MovieChat Forums > The Mangler (1995) Discussion > Does this film warrant a 1/10 from 27% o...

Does this film warrant a 1/10 from 27% of people? Discuss...

posted 15 years ago by ghiaguy1974
11 replies | jump to latest

I am a fan of Stephen King's work and will be the first to admit that many of his stories committed to film are not Oscar contenders, but this film doesn't deserve a 1/10. I would like to hear other peoples justified rating for this movie. Robert Englund is always fun in that campy way, and Ted Levine is cast perfectly- plus its soaked in delightful gore. I can't help but like this movie and its B-movie dialogue. "It folded her like a sheet!"

6/10

plus... anything is better than The Spirit (you know im right)

[–] travinitrav 15 years ago

Yes, it does. I just watched it on Netflix. Not only is it a rotten movie all around, its a complete failure as a horror flick. If it had been made 10 years earlier with less talented people it would have been forgiveable. But its so darn bad it makes me wish it hadnt even been attempted.
Its not campy fun either. Its just lame and poorly made. Robert Englund is the one shining grace and his performance was out of touch with everyone elses in this movie.

I gave it a 2/10 just because of him, but the movie is totally forgettable and not even required watching for Englund fans, because they wouldnt wanna see him in something this bad.

[–] detune 8 years ago

I thought Englund was terrible. If I only had this movie to judge him by, I'd think he couldn't act. He can do much better than this.

[–] nfaust1 15 years ago

I agree that it's not bad. The premise is admittedly nuts, but Tobe Hooper doesn't bypass the fact. He actually takes time to explore it. Visually, the nods to German expressionism makes it clear Hooper wants us to view the film like a kind of fairy tale. Englund is a hoot, and the rest of the cast follows suit. Not bad, at all.

[–] JudgeNotLestYeBeJudgeReinhold 8 years ago

I liked your little rhyme at the end of your post, well done. I love this movie and it's not even one I watched at a young age, which usually gives me a sentimental bias when it comes to movies, so there's no bias here. I watched it for the first time on cable when I was 24, and I purchased the DVD and I watch it at least twice a year. Fun little horror movie, not to be taken too seriously, like most the douchers who gave it a 1/10 on this site are guilty of.

[–] Aitch-5 15 years ago

No, I wouldn't give it a 1/10 either. If I were to give The Mangler a 1/10, then what the hell am I supposed to give to movies like The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961) or The Incredible Melting Man (1977)? There are Z-grade movies out there where the camera man apparently had some trouble keeping the camera in focus for crying out loud (*cough* Manos *cough*), or where the audio is so bad that you can't make out what the characters on screen are saying, or where the dubbing isn't even synced up right, so that a male character's lips are moving while a female character's voice is heard on the soundtrack (*cough* Creeping Terror *cough*).

No, The Mangler does not suffer from this kind of wild incompetence. No, its problems are less severe. A boring scene that goes on too long here, a combination of ridiculous dialogue and unconvincing acting there. I won't say I liked it, but I don't mind too much if a movie is cheesy or half-assed or has a ridiculous premise. Ted Levine and Robert Englund were OK, and some of the visuals are cool, so I'll give this movie a 4/10.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] smakar 14 years ago

In spite of the bad reviews that I've read and the poor rating on IMDB, I gave this movie a try, TO MY DELIGHT!!!

I had a read fun time watching this movie. Tobe Hooper is many cuts above other horror movie directors, and I loved the performances he elicited from his cast, especially Ted Levine (as has already been mentioned), but also the actor who played the photographer.

Spoiler!!!

I thought the seen with the photographer on the gurney when he sat up and coughed was a wonderful touch!!!

I gave this one 7/10.

[–] Rena_Mahone 13 years ago

No, it doesn't. The Mangler is a 6 for me as well.
The story is quite original. Killer cars are common, but a killer laundry folding machine? Both hilarious and original.
The gore is nice. The main antagonist is disturbing. The pacing is fine.
It is a b-movie, and one of those "horror that ends up being comedy", but I enjoyed it, and I do not think that it deserves a 1 in any way. There is plenty of better stuff around, but there is also a lot worse.

Boycott movies that involve real animal violence! (and their directors too)

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JudgeNotLestYeBeJudgeReinhold 8 years ago

*beep* no it doesn't deserve a 1/10 from anyone! Whoever gave it that low of a score has *beep* taste in horror.

[–] offyerswod 8 years ago

Love the Mangler

it has a cool atmosphere ( movies have not had atmosphere for almost 20 years now )
The factory Mill has a doomy depressing mood lurking over it.( i can understand ppl not liking this aspect )

Ted Levine makes an interesting hero and there's some decent gore.

I think they did brilliantly well considering its a movie about a possessed Mangler.

7/10