What makes it different from others?

Overrated

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

This film actually is a shot-for-shot remake of Pole Romanski's suppressed 1968 flick HELTER SKELTER HONEYMOON, the infamous American version of Leni Riefenstahl's Nazi classic, TRIUMPH OF THE WILL. Shown primarily at the seediest inner-city flicker houses, a bootlegged print of HSH found its way onto the Manson family ranch, and the rest is history. Before Watergate, so the story goes, the Dirty Tricks Division of the White House rounded up and destroyed the few copies existent. My campus was open-minded, so it was double-billed with PINK FLAMINGOS--prior to Manson making headlines, of course.It is easy to see why D.C.Mann (an obvious pseudonym) choose the second fake name of "Vin Crease" and renamed this film SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN. At least when Gus Van Sant perpetrated his uncalled for similar remake of PSYCHO, Hitch already was pushing up daisies. Whoever Mann or Crease REALLY is, how did you get your hands on a script or print of HSH? More to the point, how do you sleep at night? I get shivers just thinking about it, and Charlie's not even paroled yet!

Rarely do you find a horror film with so much going on in the text and subtext. Both nerve-wracking and funny at the same time, it's a example of cinematic artistry, a perfect homage to its 1970s low-budget predeceases, and a compelling night at the movies all around. The tone of the film is eerie. The pacing is excellent. I can see why Oscar-winning distributors THINK FILM picked up this gem of a movie. Production quality is first rate. Amazing when you consider that it was not a huge budget film. I had nightmares. And funny dreams. This movie takes you places you might not want to go. Or do want to go.

I normally hate horror films, but this eerie and very funny film was really fun to watch. Really good acting, great lines and psychedelic imagery made this a real throwback to 70's films that I grew up with. Vin Crease is a very talented director and has a great screen presence. I really loved the pathetic Sabbath Jones and Westy Westerman -- a great love/hate character.

I saw this film at the Denver Underground Film Festival and I was so surprised to to see such a funny, campy and creepy film. Although this is a new film, you would swear this was made in 1972. All of the characters are hilarious and memorable -- especially the psycho-duo Guilty and Violence (they're also really hot!!!). The movie touches on so many horror and exploitation films from the time -- from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Last House on the Left" to Russ Meyer's films and all the groovy counter culture films from back then. Even the music, editing, titles and effects are dead-on. The film is definitely the kind you'll see at midnight shows for years to come. It has the kind of lines that people will probably interact like they do with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". I can't wait to see this again. A true modern cult classic.