10 Most Underrated Horror/Slasher Films Part One:Mortuary(1983)

Since it's October and most people are more interested in horror around this time, I figured that I would expound upon some of my favorite films, that I feel are underrated. Sure everyone knows about the Friday The 13th's, the Halloween's, and the Nightmares, but these are some classics that even hardened slasher fans sometimes neglect. If you have never seen these films, you should definitely do yourself a favor, and check them out. Today's installment is: Mortuary(1983)..........

Mortuary is what I like to refer to as a "sleeper slasher", a film that may not boast non-stop action or gore, but has atmosphere by the bucket loads! The film opens with a man taking a swim in his pool on the California coastline. As he exits the pool, an unseen killer shows up and bludgeons him to death with a baseball bat. The story that follows is about his daughter Christie(played by the Walton's Mary Beth Mcdonough), and her quest to prove that her father was in fact murdered, and not a victim of an accidental drowning. Her mother(the wonderful Linda Day George), thinks that Christie is crazy, even when she begins seeing a hooded figure in corpse paint following her and attacking her. She seems to be too busy having seances with the local mortician(her real life husband, Christopher George). Christie's boyfriend(80's heartthrob, David Wallace), tries his best to help Christie solve this Scooby-Doo style mystery, but his primary goal is to get in her pants(which he does.....little Erin Walton all grown up and naked!!). Bill Paxton, in his first role, stars as the creepy mortician's son, who loves Christie as much as he does Beethoven!

It takes things a while to get really involved in Mortuary, but to me it never feels stagnant. The last 20 minutes are definitely teeth-clinchingly great! This was put out in the 80's on VHS by the great Vestron Video, too bad no one has put this out domestically on DVD yet, as there is a gaping hole in my collection waiting for this gem. If you don't mind a more laid back slasher, and you get the chance to peep Mortuary, please do.......you won't be sorry.