HoopTober 8: Mosquito Takes Mandragon

Movie 11
2nd of 8 films from 1981

I know this is considered to be far from the best 80's slasher - far from the best 1981 slasher, even - and recognising its comparative slow pace and lack of the gleeful trashiness which we all love in these kinds of movies, I have to say, I had a great, great time with this movie.

I have to disclose that it does have some sentimental value to me because it's the first slasher I ever saw. My older sister somehow got hold of a VHS of this when she was 12 and I was 7, and we watched it one night when Mum and Dad were out and our grandmother was babysitting us (who always "turned a blind eye" to us watching inappropriate films - in actual fact, I now realise she was as much of a gorehound as us because she'd always watch them with us - actually, come to think of it, she might have rented it for us). Anyway, although I don't remember this scaring me much, I did feel like I was watching something incredibly illicit and maybe sort of dangerous in some way - something that might turn me into some kind of deviant (clearly that didn't happen).

But the scenes must have been impactful, because although this is my first rewatch of this film since that night, and I thought I had forgotten most if not all of it, every single scene of note hit me with major recognition - it all came flooding back, and that was a real kick, because it means I could sort of enjoy this in the same way as the 7-year-old me did.

So, I'm trying to figure out if its just that nostalgia - that intoxicating whiff of my own childhood that this movie brought flooding into my sinuses - that makes this so atmospheric? This feels like a genuinely atmospheric film. There's such an evocation of place and time, what with those scarves and those Corvettes and that frumpy 1981 fashion sense.

Although this movie does take its time, I just don't think it's boring. It measures itself out, but I found it perfectly entertaining all the way through. Also, I think the murder mystery aspect to this plot is pretty fucking great. It doesn't work as an actual resolution - believe me, I'm not saying that. It's illogical and pretty much physically impossible and all up pretty ludicrous. But it's SO FUCKING FUN - impossible to predict like the most bonkers giallo films.

Yeah, this is one I will probably start revisiting regularly, because it's pure good vibes for me. And that final shot is [chef's kiss]