My Bloody Valentine (1981)

Featured Audience Ratings

• BG Movie Reviews 2

  
  At a first glance, Rotten Tomatoes seems to show that this film is a relatively poor film, with it's roughly 33% rating on the Tomatometer. However, if you can ignore this and actually watch the film, you can see exactly why it was remade in 2009. My Bloody Valentine is the… More
  At a first glance, Rotten Tomatoes seems to show that this film is a relatively poor film, with it's roughly 33% rating on the Tomatometer. However, if you can ignore this and actually watch the film, you can see exactly why it was remade in 2009. My Bloody Valentine is the story about a mining village where a horrible mining accident happened due to a few miners deciding to leave the mine early for a Valentine's Day party. However, many years later, the people of the town decide to hold another Valentine's party, but someone doesn't want them to... The story is quite clever and creative, even though not actually very scary as a film. It is a good, confident slasher film, with some very clever use of symbolism (upside down hearts, along the same lines of the upside down cross Satanists use) and a clever ending. Although it is not the greatest film of all time, it is definitely one that is worth your time. It is one of those cult classics you have to watch, just to know what the fuss was about!

• Lee ?

  
  A really good 80s slasher with a decent body count, good pacing and a memorable killer, and the twist ending was a genuine surprise for once. Due to MPAA cuts it's not the most gory of slashers compared to others of the time period but it's still entertaining from start to… More
  A really good 80s slasher with a decent body count, good pacing and a memorable killer, and the twist ending was a genuine surprise for once. Due to MPAA cuts it's not the most gory of slashers compared to others of the time period but it's still entertaining from start to finish.

• AJ V

  
  One of my favourite slasher films of the 80s, it's suspenseful, horrific, and the ending is great. If you love horror, you should see this one.

• Jeff "

  
  After the success of Halloween, many saw it as an opportunity to cash in on its success. Many Slasher imitators followed, Prom Night, Friday The 13th, and of course this one. Of all the Halloween rip offs, This along with Friday The 13th are the best in my opinion. This film is very… More
  After the success of Halloween, many saw it as an opportunity to cash in on its success. Many Slasher imitators followed, Prom Night, Friday The 13th, and of course this one. Of all the Halloween rip offs, This along with Friday The 13th are the best in my opinion. This film is very well done, the kills are entertaining and the cast does a great job. My Bloody Valentine was originally edited down due to extreme violence, the filmakers felt that because of the death of John Lennon, the movie would get a lot of flack for the violent contents. But on January 13, 2000, Lions Gate released an uncut version of the DVD. This new release with the lost footage adds so much more tension to the original 1980 theatrical cut, and it makes for way better viewing. The concept of the mine and the miner that kills people is brilliant and I think it makes My Bloody Valentine an essential Horror film to watch.

• Cassandra M

  
  From My Bloody Valentine: "Daddy's gone away, Harry Warden made you pay". That might quite possibly be the most haunting jingle in a horror movie. It is every bit as sinister as "One Two, Freddy's coming for you..." Twenty years after a Valentine's… More
  From My Bloody Valentine: "Daddy's gone away, Harry Warden made you pay". That might quite possibly be the most haunting jingle in a horror movie. It is every bit as sinister as "One Two, Freddy's coming for you..." Twenty years after a Valentine's Day tragedy, a small town prepares for its annual holiday dance. When a box of candy arrives containing an eerie warning and blood-soaked heart, the townsfolk realize that this Valentine's Day romance is as good as dead...and so are they! And so finally the slasher 'Holy Grail' has been re-discovered and after twenty-eight years of patience, we can finally see the nearly-complete version of this hugely popular early-eighties slasher. <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/my%20bloody%20valentine" target="_blank"><img src="http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/FirstBlood1982/Horror%20Icons/2nsrme0.gif" border="0" alt="My Bloody Valentine original Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> Notorious for being the film most tortured by censors upon its initial release, My Bloody Valentine has become something of a cult classic with a large number of fans. Even the most lukewarm horror enthusiast must admit to being slightly excited by the prospect of witnessing all the notorious gore that has, up until now, only been seen in a set of studio stills. The previously available print was missing over 9 minutes of footage, which thankfully producer John Dunning has now located. The on-line campaign to get the full uncut copy restored and released was one of the largest of its kind and thanks to the efforts of the movie's legions of adoring fans, we now have a special edition disc with nearly all of the glorious splatter intact. A small mining town in Canada has become famous over the years after a maniacal ex-miner went on a killing spree in the early sixties. He was the only survivor from a fatal accident on Valentine's night that stole the lives of numerous workers and left him having to survive by feeding on the corpses of his colleagues. Harry Warden murdered the supervisors that he considered responsible for the tragedy and stuffed their hearts into candy boxes to remind the townsfolk that their incompetence should never be forgiven. Twenty years later and the town is preparing for its first Valentine's dance since the gruesome massacre, but it seems that it is not only the decorations and romantic spirit that has returned. As a mutilated heart is sent to the local Sheriff with a gruesome warning that there will be more murders, it seems apparent that Harry Warden has come back once again.... My Bloody Valentine is certainly a fine example of all that gave the most popular eighties slashers a significant standing in the annals of horror cinema. It boasts a likable cast that make up for their lack of A-list dramatic credibility with a warmness and depth of character that although laughably cheesy, evokes sympathy from the audience. The love triangle between the three leads is an intriguing sub-plot and the script is strong enough to allow the characters to work their way into the hearts of viewers. It can also lay claim to arguably the best arsenal of marketable gimmicks ever to be included in a single splatter feature and if the authentic calendar date doesn't induce your interest, then it's impossible to resist the excellent guise for the maniacal killer and the creepy mine location. The gas mask adds an extra dimension to the killer's essential-clichéd heavy breath and the pickaxe makes for an exquisite tool for gory slaughter. You can almost visualize the director's smile upon witnessing for the first time the awesome sight of his bogeyman strolling through the dimly-lighted shaft and stalking his intended victims. In terms of slasher visualizations, it's pure poetry-in-motion and Mihalka understandably milks the possibilities. Mihalka is no John Carpenter, but he does an impressive job in building suspense and he creates one or two decent jolts. The cast are surprisingly good for complete amateurs and their above-average performances are a rare and welcomed bonus. It was a conscious decision from John Dunning, the producer, to use actors that boasted far more potential than they did impressive C Vs, because he wanted to invest heavily in the special effects. Mihalka has said that people don't go to see a slasher movie to witness a 'name' actor. He is right in acknowledging the fact that the amount of money a producer would spend on such a performer just to see him get splattered on the wall is an entirely pointless exercise. You only need to take a brief look at my review list to see that I am an avid 'slasher-fanatic', but My Bloody Valentine has never been amongst my favourites. I often wondered how the movie could have even been considered to be better than the likes of Intruder, The Prowling or even Curtains, because to me it felt like I wasn't watching the vision that Mihalka had initially intended. Now, with most of the gore intact, the film feels 'complete' and in its entirety it is a completely different concept. Despite popular belief, there were many early slashers that were stylishly produced and genuinely strong entries to the horror catalogue. My Bloody Valentine is one such feature and its well-deserving of its legion of admirers. The gore effects are as decent as their reputation would lead you to believe and the movie credibly mixes approachable characters and mean-spirited mass-slaughter to create an excellent mix of moods. Unfortunately we are still missing Michael and Harriet's death scene, which was either a decision by Mihalka (perhaps it looked too fake?) or that particular footage was never recovered by Dunning. It doesn't really matter however, because finally we have a copy of My Bloody Valentine that has nearly everything that was intended and Sylvia's remarkably grisly slaughter and the notorious 'pick-axe through the face' are visions that are an iconic part of the whole slasher cycle. If you are even a half-hearted fan of early eighties stalk and slash flicks then I urge you to part with your pennies for this excellent example of non-franchise slash with panache that sums up everything that was great about the early eighties domination. No collection is complete without this sitting on a shelf next to Joseph Zito's The Prowler and Mark Rosman's The House on Sorority Row. The Harry Warden legacy has finally come full circle.....sit tight and enjoy the bloody Valentine and cross your heart... and hope to die. On a side note, George Mihalka presented a sequel idea to the film studio but due to My Bloody Valentine?s lackluster box-office numbers the idea was shot down. I say, make it. That was the 80s, this is now.

• Tim S

  
  A hell of a lot better and intelligent than most of the slashers that came out at this time.

• Conner R

  
  I think the movie is at least worth watching, there were some nice crazy deaths in there. If only the movie was miner centric, he was the best part. It has a nice 80s slasher vibe to it, which gives it a lot of personality that it might not otherwise have.

• Chris W

  
  Quite atmospheric and moody, but until 2009 has suffered the indignity of being violent and having a decent body count, but trimmed to the bare minimum. Unfortunate censorship aside, this is a bleakly entertaining and well-made slasher.

• Chris G

  
  What at first appears as an interesting premise for a horror movie quickly derails due to bad acting, bad direction, and a bad script. My Bloody Valentine is about a town that's haunted by a miner that was trapped after being abandoned for a Valentine's Day dance. The miner… More
  What at first appears as an interesting premise for a horror movie quickly derails due to bad acting, bad direction, and a bad script. My Bloody Valentine is about a town that's haunted by a miner that was trapped after being abandoned for a Valentine's Day dance. The miner named Harry Warden came back and murdered those responsible, vowing that he would return to kill if the town ever celebrated Valentine's Day again. Jump 20 years later and the town is planning on celebrating Valentine's Day for the first time since the slaughter. And lo and behold guess what happens? That's right, killing. Like I said, the basic premise is interesting. You look forward to see how this slasher will play out. The problem that pops up rather early is the acting. It's god awful, even by horror movie standards. I've seen more style at a 1st grade Christmas program. The thing is that you're not sure if the actors are actually that bad or if the script doesn't give them much to work with. It's filled with your standard horror movie cliches that even in 1981 were well worn to no end. Some of the dialogue says it all. My Bloody Valentine is yet another attempt to cash in on the Halloween slasher phenomenon. The '80's were filled with these flicks and very few of them were very interesting other than having something to watch on cable on the weekends. This film is a Canadian import that fails are being the real thing.

• David L

  
  Since it follows in the footsteps of Halloween (the trend setter for all 80s slasher movies), My Bloody Valentine is an often overlooked diamond in the rough. Although my viewpoint is biased because of my adoration for the slasher genre, it also suggests that I have seen scores of… More
  Since it follows in the footsteps of Halloween (the trend setter for all 80s slasher movies), My Bloody Valentine is an often overlooked diamond in the rough. Although my viewpoint is biased because of my adoration for the slasher genre, it also suggests that I have seen scores of films that follow the same format as My Bloody Valentine (killer preys upon hapless teenagers one at a time until the ultimate showdown, where the killer is unveiled and hopefully his/her motives are made clear.) Well, My Bloody Valentine is all of that and so much more. First, let's start with the setting. A sleepy little Canadian town where most of the folks make their livings at the local mine. The mine makes for a creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere for the killer to do most of its stalking, shish kebabbing, and nail gunning. The killer itself(don't want to give away anything here) is imposing and downright scary in its miner's outfit, complete with gasmask and pickaxe. Then there is the mystery of the killer. Who is it? Is it the legendary killer, Harry Warden, from 20 years ago, or is it someone else using Harry's old M.O.? Because both the setting and the killer are A-1, the only things left that I consider key elements to making a great horror The score of My Bloody Valentine is sufficient. It is not as memorable as those of Halloween or Friday the 13th, but it does a great job setting the background for the story. Last is the cast. People may ask, what difference does the cast make in making a slasher movie? A lot! No big name actors = a more believable story. Since this movie doesn't star Busta Rhymes(ugh) or Freddie Prinze, Jr.(no thanks) the characters seem to be more real, thus adding the suspense to the picture. There are no big name actors in this movie, unless you consider the guy who played Larry Finkelstein in Meatballs to be a big name actor. While we are on the subject of acting, there definitely isn't anything Oscar-worthy in this picture, however, that also helps to make this a true classic of the 80s slasher genre. Some people might say I didn't mention anything about body count/gore to be important for slasher films. Well, I don't think that they are as important as the aforementioned key elements, because it is the creepy atmosphere that sells horror, and this movie in particular. However, to be a true slasher movie, you need at least a couple of deaths. Hey, I still want to see a body count too, this movie has plenty of cool death scenes, so everyone should be satisfied but I do have to admit that I hope the uncut version appears one day since this film had alot of cuts made by the MPAA at the time of its release. Despite this issue though I say check it out if your in the mood for a good old school slasher film.

• Lafe F

  
  A competent 80's slasher film with a Valentine's Day theme. It was made in a small mining town on a meagre budget. It has a cool pick-axe swinging killer with a gas mask. The violence is edited, so not much gore is seen. It delivers some fright and suspense. No loss if you… More
  A competent 80's slasher film with a Valentine's Day theme. It was made in a small mining town on a meagre budget. It has a cool pick-axe swinging killer with a gas mask. The violence is edited, so not much gore is seen. It delivers some fright and suspense. No loss if you miss it.

• Steve B

  
  Initially tries to keep the identity of the killer a secret, but the clues are so heavy-handed (and the script so lame) it's like a bright orange neon arrow pointing right at the guy the whole time.

• Matt P

  
  The plot is bizarre and at times painfully slow, but My Bloody Valentine has glimmers of horror brilliance.

• Matthew Y

  
  Even by 1981 there were better and more bloody Slasher films out there than My Bloody Valentine. Considered one of the gems of the sub-genre mostly for the isolated and claustrophobic setting of a mining community (and of course the mine itself) plus a truely kick-ass looking serial… More
  Even by 1981 there were better and more bloody Slasher films out there than My Bloody Valentine. Considered one of the gems of the sub-genre mostly for the isolated and claustrophobic setting of a mining community (and of course the mine itself) plus a truely kick-ass looking serial killer out-fit (a full-on gas-mask and miners helmet complete with light) are the only reasons this film remains in the public knowledge. If you've already watched all the Friday the 13th films and are looking to expand on your 80's Slasher camp you can do a lot worse than My Bloody Valentine.

• Ryan M

  
  *1/2 out of **** If my idea of fun consisted of corny dialogue, choppy plotting, and mediocre editing; then "My Bloody Valentine" would be a personal favorite in the field of simple-minded, guilty entertainment. Too bad my idea of fun almost never includes any of those… More
  *1/2 out of **** If my idea of fun consisted of corny dialogue, choppy plotting, and mediocre editing; then "My Bloody Valentine" would be a personal favorite in the field of simple-minded, guilty entertainment. Too bad my idea of fun almost never includes any of those three things; I can let all logic go and have a good time with certain films if there is enough craft, but like most 80's slasher flicks that use their axes and machetes rather than their brains; the intent is not exactly to give the educated or morally respectable an engaging flick. The aim was without-a-doubt to provide something brainless, witless, and completely unoriginal. Well, look at that; they succeeded. Since it's a slasher picture, it must have a villain in the form of a serial killer or some such psychopath. In this case, he/she is Harry Warden; infamous in the mining town of Valentine Bluffs (located somewhere in Canada). Warden found himself trapped underground in a mine on the job when two of his co-workers weren't. He was stuck there for a few good days without food and without much good air to breath; he survived by eating his co-workers, an act which eventually lead to madness. He spent a year in a mental institution and then escaped; murdering and eventually ripping out the hearts of victims who were not on his "good side", thus creating his legend. Some years later, the town is holding a Valentine's Day Party; something that, by legend, they are apparently forbidden to do. But the local young men and women are not so aware of the consequences that the said morbid tale might have on them; especially when Warden is still on the loose and hungry for blood. And so he starts the killing; and leaves nothing to suspense. "My Bloody Valentine" begins and ends with an on-going string of murders, some of which include: death by laundry machine, death by boiling pan of hot water, and countless deaths by pick-axe, which happens to be our friend Harry Warden's weapon of choice. The film follows the slasher flick formula rather strictly; with Warden serving his purpose of being a rampart killing machine, as appropriately promised - and his victims providing the bloodshed and primal rage of the villain. If you're a fan of the genre and don't mind some major flaws; you might just enjoy this one. A lot of genre fans certainly appear to. My problem with "My Bloody Valentine" is not that it's generic (which it is); it's that there is no room left for surprises. The film lives off its own formula; from the predictable characters to the cheesy acting, all the way to the desolation that is felt when a horror film lacks genuine horror. Provided, the predictability of the story and just about everything else could certainly mean a wild, fun-filled ride for some; but I'm just not feeling it, at all. I wanted to enjoy myself, but the problems were, to say the least, excessively unavoidable. I've certainly seen worse slasher films; and I've seen better ones. My favorites include "Halloween" and "Black Christmas"; the first one which I love for its protagonist (who is not as dumb as most women in slasher pictures) and its scare factor, and the other which I admire for its ability to embrace the corny, stereotypical characters ("Black Christmas" was about a sorority house filled with "sisters" who were being hunted down one-by-one by a discreet madman who made obscene phone-calls). This one might have made my list if it had been, oh you know, interesting. But is there really anything interesting about a movie when all its got going for it as high points are a good cinematographer, a good setting, and some pretty whacky kill scenes? Not to me there isn't.

• Alec B

  
  It works for two major reasons. The first is that the cast of characters all look and sound like real people and the second is that it occurs in a rural setting with people from that region. Both set it apart from a lot of 80s slasher movies. Well that and the fact that the movie ends… More
  It works for two major reasons. The first is that the cast of characters all look and sound like real people and the second is that it occurs in a rural setting with people from that region. Both set it apart from a lot of 80s slasher movies. Well that and the fact that the movie ends with a creepy folk song.

• Daniel P

  
  Creepy breathing sounds and a couple of inventive deaths aside, this is as derivative as they come. It's unintentionally camp and features abysmal performances (the lead's accent goes from neutral to faux-Irish to Canadian), and the ending is pure Scooby-Doo. The… More
  Creepy breathing sounds and a couple of inventive deaths aside, this is as derivative as they come. It's unintentionally camp and features abysmal performances (the lead's accent goes from neutral to faux-Irish to Canadian), and the ending is pure Scooby-Doo. The 'R' rated version of the film is practically useless as the whole raison d'être, if it has one, is the clever gore effects.

• Dimitris S

  
  It's ultimately joyful to lie down,drowse yourself in a hack 'n' slash teen flick,observing the multiple deaths,howls and goofy interactions between young folks and unbearable officers.That being said,Valentines are frequently promising but this one had one heck of a… More
  It's ultimately joyful to lie down,drowse yourself in a hack 'n' slash teen flick,observing the multiple deaths,howls and goofy interactions between young folks and unbearable officers.That being said,Valentines are frequently promising but this one had one heck of a bloodbath!

• Lord N

  
  ...There comes a time in every film critics life, where they have watched tons of fantastic and classic films without coming across one that they absolutely hated. I have hit that point and it makes watching good movies a bit...boring. So, I (like some of you on here) have realized… More
  ...There comes a time in every film critics life, where they have watched tons of fantastic and classic films without coming across one that they absolutely hated. I have hit that point and it makes watching good movies a bit...boring. So, I (like some of you on here) have realized that the remedy for Classic Kino Overloaditis, is to seek out and watch a few absolutely horrendous films. Doctors orders almost. That's why I watched this film and April Fools Day, because they were the worst films I could find. This film is absolutely horrible! I despised it! You couldn't relate to the characters at all and thus when they were ripped apart in all manner of ways, and the film makers obviously wanted you to care, you didn't. you didn't give a rats. It was pathetic. I would advise you all to avoid this one. It sucks. TRIVIA TIME: 1. The film was shot in authentic mines which were often as much as 900 feet underground. Only certain lighting devices could be used in the mines because of the potential danger of methane explosions. 2. Producers André Link and John Dunning said the films origin came about when they sought to find a holiday which a slasher film had not been set on during the "slasher flick boom" of the early '80s. They settled on Valentine's Day and in order to keep the idea from being copied they made the films working title "The Secret", though they had the release title in mind the whole time. 3. According to makeup effects artist Thomas R. Burman one of his gory creations was realistic enough that director George Mihalka threw up at the sight of it. 4. The caption near the beginning states "Thursday February 12th", indicating that the dance will be on Saturday the 14th. That means Friday the 13th falls in between them. The Friday the 13th series was released by Paramount and the plot of My Bloody Valentine is similar to the Friday the 13th films.

• Lee K

  
  meh the sequel sucked as bad as this did!

Read all 20 featured audience ratings