A brainchild of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe HOOPER), Motel Hell, a bloodbath taking place in a quiet country town, offers an interesting horror rendition with a fresh, witty twist. Using a countryside motel as the backdrop, with a neon sign missing “O,” reading “MOTEL HELL.” Name suits the place fine because the purpose is not hospitality but carnage. Owners of the place (a brother and a sister) set a trap on the road, cause car or motorcycle accidents, kidnap and kill the injured, and sell their smoked meat. The most horrendous, and thus quite intriguing, part of their operation is that they don’t kill their victims right off. Instead, they take time breeding them. Abductees are planted in the ground, like plants, their throat slit, their body nourished amply. And just when the meat turns juicy and plump, they are cut into pieces — a fresh approach. The last scene where electric chainsaws are used as deadly weapons is particularly incredible! The sinister atmosphere of the human slaughterhouse, the ear-pounding noise of the chainsaws, Rory CALHOUN’s excellent performance, and the sexual charisma of the Playmate of the Year 1978 Monique St. Pierre all spice up the fun. (KIM Jong Chul)