This oft-delayed directorial debut by horror themed muscian Rob Zombie went through three studios and was held from release for two years. Was it worth it? For the most part, yes.

This homage to 70's horror (especially Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which is riffed on quite a bit) has a pair of twenty-something couples travelling across country doing research for a "roadside attractions" book. They end-up at a freakshow museum/gas station/fried chicken shop owned by asshole-ish clown Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig, who rocks the house and I wish had a lot more screen time) and learn of the legend of Dr. Satan (a local doctor who turned serial killer and did gory experiments). They head off to see the tree he was hung at years earlier only to get involved with a demented and quite murderous family (that includes Karen Black, Bill Moseley and Sheri Moon) who take them hostage and proceed to torment and torture them.

Loaded with tons of black humour, good make-up effects by Wayne Toth and a cast filled with B-movie icons (who enjoy themselves fully) this entertaining effort definitely enjoys poking fun at all the horror movie cliches and is a steady debut for Zombie, but it's not quite as shocking as expected and the finale gets a little bit too muddled for my liking (the catacomb scenes are a good example of just how off-track the script gets).

In fact the whole thing plays like a deranged comic book (and is filmed in a similar way with quick cuts, grainy montages and colourful snippets) which makes it more blackly humoured than disturbing. Still they don't make many movies like this these days and it was fun to watch, so I do recommend it.

Followed by The Devil's Rejects.

Directed By: Rob Zombie.
Written By: Rob Zombie.

Starring: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon, Karen Black.

Picture Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen.

Picture Quality: A flawless transfer from Lions Gate. No complaints whatsoever.

Extras: Despite looking like a fully loaded disc most of the extras are throwaway at under five minutes, still this has awesome menus (with Haig returning as Spaulding to insult you!) and a handful of okay extras. There's a listenable commentary by Zombie, a brief "making of" featurette, a pointless "behind-the-scenes" featurette, some "knock knock" joke outtakes, a "casting" featurette, "rehearsal" footage, a decent still gallery, brief interviews (with Haig, Moseley, Moon and Toth), 2 trailers and a radio spot and 3 hidden trailers for other Lions Gate releases (Cabin Fever, May and Godsend).