Sarah French, Gigi Gustin, Dazelle Yvette, and Adam Bucci throw their all into the script, and play up the tension with winks and nods to viewers along the way. The look of the movie epitomizes 70s Americana, and thanks to cinematographer Marcus Friedlander, it pops with solid costume choices, decor, and even vehicles fitting quite well in the mid-1970s. The set decor, costume design, and production design departments did fantastic work here, and fans will appreciate the build-up before the tear-down.
The work here captures the essence of a 1970s slasher, of the sun-soaked desert, and works great with the story. The look of the film here is stronger than the way the story is brought to life at times, which makes for a few interesting scenes. While the story works, the visuals steal the show more than once.
This Ain’t Mister Roger’s Neighborhood
A proper retro slasher lives and dies by its villains, and Brute 1976 delivers an unforgettable lineup of deranged killers. The ghost town of Savage is teeming with masked maniacs, skin-wearing psychopaths, and a cult devoted mistress of ceremonies, Mama Bird, whose full madness is revealed in the disturbing final act.
One of the film’s most bizarre moments comes when a killer pauses in the middle of a murder spree to reveal that his feminine figure is nothing more than borrowed flesh. The ‘goryhole’ scene is worth the price of admission alone. It’s camp-rageous, unsettling, and exactly the kind of sick sad world that makes grindhouse horror so memorable.
Of Carnage and Cray-Cray
Director Marcel Walz and writer Joe Knetter understand that a slasher should leave audiences squirming, and Brute 1976 rarely misses an opportunity to do just that. Every set piece ups the ante of brutality, from a gruesome ankle injury that will make viewers recoil to trap doors that are the stuff of our nightmares.
The violence grows increasingly inventive, featuring bone-crunching impacts, a painfully unforgettable drill sequence, and suspense that constantly keeps viewers on edge. Just when it seems the film has shown all its tricks, it delivers a final twist that makes the audience rethink everything that came before.
Exit Stage Left?
Savage initially appears to be another forgotten desert ghost town, but this place constantly walks the line between the terrifying and macabre, embracing the over-the-top insanity that was a mainstay of 70s films. The ridiculous moments somehow fit perfectly within the film’s unhinged world.
Make no mistake: this is a grimy, blood-soaked love letter to vintage horror, and fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Hills Have Eyes will immediately recognize its influences, yet it never feels like a cheap imitation. It is savage, unapologetically gruesome, funny in spurts, and expertly recreates the raw spirit of 1970s exploitation cinema. For horror fans longing for practical effects, memorable villains, relentless kills, and an atmosphere dripping with grit and dread, this is one trip into the desert that’s well worth taking — if you dare!
See the trailer here!
Triston Brewer is an entertainment journalist, film critic, and member of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. He reviews films of every scale — from major studio blockbusters to independent gems — championing bold storytelling across domestic and international cinema while highlighting emerging filmmakers making waves throughout the industry.
