My Bloody Valentine (1981)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

George Mihalka

Writers:

Stephen A. Miller (story)
John Beaird (written by)

Release Date:

11 February 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Harry's out to steal your heart.

Plot:

A decades old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine's Day, turns out to be true to legend when a group defies the killer's order and people start turning up dead.

Plot Keywords:

Valentine's Day | Party | Dance | Miner | Mining

Cast

Paul Kelman	...	Jessie 'T.J.' Hanniger
Lori Hallier	...	Sarah
Neil Affleck	...	Axel Palmer
Keith Knight	...	Hollis
Alf Humphreys	...	Howard Landers
Cynthia Dale	...	Patty
Helene Udy	...	Sylvia
Rob Stein	...	John
Thomas Kovacs	...	Mike Stavinski (as Tom Kovacs)
Terry Waterland	...	Harriet
Carl Marotte	...	Dave
Jim Murchison	...	Tommy Whitcomb
Gina Dick	...	Gretchen
Peter Cowper	...	The Miner & Harry Warden
Don Francks	...	Chief Jake Newby

Also Known As:

The Secret (Canada: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min | 93 min (director's cut)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Germany:18 (DVD release) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2002) | New Zealand:R16 | France:-12 (re-rating) | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:18 (video rating) (1989) | UK:X (original rating) | Australia:R | France:-16 (original rating) | Norway:18 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Trivia:

The folk ballad that plays over the ending credits was added by composer Paul Zaza as an afterthought. The uncredited singer who does the vocal for the ballad was a Scottish-Canadian tenor named John McDermott.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the film cuts to an outside shot of Mable's Laundromat, the graphic reads "Friday, February 13th". The film is set in 1980, in which February 13th was actually a Sunday.

Quotes:

[Mayor Hanniger & Chief Newby are driving back to City Hall in Newby's police Suburban. The Chief gestures to the heart-shaped candy box that arrived at the police building earlier, addressed to the Mayor]
Chief Jake Newby: Aren't you goint to open that?
Mayor Hanniger: Yeah.
Chief Jake Newby: Better read the card first.
[Mayor Hanniger opens the card on the front of the box]
Mayor Hanniger: [reading from the card] From the heart comes a warning, filled with bloody good - cheer, remember what happened as the 14th draws - near!
[Hanniger opens the box to find a blood-soaked heart inside. The chief looks over and is horrified by what he sees]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Penny Dreadful (2005)

Soundtrack:

The Ballad of Harry Warden

Is the "uncut" version worth it? Yes....

"My Bloody Valentine" has been one of my favorite movies for years, and now I've seen the "uncut" version, freshly released & purchased at Wal Mart, and I have to say it was worth it. There seems to have been a lot of squabbling amongst those who seem to know what should have been in the film, but wasn't, but I haven't seen an actual review from anyone yet. So maybe I'm first? To begin with, at the beginning, that's different, and so is the end. The scene with dear sweet Mabel, head of the Valentine's Day decorating committee and owner of the local laundromat, is much nastier, when Chief Newby finds her in the dryer. And when Hap, the grouchy bartender, goes to rig something up at the mines to scare the kids and ends up being one of Harry Warden's victims, is much more graphic. And there are a couple of other spots too, but having not seen the film for a while, those are the ones that are extremely noticeable.

If anyone has NEVER seen the film, well, the story is that 20 years ago there was a mine disaster on Valentine's Day, where there was a dance but the overseers at the mine left before everyone was out safely, there was an explosion and the sole survivor, one Harry Warden, went crazy & there were lots of deaths. So there hasn't been a Valentine's Day dance in Valentine Bluffs in 20 years. Until now. Mysterious "candy" boxes have shown up with human hearts within, warning against a dance, and when the organizer of the dance is killed, it's canceled, although that doesn't stop a bunch of the miners from having a party at the mine, with, of course, tragic results. For it appears that Harry Warden has returned, although Chief Newby has been unable to determine his whereabouts & it seems rather impossible that he could be out & about after 20 years.

This is a different film in that it's Canadian, takes place in a rather different setting from most slasher flicks, and it's not just a bunch of teens. It's also rather suspenseful and even (especially in the uncut version) rather horrifying at times.

So, is the uncut version worth getting? Well, in my opinion, yes. This version almost makes it a different film & lends a different tone to it, especially the ending. I don't really care if the alleged "still missing" 7 minutes was included or not, or what it was, this version seems pretty complete to me & I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone who likes this film. As for those who are never satisfied and want to see it all, even if it's material that was best left on the cutting room floor, I can't even comment. 8 out of 10, and recommended.