Massage Parlor Murders (1972) (Blu-ray & DVD Combo Review)
Directed By: Chester Fox & Alex Stevens
Starring: Sandra Peabody, Chris Jordan, Brother Theodore
Rated: UR/Region: A & 1/1X85/1080p/Number of disc: 2
Available from Vinegar Syndrome
A vicious serial killer is stalking the streets of New York City, murdering Times Square massage girls in a variety of brutal ways. It’s up to a rogue detective team to solve the case as the body count continues to rise! Chock full of over the top sex and violence and complete with high speed car chase through Manhattan, MASSAGE PARLOR MURDERS is an exploitation film lover’s dream movie. Featuring performances from Sandra Peabody (Last House on the Left), Chris Jordan (Deep Throat 2), Brother Theodore (The ‘Burbs), and George Dzundza (The Deer Hunter) in one of his earliest appearances!
This movie is a little bit of a hard cookie to bite into in some regards. We do have some pretty nude women bouncing around and that is never at all a bad thing, but the movie just seems a little too stuck in the bad end of the 70s with stuff happening in a none exciting fashion for the most part. I do appreciate the spots of blood here and there and while it isn’t eye popping I can appreciate even the transfer. But the movie as whole seems like a longer than usual episode of some old detective TV show, only it’s the 70s so the cops are pissed cause the hooker they sleep with got killed.
There are super 70s era law and order type fans who will get the most of those “who did it” story. More 80s style slasher types like I might find this one to be a bit lacking, even if we do get two different cuts of this film to try to take in on the same disc. It may be a love/hate with some, but I have heard people appreciate it for the New York feeling of its era, and maybe that alone is worth a look for some. I however I am from Tennessee, so it looks ok overall, but wasn’t my cup of tea.
– Two Different Cuts of the Film
– Digital Liner Notes
– Outtakes
– Theatrical Trailers
