The Carpenter

As an aficionado of 1980's horror flicks and having a general appreciation of the, er ...let us say 'cinematic oeuvre' of Wings Hauser, I was surprised to recently discover the film title The Carpenter. Surprised in that I had no recollection of having seen this and hadn't heard of it before. Figured it'd be good for some retro/nostalgic cheesy laughs. I mean, the movie poster of a wide-eyed Hauser brandishing a bloody drill basically sealed the deal in terms of me watching it, despite the other overwhelmingly lukewarm reviews - most of which were 4 stars or less - on this site which I had read in advance of getting a copy.

Well, I will say the general reviewer consensus here wasn't inaccurate.

I suppose my not having heard of the movie has to do with it being a very low budget undertaking - reportedly made for under a million bucks - that was made in Canada, may have had a limited theatrical release back in the day but feels like something that was quickly released to cable tv and home video rentals and subsequently forgotten.

On the plus side, while I suppose The Carpenter could be generally termed a slasher flick it wasn't a completely mindless one in that it didn't copy the Heavy Breathing Masked Killer With A Pointy Weapon Chasing Horny Teens theme which had been done to death by the time the 1980's were coming to a close. There was SOME originality in terms of the plot concept and characters.

I won't go into much of a detailed plot synopsis, mostly because by way of explanation reviewing The Carpenter really doesn't require one. The basic crux is a recently institutionalized wife who suffered a nervous breakdown moves into a large house in the country purchased by her husband while she was in the looney bin. The house needs a fair number of renovations, so her husband hires a general contracting crew to fix the place up. One of the crew is Wings Hauser, whose general labor specialty is that of (you guessed it) a carpenter. An insane, homicidal carpenter. That's about all the info setup one needs to generally guess where the story is headed toward.

I will say I did find the initial plot setup of some interest. I actually thought lead actress Lynne Adams turned in a decent performance portraying the crazy wife. And Wings did not disappoint as the nutty, murderous workman.

Beyond the somewhat unique premise and the capable performances of leads actors Adams and Hauser, though, the rest of the movie didn't really get the job done even within the limited parameters of the film. Obviously, The Carpenter was an inexpensive horror flick from the get-go. Even with that said, outside of Adams and Hauser the rest of the cast turned in amateurish performances. The pacing is alternately disjointed (lots of 'is this a dream/hallucination or really happening' moments) and VERY slow moving. The Carpenter is not even quite 90 minutes long but feels much longer, which had the effect of making the conclusion a bit underwhelming in that when it finally arrives it was more of a sense of relief the movie was over than one of shock or surprise.

For whatever it is worth, I watched The Carpenter in the form of the 2025 Vinegar Syndrome bluray restored in 2K from a 35mm release print. Apparently, this version includes some extended and/or previously unreleased kill scenes taken from a lower grade workprint, easily visually distinguishable from the original release due to the slightly grainy quality of the insertions. In terms of the slasher violence content, as a fan of the genre there's really nothing particularly unique or scary in those scenes (as is true for the movie in general re: scary effectiveness). So, if one is a real diehard Wings Hauser fan who collects his movies, I suppose there is a bit of value to be had. Short of that, The Carpenter is a bit forgettable and thus very skippable.

I like watching Wings Hauser and in 'The Carpenter' he could be classified the sole interest for giving this one a look. However I guess I like it more than others seem to do, even though I wouldn't call it excellent, but this low-budget straight video ditch is a modest achievement in the psycho thriller genre.

Alice (a reliable performance by Lynn Adams) and her husband have moved to a country estate, after she was release from hospital due to a mental break down. To keep her mind of the fact that her husband is cheating on her and her recurring nightmares, she finds comfort in the carpenter that's repairing her house. But there's something not quite right about him, as he begins to use his tools on those who cause any trouble to Alice.

Other than Hauser's performance (who perfectly nails down a quietly uneasy intensity), it's the hallucinogenic air that makes this a strange little package. This quality is rather profound as we don't know if it's all in the heroine's head (as she is recovering from an nervous breakdown), or maybe it's a simple psychopath or it could it be something out of left field involving the supernatural. It teases, nonetheless it's answered for us midway through and in certain aspects (due to the path it takes) it can feel absurdly daft.

True handyman horror! Hauser's uses hammers, nail guns and vice grips to dish up some unpleasant acts of violence, while also managing to spit out mannered dialogues about hard work and craftsmanship. It's all in a hard days work. The majority of the scenes occur around the house, close quarters and some under lit scenes amongst shadowy areas. The serviceable story is low-key, and David Wellington's direction keeps it basic making it sharply well-made. Although the pacing can become plodding, and latter end skews in to mundane territory. Pierre Bundock music score is hauntingly angelic, and pretty much bombards the air.

From producer Jack Bravman, a man who worked on such films as "Snuff" and "Zombie Nightmare", comes this goofy but fun horror movie, pretty much the working definition of the word offbeat.

Written by Doug Taylor and directed by David Wellington, "The Carpenter" tells the story of poor Alice (Lynne Adams), a woman with an uncaring and unfaithful husband, Martin (Pierre Lenoir). Alice has had a nervous breakdown, and after getting out of the hospital, she moves with the hubby into a country estate being renovated. She finds that every night after every other worker has gone home, a mysterious carpenter (Wings Hauser) continues to toil away, because after all, a job's not done until it's done. Words to live by. Anyway, she finds herself enticed by this guy, to the point where she looks forward to seeing him all the time.

"The Carpenter" is an amusing Canuck horror flick that this viewer wouldn't really consider a slasher, and would concede may not have enough action, gore, or kills for some tastes. And, truthfully, it's a little disappointing that there isn't more gore when The Carpenter is busy eliminating any unpleasant person on the premises using his assorted implements (nail gun, power drill, etc.). But, in the end, what I like about this is how crazy it is, even as it tries to employ a psychological approach. What is The Carpenter to Alice - an angel or a devil?

Some moments in this movie are so silly, and so hilarious, it's hard to believe Bravman and company didn't have their tongues in their cheeks, at least to some degree, and it's just too entertaining to see Hauser and Adams indulge in some fairly serious conversations, as Wings waxes poetic on the nature of masculinity and the problem that arises when men get too far removed from good, honest, hard physical labor. Men have to take PRIDE in what they do, damn it!

Wings fans can note that he's in fine form, as he plays this nutty character who can be stern, sadistic, creepy, likeable, and charming all at the same time, as he imparts upon others his own sense of morality. Adams, Lenoir and the other actors are just okay at best; they certainly pale in comparison to the dynamic star of this thing. Ron Lea, however, is a hoot as the jovial local sheriff who provides exposition in a manner that's anything but boring.

Filmed on various Quebec locations, "The Carpenter" may eventually end up with a rather conventional finish, but until then it's pretty engaging - and, I dare say, under-rated - stuff.

Seven out of 10.

"The Carpenter" is not likely to win many fans from the guts and gore crowd. The carpentry tool killings are so over the top, that they are only going to hold interest for admirers of "black comedy". Throw in at least average acting, a story with some originality for a change, and of course a deranged Wings Hauser. Since my girlfriend didn't leave the room and kept watching, even after arms were being cut off with a circular saw, I can confirm a certain romantic angle that I didn't see coming. Without the presence of Wings, this is completely forgettable. Wings fans will not be disappointed. In good conscience I cannot recommend this as a date movie, but I do recommend "The Carpenter" as a good dark comedy. - MERK

Not great film that still has heart to bring some fun to the B film. After a nervous breakdown, a couple love to a home during rehab. A mysterious carpenter works at night taking pride in what he does, compensating for the lackadaisical day crew. Who is this guy? But he starts to intrigue the woman not quite recovering well from her stay in the hospital. Hokey elements and plot but performed with just enough gusto that it was an enjoyable if tired watch.