This week on The Last Drive-In, Darcy and Joe Bob ended the first half of the season with two movies that didn’t quite connect together but were a fantastic double feature all the same.

The double feature this week included The Mutilator (1984) and Possession (1981).

Give The People What They Want

It’s very intriguing that The Last Drive-In is taking a break mid-season, a first for the Shudder series, and before taking a break the show decided to showcase both a movie that people have requested for ages in The Mutilator, but also a horror cult classic in Possession. I’m not sure if the show was trying to boost ratings prior to the break, but regardless of its intention, it got my attention.

The Mutilator Cast
You wanna go for a ride? Sure, Ken Jump in

Both movies are great for different reasons. The Mutilator had a cheesy sitcom soundtrack and good kills. It’s also nice that like Slumber Party Massacre you know who the killer is. There’s no big grand reveal, you know from the outset who the villain is and largely what their motivation is. It simplifies and streamlines your traditional slasher, dropping the elements that don’t need to be there and focusing on what people want, which is great kills and gore effects. The effects on some of these kills were simply amazing.

Sam Neil And Isabelle Adjani In Possession
Someone is hangry

Possession is a different story, compared to 2019’s Marriage Story; both stories feature a marriage deteriorating over time. Although something tells me Noah Baumbach would have reservations about a couple cutting each other with an electrical knife. The movie cranks things up to 11 on a pretty consistent basis and ends on an extremely bleak note of child suicide and what’s possibly the beginning of World War III. Pretty bleak stuff, and between the intensity of the movie and the crazy twists the movie takes, it can demand a lot out of the viewer, which made the Joe Bob sequences even more of a welcome reprieve.

I Find Your Lack Of Guests Disturbing

Both movies ended up being crowd-pleasers for different reasons. The only complaint I have is that both movies lacked guests. It would’ve been nice to have some guests on The Last Drive-In discuss the movie. I think by midway through Possession I found it to be a bit more of a chore to tune into Joe Bob’s segments. This season thus far has been relatively inconsistent with regards to its guests. I really hope that’s something they can improve on over the break.

Conclusion

Despite the lack of guests, the movies were both great picks and provided thorough entertainment throughout. While it’s nice to be challenged with new movies you’ve never seen before, it’s also nice to have a balance of that and seeing movies you like with the added Joe Bob commentary.

The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs airs live on Shudder TV on Fridays at 6 PM (PST); If you miss the live airing, episodes are archived and posted the following Sunday. The show is taking a break, and like the show itself, these reviews will return when the show does on June 23rd, 2023.

For more Reviews, check out the content on That Hashtag Show.

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