Mutilations (1986) (USA)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Cattle mutilations and UFO sightings in a small southern town draws the attention of one Professor Jim McFarland. Seeing the string of unexplained slaughterings has this learned dope thinking; “Yes. This is the perfect spot to bring a high school field trip!” Guess what? Aliens have been behind the cattle shortage and those same aliens have crash landed into the local farmhouse of a cranky old God-fearing coot. Now there’s some pissed off aliens roaming around and a group of youthful idiots and their ill-prepared professor hanging around in its new hunting grounds. Oops! Southern charm goes a long way to getting in my good graces but when you add a level enthusiasm harbored within the heart of the filmmakers, well you got yourself a bonafide backyard classic. It’s like your very own splattery alien invasion flick made with the blessing of baffled parents and a backwater town that truly believed in the weird kid who had a camera and a dream… and also an icky puppet. Stilted line delivery, elderly teens, the acting prowess of a gay porno cast and the sort of sexiness you get in only the coolest of 1980’s librarians fill out a team of performers just begging to be eaten. Then, actual diner patrons doing their best to help lets you know that just because there’s a whole bunch of death in the cards, the community will survive… although without a thriving dinner theater troupe. Claymation violence, questionable facial hair, soap opera music cues and a sensible new van to transport our victims-to-be… what a sweet deal.