MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981)

Director: George Mihalka

Writers: Stephen Miller, John Beaird

Producers: John Dunning, André Link, Stephen Miller

Cast: Paul Kelman, Neil Affleck, Lori Hallier, Don Francks, Cynthia Dale, Keith Knight, Alf Humphreys, Helene Udy, Rob Stein, Terry Waterland, Thomas Kovacs, Carl Marotte, Gina Dick, Jim Murchison, Peter Cowper, Patricia Hamilton, Larry Reynolds, Jack Van Evera, Pat Hemingway, Jeff Banks, Graham Whitehead, Fred Watters, Jeff Fulton, Marguerite McNeil, Pat Walsh, John MacDonald, Sandy Leim 

Twenty years ago in the small mining town of Valentine Bluffs, a cave-in at the Hanniger Mine occurred while the town’s annual Valentine’s Day dance was being held. The sole survivor of the disaster was miner Harry Warden (Peter Cowper). One year later on Valentine’s Day, Harry Warden murdered the two mine supervisors whose negligence caused the mine collapse. The town stopped the annual Valentine’s Day dances, but after twenty years has decided to resume the tradition, even though legend has it that Harry Warden would return to kill again. 

The Flashback Fanatic movie review

Of all the slasher films to flood the movie theaters after the success of Friday the 13th (1980), the Canadian film My Bloody Valentine rises to the top of that bloody wave. It has a wonderful sense of place and an almost folkloric depth to its menace. Most slasher films give us a back story that seems to be a modern day equivalent to the legends and superstitions that lent support to the old-world horrors of earlier films with supernatural menaces. In the case of Halloween (1978), that film’s menace remained vague and straddles the line between the mundane and the supernatural. We never get a solid explanation of exactly what sort of a being Michael Myers is in that film and what his motivations are. In most of the slasher films that Halloween inspired, the menace continues to be lent some gravitas by a past tragedy, yet is given a clear motivation and a human identity. Harry Warden’s tragedy and grievance are so intertwined with the small mining town’s character and traditions, that he assumes the status of a dark local legend. When belligerent bartender “Happy” (Jack Van Evera) tells about the Hanniger mine tragedy and the Harry Warden murders, it provides a great flashback sequence that resonates like a scary folktale.

The filmmakers intend to settle the audience squarely into the environment of the little mining town and its working class citizens. The main characters are mostly young adults that work in the Hanniger Mine and their friends. It is a nice change of pace from suburban high school and college students that are the usual protagonists in slasher films.The time that we spend with these young adults working, drinking, and partying together is time well spent. Although there is a love triangle that creates some friction, the whole group’s social interaction is fun and makes these characters seem relatable and likeable. This helps to enrich the story with a simple workaday humanity that lends a bit of extra horror and tragedy to the deadly events.

Don Francks played Police Chief Newby who makes a ghastly discovery in the town laundromat. In a peculiar bit of horror parallelism, Francks also played an officer of the law in an episode of the great early '80s CBC radio horror series Nightfall. In that story called “All-Nighter”, grisly shenanigans also occur in a laundromat. 

The iconic figure of Harry Warden, in black coveralls, miner helmet, gas mask, and brandishing his pickaxe, is easily one of the finest images of slasher villainy. His noisy metallic breathing through the gas mask filter is also a fine touch. His outfit and weaponry are functional, creepy, and suited to his mining town killing grounds. 

At the time of its release, My Bloody Valentine was mercilessly gutted of a lot of its gore footage to get an R rating. This was just about the time that the latest media scapegoat for the problems of crime, juvenile delinquency, and hemorrhoids became the slasher film. Of course, the MPAA never had a problem granting R ratings to a name director’s big budget Hollywood productions, regardless of content. But the little independent horror films that appealed so strongly to the youth market were getting more scrutiny by the censors. It is always a shame to know that the hard work and artistry of the grisly special effects in such films of the time often ended up on the cutting room floor. In spite of the edits, My Bloody Valentine still managed to be very effective. These days, it is a real luxury to be able to see the cut footage restored to the recent DVD and Blu-ray releases. 

The location shooting in a real mine lends a lot of dank atmosphere to the film, and Paul Zaza’s music score is just right managing to be creepy and melancholy. His end credits theme song, sung by Canadian crooner John McDermott, is the very memorable capper to a top-notch example of slasher horror. 

Much of the fun of a holiday themed fright flick is all of the traditions and trappings of that special day being put on display and further bonding the audience with the situation; however, after watching My Bloody Valentine, heart-shaped candy boxes may no longer seem so appetizing. Oh well, just keep that Moosehead Beer coming…