The Mangler (1995)

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Director Tobe Hooper rode the Cross-Over success of the Drive-In/Grind-House release of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) into a Cult Awareness that eventually went Mainstream and managed to Mangle a Career Opportunity with a Descent into Oblivion, Ridicule, and just plain Bad Movie Making.He rode that Beaten Dead Horse for over Two Decades until it was Obvious the Man was a "One Trick Pony". He then Faded to Black as "The End" was Inevitable.This Movie is Not a Pretty Sight. Everything is Ugly, Extremely Ugly, it seems to be Ugly for No other Reason then to be Ugly. The Clueless Notion that because it's a Gore-Fest it has to Look Ugly, Sweaty, and Unattractive with all aspects being Unappealing.The Characters (starring Robert Englund and Ted Levine) the Sets, the God-Awful Acting, the Costumes are all Unappealing. Therefore when the Money Shots (the horrific gore and slaughter) are On Screen, there is No Contrast. Nothing to Differentiate from the Proceedings. It's just more Ugliness among the Ugliness.Adapted from a Stephen King Short Story, the Movie Fails the Paranormal, Demon Possession, Occult Angle and is Muddled and Misses the Main Message( soul-less capitalism and industrial evil) by a Mile.The Budget makes it all Appear Slick and Professional, but the End Result is a Mess of Ugliness that Appears Slick and Professional. One More Mangled Movie made on the Long and Winding Downward Spiral of Tobe Hooper. What a Waste.

A laundry folding machine is possessed by a demon from Hell.The reviews for "The Mangler" are predominantly bad. Richard Harrington wrote, "The Mangler is ludicrous from start to finish: its plot lines dangle, its effects fail to dazzle and the acting and directing are uniformly bad... even the least demanding of genre fans will be hard-pressed to tremble in its presence." This is partially true. The plot is not as strong as it could be, but it does have a few nice touches, most notably the gore.Mike Long rated it 0.5/5 stars and wrote, "There have been many bad, throw-away projects based on material from Stephen King, but The Mangler has to be one of the worst. The movie's laughable premise is only brought down by the inept filmmaking on display here." Yep. The acting is pretty bad (especially the way lines are delivered), and there is just no getting around the fact this is a story about a possessed laundry machine... it might be good as a short story (I don't know), but to make it believable on screen? And I think they made at least one if not two sequels...

I decided to see "The Mangler" (1994) for the sole reason that it was directed by Tobe Hooper. Well, his direction didn't do much for this stinker of a film. Actually, I suppose it's interesting in one way. The horror film was on the wane in the mid-'90s--or at least the cheesy horror film, and "The Mangler" only hastened the decline. This film might have attracted an audience in the '80s, but it seems quite anachronistic in the mid-'90s, especially when based on a story from that icon of the '80s, Stephen King.The plot is simple: A big, ugly laundry-pressing machine is awakened when a virgin cuts her hand and spills blood on it. The machine decides it likes eating people and more accidents happen. The predictable "discovery" plot ensues, with a tough, skeptical cop having to be convinced by his quirky, New Age friend that a demon possesses the machine.

Since the 1970's those of us that are true fans of horror flicks know that Tobe Hooper, Stephen King, and Robert Englund have contributed greatly to the genre, and are still today considered masters of their craft. Now, fans may have mixed feelings about "The Mangler", a ridiculous movie about a giant steam press possessed by a demon (or something), although I was no more or less than entertained. The story begins at the Blue Ribbon Laundry, whose business is obviously a pillar of a small town community. It just so happens that Robert Englund (for those who don't know played Freddy Kruger)is a madman who needs virgin blood (and anyone else's will do) to keep the mechanical monster thriving. Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill from Scilence of the Lambs)is a skeptical detective trying to figure out why people are being folded and spit out by the machine in gruesome detail. Although, the plot is absurd, this twisted tale based on the short story by Stephen King is handled quite well. First of all, the machine is absolutely menacing. Big, loud, dirty, steaming and glowing red from its bowels, makes for a great set-piece. The Robert Englund character is completely whacked out with metal leg braces and giant scars. (obviously inflicted by the mangler) Ted Levine's performance as the frustrated cop is hilarious, and Tobe Hooper does a good job of keeping the pace alive and breathing. Its not much for atmosphere or tension, and contains dumb touches such as a possessed antique refrigerator that shoots out lightning and is never quite explained, but for an evening's entertainment, one can do much worse. A hilarious scene has Robert Englund ranting and dancing about as the machine swallows up another victim. For all you haters out there, remember... These films aren't meant to win academy awards. Lighten up!