Hatchet was a fun movie to watch. It was one of two 80’s throwback slashers that I enjoyed immensely this year. As someone that does not go out of their way to see horror films, I am always surprised and delighted when I become a fan. Killer death scenes, an unstoppable foe, wicked tits and the best cameos possible; hatchet rams a lot of the right ingredients into the recipe and we are all rewarded with a delicious dinner.
The extras on the dvd include: The Making Of Hatchet, Meeting Victor Crowley, Guts And Gore, Anatomy Of A Kill, A Twisted Tale and Gag Reel. I got a Tattoo on the weekend and my Tattoo guy (Justin) was heaping praise upon this movie and the DVD special features. This was timely, because I had the assignment of reviewing the DVD. The segments are all self explanatory but 2 stories from the extras stand out.
The Director Adam Green dedicates an entire segment in the extras to his appreciation of Dee Snider. As a youngster Adam was moved and encouraged by the clean living, positive thinking, motivational music of Twisted Sister. Not only did the young Mr. Green write his only A+ childhood assignment on Dee Snider’ s life, but he also went on to write Dee a letter in adulthood that was read by Dee himself. We then skip to an interview with Dee Snider about receiving this letter from Adam and he discuses the ongoing dialogue between the two. Dee Snider continued to encourage him as an adult film maker and this positive affirmation was a wind at the director’s back throughout the stages of his career.
It was touching to see a man give back to the Metal God that has given so much to him. Dee Snider may not be a hero to you, and Metal may be noise as far as you are concerned, but to Green and many others – Dee Snider is a prophet and metal is the thundering sound of human triumph and potential. The encouragement of Dee through words and music was a driving force in this director’s life and it’s cool to see a grown man champion one of his heroes.
Another segment that was very much beloved by myself, (and was drawn to my attention by Justin) was Anatomy Of A Kill. This segment is all about what goes into an on screen kill scene. One kill in particular stands out. In their effort to make all the scenes “believable” a death by belt sander shot was almost axed. (no extension cords in the woods) One of the guys on production saved the the shot when he made the first fully functional gas powered belt sander for the film! This is the kind of ingenuity, love and dedication that best describes the Hatchet crew.
What stands out more than anything when you watch the extras of this DVD, is how much fun these guys had when they were making this movie. Thanks to online press from BloddyDisgusting and print press from Fangoria early on, the group was able to get the funding they needed to make their dream come true. This film is a perfect example of why you should be ready to go – when you get your break. With skill, dedication and a palpable love for what they were doing Hatchet is a film that delivers tons for what they had to work with.
The people behind this film are the reason it excelled, and it was nice to meet them. This is a cool movie with fun and enjoyable extras. Support dudes that make kick ass horror films and buy a copy today. This holiday season – give the gift of axe!
