The Mangler (1995)

"It folded her like a sheet!" - Hunton

An industrial laundry machine is cursed by demonic forces.
Starring: Ted Levine, Robert Englund, Daniel Matmor, Vanessa Pike

Link to IMDB

I always heard terrible things about this Stephen King movie, but it turns out to be quite fun!

Mark and Officer Hunton

Blue Ribbon Laundry is a factory in a small town, run by the creepy and cruel Mr. Gartley (Englund.) The central machine that does most of the heavy work is a colossal hunk of gears and iron, know as the Mangler. When a lady falls into the Mangler and is killed, Detective John Hunton is called to the scene to investigate. He's an experienced and rugged cop, but the crime scene is gruesome enough to leave him rattled... His seemingly perpetual hangover might have also been a factor.

Pressured by his boss, Hunton's case is quickly closed as an accidental death, but he feels like something more is going on at the factory and is perturbed that the machine is still being used so soon after it chopped-up the victim.
Mr. Gartley has no sympathy about the death, and just wants to keep the laundry schedule moving along. His niece, Sherry, works at the factory but not even she gets any special treatment from the cantankerous old man.



While Hunton is a no nonsense blue-collar guy, his best friend Mark is deeply spiritual and has studied all types of topics surrounding the occult. They argue a lot, but it's clear they have a deep friendship and it really makes both of the characters enjoyable.
After another accident at the factory, they continue to search for information about Gartley. Mark comes to the realization that the Mangler could be possessed by demonic powers. Hunton wants nothing to do with supernatural crap, but the far fetched ideas begin to make sense after they battle a haunted refrigerator that came into contact with the Mangler!! Yes, it is as crazy as it sounds!

Mark: "You need a life, Johnny."

Hunton: "I got a life... What I need is a beer."

Gartley

As more clues are found, it seems like the Blue Ribbon Laundry has a long history of accidents with young ladies, and Gartley has a connection to evil secrets that the town has been hiding for decades.
Much of the movie focuses on Hunton and Mark's investigation into the mysterious events at the factory. It's often dark and moody with a detective thriller vibe to it, but at the same time the story knows that it's silly and isn't afraid to have some fun. Englund's performance is pure ridiculousness, because he delivers an unrestrained comical villain. (Not much of a stretch from playing Freddy.) It was a wise choice to not concentrate on the Mangler itself, because a stationary object killing people would have just ruined the far more interesting aspects of the story.


If you recognize that the movie is not taking itself too seriously, you'll find some real charm and style here as the mystery unfolds. There's not a lot of gore, but what we do get to see is top quality. The final 15 minutes are when things go off the rails, as the plans to perform an exorcism on the machine are set into motion. The ending goes way beyond anything that was established before, and I didn't know if I should be laughing or shitting my pants!

Clang, boom, steam !

Be sure not to miss:
- The crime scene photographer has facial scars, a hat, and a red and green scarf. Clearly a nod to Freddy Krueger.
- That dog is one fine actor.
- "Are you a virgin?"
- Mark's impressive wind chime collection.

Internet review:
"Entertaining nonsense that's served up with no shortage of style and atmosphere." - Hanke

Should I watch it?
As long as you don't expect a scary horror movie, it's a lot of fun.

Where can I find it?
Stagevu or sharesix links here.

The Mangler gets...