PSYCHOS IN LOVE

We meet Joe (Carmine Capobianco, CEMETERY HIGH; THE LAND OF COLLEGE PROPHETS), a likeable bearded guy who addresses the screen and tells of how he first got a taste for killing women. Through flashbacks we witness Joe at work - garroting, stabbing and slashing pretty victims to death.

Joe explains that his life changed when he met and fell in love with Diane, a gorgeous brunette with a body to die for. Things were going great for Joe ... until he discovered she liked grapes. Joe has a deep hatred of grapes, so much so that he ended up slicing Diane apart in the shower.

Joe continues addressing the screen, talking us through his life as a lonely bar owner, with murder being his only hobby.

But things start improving for Joe when pretty manicurist Kate (Debbie Thibeault, CEMETERY HIGH) strolls into his bar. Joe offers her a drink of grape juice, hoping to find a reason to despise and kill her. But Kate reacts violently - she hates grapes!

The couple get talking and are immediately attracted to each other. Joe takes Kate on a date which sees him smashing the windscreen of his car with a sledgehammer so they can hear the movie playing at the local drive-in.

At the end of the night, Kate invites Joe into her home for a manicure. As she prepares her nail files, Joe confesses that he is a serial killer. But as Kate has already revealed to the viewer, so is she!

Realising they are made for each other, Joe and Kate promise not to kill one another and begin their new life as a lovestruck couple. There's an enjoyable, infectious chemistry between the pair as they laugh, joke and horse around together. Even when they're laid in bed together discussing how they first discovered their passion for murder, there's a young-and-in-love playfulness to their relationship.

The couple agree to an open relationship, whereby they can continue their killing sprees on separate terms. Joe has a penchant for slaying single women (all of them are hot too), while Kate goes for sleazy men looking for one night stands. Both kill with relish to begin with - as a succession of episodic gory set-pieces demonstrate - but start to tire of their hobbies and search for something new to share together.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, there's a homicidal plumber called Herman (Frank Stewart, BAD BLOOD; DEATH COLLECTOR) eating his victims. As plotless as PSYCHOS IN LOVE often feels, it seems inevitable that these characters will all meet at some point ...

Capobianco co-wrote the script with director Gorman Bechard (THE KISS; CEMETERY HIGH; YOU ARE ALONE), and he clearly revels in the witty one-liners and smart wordplay that he's afforded his character. Kate gets her fair share of jokes too, while the visual gags are reminiscent of the films of Rob Reiner or Mel Brooks. A scene where Joe prepares to poison a victim is particularly amusing.

In terms of comedy, the film works well by flirting with irreverence while avoiding outright silliness. There are a few in-jokes about the making of the film itself too, such as microphones imtentionally appearing in shot, and Joe's occasional asides to the camera ... but it all weaves itself in with the kooky plot nicely.

As a horror film, PSYCHOS IN LOVE doesn't scrimp on murder or gore. Although the FX are limited (the film cost $75,000 to make, in 1986), there's plenty of the red stuff on offer, as well as all the staple ingredients of any decent genre flick: chases through the woods; sexually deviant suitors; people presumed dead who suddenly spring back to life; shower murder scenes, and so on.

There's a fine balance to be had between humour and horror, and for the most part Bechard finds the equilibrium.

Part of the film's success lies with the lead performances, which are excellent. Joe and Kate make a likeable, believable couple. The victims are all given interesting, familiar traits too - conceited men who equate their wealth with sexiness, women who talk breathlessly about their insecurities, etc.

The score is amusing in it's own crude way, and is befitting of the movie's brisk pace. If the film has any shortcomings, it's that it feels very episodic and as a result feels a little long for it's 83 minute running time.

The full-frame picture has been transferred from the original 16mm print, and looks fine. It's a little dark at times, but I suspect the original film was anyway. Images are mostly sharp and free from grain. There's a little print damage at the start of the movie, but this soon improves.

The mono audio is in English and is good, if a little too bassy. There are removable subtitles in German.

Attractive animated menus give way to a scene selection guide allowing access to the main feature via 8 chapters, and a host of interesting extras.

First there's an audio commentary by Bechard and Capobianco, which is one of the best I've heard in ages. The pair have fond memories of the shoot and laugh all the way through this track. As well as being fun-filled, it's an informative chat too - Bechard revealing many secrets of low budget filmmaking along the way. Oh, and the guy has a fixation on real breasts...!

A trailer runs as a gore-soaked promo reel for the film, making it look nastier than it actually is.

A well presented stills gallery boasts over a hundred production photos, all accompanied by songs from the film's wacky soundtrack. This extra last 10 minutes.

Next up is a 13 minute "Making Of" featurette directed by sound engineer Shaun Cashman. Shot during the filming of PSYCHOS IN LOVE, there's some interesting behind the scenes footage and interviews.

A brief alternative title sequence is of little interest, but is included for the curious.

There's a 2 minute short called THE ONLY TAKE, which is a mock outtake of a murder from the filming. It's too short, but amusing.

We also get biographies for Bechard and Capobianco, in English text.

All of the above extras are in English language, without the option of German subtitles. Which is odd, considering this is a German DVD release.

The only extras that are in German are two trailers, for CLEANER and LORD OF THE UNDEAD.

An interesting, funny film filled with attractive women, nudity, blood, more nudity, cannibalism and surreal humour. CMV's disc is as good a DVD as I imagine this little-seen 80s flick will get - and very good it is!

Review by Stu Willis