Doom Asylum is not a great film, but very much on purpose. It’s a slasher film, that ticks off all of the clichés of the subgenre along the way and a satire at the same time. Not just of slashers or horror films, but of genre filmmaking in general and therefore not to be taken seriously.
The premise is suitably generic, beginning with Mitch and his fiancé Judy celebrating a huge court case win that will set them up for life. A car accident later, however, and Judy is dead and Mitch is laying on a coroner’s office table where his horrific injuries have people believing he is dead too. Mitch wakes up and – now insane – kills the examiners. Some years down the line, Judy’s daughter Kiki and her group of friends stop at an abandoned asylum not realising it hides the disfigured and murderous Mitch. As well as a Goth-punk girl group trio who, while practising their music, will also get caught up in the events that follow.
The film doesn’t skimp on the expected kills whilst also adding in numerous gags, visual and through dialogue, which means it can be enjoyed as both low budget horror film and commentary on the popular tropes of the genre. Whether you are on board with this will depend on how much Doom Asylum’s off-kilter sensibilities and wilful humour lands with you. This reviewer found it tiresome and eventually irritating but, and this really is the key here, other viewers will find it all a hoot. It’s presented here on Blu-ray by Arrow in a brand new 2K restoration and for the most part (the reasoning behind both widescreen and 1.33:1 versions are explained), it’s another example of just how sharp, colourful and vibrant this process can make a 30-year-old low budget film pop.
For extras, it’s a reliably good selection. There are a number of interviews included; with actor Ruth Collins (18 mins), cinematographer Larry Revene (19 mins), and special effects creator Vincent J. Guastini (18 mins) all sharing their newly-recorded memories of the film with additional archival interviews with director Richard Friedman, producer Alexander W. Kogan and production manager Bill Tasgal (11 mins). We have two commentaries as well, a moderated one with screenwriter Rick Marx and the other with slasher aficionados The Hysteria Continues. Marx’s, in particular, unravels some of the intent behind the film’s creation, and the other done with affection and insight (it’s described here as ‘the slasher John Waters would make’). First pressings come with a booklet featuring new writing by the estimable slasher expert Amanda Reyes. For fans or those interested, it’s a great release.
DOOM ASYLUM (1987) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: RICHARD FRIEDMAN / SCREENPLAY: RICK MARX / STARRING: PATTY MULLEN, RUTH COLLINS, KRISTIN DAVIS, WILLIAM HAY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
