DVD review: Luther the Geek (1990)

A young country boy is plunged into the depts of homicidal madness after witnessing the strange expolits of a carnival “geek,” a caged drunk so desperate for whisky that he bites the heads off live chickens in front of a freak show audience. Thirty years later, Luther (Edward Terry) is all grown up and out on parole, after spending his childhood behind bars for a series of grisly murders. Armed with only a pair of razor-sharp metal dentures and only able to communicate thorugh chicken clucks, Luther restarts his bloody rampage as he terrorizes the citizens of a small town and takes a young mother and her family hostage in their isolated farmhouse. Luther the Geek is written and directed by Carlton J. Albright. The acting is good but I must say that Edward Terry is great as the remorseless and cruel killer. The camerawork and editing is good. The flick has a surprisingly grim atmosphere, there are some really suspenseful scenes in this and moments of flesh-crawling eeriness. The old, dark farmhouse and barn setting is great and frightening. Some viewers might be put off by the killer behaviour which is bizarre but I had no problem with it. The soundtrack is good. It´s gory as Luther tear into necks, fingers and chests, it´s good looking practical make-up fx. There´s great T & A, courtesy of the gorgeous Stacy Haiduk who has a lengthy shower scene and a sex scene.
This review is based upon the region all (region 0) DVD release from Troma Entertainment.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I loved this, it´s an surprisingly unsettling, mean-spirited and off-beat flick. 
Luther the Geek is a must-see for fans of slasher/exploitation flicks.

/JL