Absurd (1981)

Also known as Anthropophagus 2, The Monster Hunter and Horrible, Absurd is Italian horror impresario Joe D'Amato's (aka Aristide Massaccesi) unofficial sequel to his 1980 splatter epic, Anthropophagus.  You'll recall (or maybe you won't) that the earlier film was about several couples who encounter a rather nasty cannibal on a deserted island.  The most infamous scene involves the killer devouring a...well, if you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about.

Certainly nothing in Absurd, about a genetically altered man who goes on a killing spree, matches the vileness of Anthropophagus; but D'Amato never shied away from piling on the gore, and he does so here with a certain maniacal glee: a woman's brain run through with a surgical drill; a man's head split open by a buzz-saw; a teenage babysitter impaled by a pickaxe; and so much more.  The effects are suitably (and predictably) cheesy, though surprisingly better than anything by, let's say, Lucio Fulci or Umberto Lenzi, who were both from the same school as D'Amato.  Also expected is the atrocious dubbing and dialogue, that was sometimes so hilarious, I had to rewind just to be sure of what I heard ("So, you're here...in a hospital...to get your car fixed").

Nothing earth-shattering here.  Just good, old fashioned Italian horror--perfect for a Saturday night.

1981; starring George Eastman, Annie Belle; directed by Joe D'Amato; 96 min; not rated (unsuitable for children); dubbed very badly in English.