Charognard

To everyone who's been writing about how awful this movie was - did you think everyone was terrible? What about me? I played Raymond (the projectionist). I hadn't realized this film was released, until I found it on the IMDB. When they were shooting it, it was known as "Phantom of the Bijoux."

A family that has just bought an old theater discovers that a crazy, murderous old man is lurking inside and killing the patrons. Talk about awful. Awful acting, direction, script, editing. This movie has no rewarding features what-so-ever. Do not waste your money on this and lets prey they never ever make a sequel to this. Makes Plan 9 from Outer Space look like Citizen Kane. One question though, why isn't this in in the IMDB bottom 100? Rating 1 out of 10.

I rented "The Meateater" after much hesitation, and I realized...I was better off hesitant!

The movie looked like some all-American family made it. The main characters are of this one family that start running an old movie theater. And, because this movie is so freakin' family-oriented, the movie theater shows nature films!! And the theater is packed every night!

Alright, the story goes like this....Some old guy who lives at this theater has an obsession with the old movie star Jean Harlow. But that fades fast until the end, when he kidnaps and "terrorizes" the daughter of the theater's owner, who holds a striking resemblance to Harlow herself, and what a coincidence, her name is Jeannie, who, for the most of her screen time, whines about wanting to go on her date with some baseball player from school. But this girl looks nothing like a high schooler! (Obviously. Why would there be anything close to good in this film?)

For some reason, I paid much attention while watching this film, and tried to get any scares from it. In the end, there was nothing. A slightly interesting climax, but not when the antagonist (or antagonists, I couldn't figure it out) is an old man!! Oh, real thrilling! He'll kill you, but first he needs to get his walker!

Also note, there are about three deaths in this movie. An electrocution, something I didn't understand, and, in the end, this one disgusting death that was pretty much the only thing confirming a nice family didn't make this. (That, and when the camera was slowly looking over the daughter.)

My question is: what did this have to do with eating meat? The only eating scenes are one in the beginning, when the guy eats a rat, and disgusting closeups of people eating while watching the movie, which really kills your appetite. I thought the killer was cannibalistic or something. But no. Just some stodgy old man with an obsession with an old movie star. Though, that was somewhat interesting, and I'd have to say, the ending was somewhat appealing. Don't know why or how. This movie isn't much of a horror flick, but rent it if you're babysitting. The kids might enjoy it.

Also note the many plug-ins. "Jimmy Dean," "Oscar Meyer," and so on. I think that's where the money for this ultra low-budget flick came from.

I love this movie because it is so bad! The reason meat is mentioned or shown so often, is because Derek ran out of money and found money to finish the movie available from the California Pork Board! Oh, I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Weiner! Watch closely during the family sing along, notice that the family car is on the street but it is not actually going anywhere?! And is it just me or was Dianne Davis, Mother trying to make out with a rather young Gary Dean, Son. And how many ladies let a dirty old man stare at them all the time? It is hard to believe, but three of these actors went on to bigger things! The actor who played Mr. Knuckle Real Estate Agent,starred in Ghostbusters! Remember the elevator? Irving Wassermann "Pa" starred in Roseanne! And Scott McGinnis "Necking Boy" Starred as Mr. Adventure in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock! But he was at his very best in Joysticks a.k.a. Video Madness! Why can't we get classics like this on DVD?!

James L. McIntyre

The Meateater is one of those rare underground flicks that is actually INTERESTING. Think Ed Wood meets Stephen King. Bad technical stuff, but great characters.

The characters are unexpectedly and instantly likeable. Mitford, Raymond and the sheriff are the sort of mid-western anti-heroes that make one laugh out loud more than once. Mitford, the dad/main character, is dumbfoundedly fascinating - he's whiney, hokey, freaky and very funny. We want to hate him but CAN'T, because we can identify with his dissatisfaction in life and desire to live out a dream. And viewers will relate to how Raymond tries B.S.'ing his Projectionist experience (NONE) to Mitford in an interview. The son, Ricky - looks cool, exactly like a kid in the late 70's stoner-era wanted to look. Kind of like a teenage Mini-Me to Edgar Winter. The wife's subtle but obvious interest in meat products is highly amusing. Savage should have worked that nugget further into the plot somehow. It could have worked, considering the title of the movie.

Plot: It's there, albeit loose at times. Due to Mitford's drive to break out of shoe sales and live out a dream, the family buys the Crest theater (Mitford pronounces it "thee-ATE-er"). Unbeknownst to Mitford & The Gang, there's an old psychotic guy living there who used to have a thing with Jean Harlow. After being badly scarred by a fire, the geriatric looney toon starts killing people at the thee-ATE-er. And here's the cornstarch to thicken it all up: Mitford's daughter is a blonde bombshell named - you guessed it - Jeanie. Like Harlow. Good idea, but the Jean Harlow connection is so thin that it's almost non-existent.

There is a great deal of humor in this baby. Most of it is in the dialogue, but it's elsewhere as well. Innuendos are everywhere, from the Grizzy Safari movie to the numerous references to hot dogs. Freud would have a ball with this flick.

The actors are VERY seventies and Savage was an OK director.

If you have interest in cheesy 70's horror, then you'll know what to expect. This isn't the Exorcist, people, nor does it try to be. But in the category of Clever, Low-Budget Velveeta-Caked Horrors, this is a gem.