Review #15: Chainsaw Scumfuck (1988) - Short film

This was - well, imagine, if you will, They Don't Cut the Grass Anymore (1985)*, only with a third of the budget. Oh, and in the UK. That's Chainsaw Scumfuck, an ultra-low budget, shot-on-video, gory short with only the tiniest inkling of a plot. At least it didn't take too long to watch, I'll give it that.

Source: YouTube

Length: 7 minutes

Number of Ratings from IMDb: 12

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Director: Alex Chandon [Chainsaw Scumfuck, Bad Karma, Drillbit, Cradle of Fear, Inbred]

We begin with two blokes hanging out, obnoxiously loud heavy metal playing in the background.

They're chatting about something or the other, but with the combination of the low quality audio, loud music, and British accents, I caught only about one-third of the conversation. Regardless, it doesn't matter, as someone comes into the house (or apartment, more like), and tries to kill them.

A testament to both the gore and the low quality

The killer wield either an electric chainsaw, or, as I more prefer, the quieter, but no less deadly, gardening shears (though it's not nearly as stylish as this).

As aforementioned, there's not much of a plot at all, but for films like this (again, think H. G. Lewis and Nathan Schiff), there's doesn't need to be a story, just gore.

The video was in tough condition. I have no problem with shot-on-video shorts or films (to the chagrin of some friends of mine), but I generally hope they're in better shape than this one. 

Admittedly, I was unaware of Alex Chandon (the director), but apparently he made two more films along the same vein as this, and then moved up in the world and directed a 2001 anthology, Cradle of Fear. I've not seen any more of his work, but I would be vaguely interested to do so after seeing this.

This was nothing more or nothing less than I expected, nor should it be less than what anyone expects. With a name like Chainsaw Scumfuck, I highly doubt people are foolish enough to hope for a short which values a deep and intellectual message. It is what it is - a low quality, gory film, and it did what it set out to do, never pretending to be anything more.

My rating: 5.5/10

IMDb page

* - If you haven't seen, or even heard of, They Don't Cut the Grass Anymore, I wouldn't be terribly surprised. It's not really obscure, it's more avoided. I would like to review it much later, when I have time, but until then, if you enjoy shot-on-video slashers, with minimal plot and high gore, I'd seek it out. I rented it out from NetFlix at one point in time, so they may have a DVD handy still, if interested.

Until next time,

Michael