Mausoleum (1983) MPM/Horror RT: 96 minutes Rated R (graphic violence, nudity, sex, language) Director: Michael Dugan Screenplay: Robert Barich and Robert Madero Music: Jaime Mendoza-Nava Cinematography: Robert Barich Release date: April 29, 1983 (US) Cast: Marjoe Gortner, Bobbie Breese, Norman Burton, Maurice Sherbanee, La Wanda Page, Laura Hippe, Sheri Mann, Julie Christy Murray, Chu Chu Malave, Ron Cannon, Joel Kramer, Gene Edwards, Di Ann Monaco, John Brannigan, Richard Guarino. Box Office: N/A Kill Count: 7
Rating: ***
Everything I love about 80s horror movies can be summed up by Mausoleum, a demonic possession flick that piles on the cheese and corn in equal measures. It has a compelling storyline, a decent cast, graphic kill scenes, bloody gore effects, nudity and sex, eerie atmosphere and long out-of-style fashions. The only thing it’s missing is a bunch of dumb horny teenagers doing everything they can to ensure their bloody demise at the hands of some deformed homicidal maniac. The characters in Mausoleum are horny adults and only a little smarter than the average F13 teen. Then again, who would ever guess that a hot wealthy housewife is possessed by a demon? Ooh, I know! Anybody who takes a minute to closely examine the family name Nomed, that’s who.
In the prologue, we meet 10YO Susan (Murray) grieving at her mother’s coffin before it’s lowered into the ground. Her guardian Aunt Cora (Hippe, The Swinging Barmaids) tries to make her leave which only causes the girl to run away from her. She goes straight to the family mausoleum and enters, perhaps drawn by the heavy fog surrounding the front gate and the glowing green light inside. In doing so, she awakens a 300-year-old family curse wherein all firstborn females are at risk for demonic possession.
For whatever reason, the demon lies dormant for twenty years until the now-adult Susan (Bresee, Ghoulies) visits her mother’s grave on the anniversary of her death. She’s drawn once again to the family mausoleum and before she knows it, BAM! The carnage begins when she goes to a disco with her successful businessman husband Oliver (Gortner, Starcrash). Some drunken a**hole (Edwards) gets grabby with her. She retaliates by causing his car to explode with him inside it. Next, she seduces the gardener (Sherbanee, The Don Is Dead) only to dispatch him with a garden claw. There’s no stopping Susan after that.
Meanwhile, Susan’s psychologist Dr. Andrews (Burton, Diamonds Are Forever) suspects something is wrong with his patient, something that isn’t covered in any medical book. He consults with a colleague, Dr. Logan (Mann), and together they reach the conclusion that Susan is possessed. At this point, Andrews should call in an exorcist, but he decides to handle it himself instead.
Mausoleum is directed by Michael Dugan who previously lensed a children’s movie I never heard of called Super Seal (1976). I can’t speak to that one, but I can say he does a pretty good job in the field of horror. It’s a stylish entry highlighted by superior makeup effects by John Carl Buechler (From Beyond). There are some nifty kill scenes in this one. A guy’s head explodes. A woman’s chest is ripped open. Somebody gets impaled on a pointy sculpture. But the topper has to be the poor fellow who gets attacked by boobie demons with sharp teeth. Yes, you read that right. Susan’s boobs turn into little demons and tear out a guy’s ribcage. It’s messy but cool. And how do we know when the demon takes over? Susan’s eyes turn green and she gets this glazed look on her face. Sometimes she transforms into the demon. The designer did a great job on the nameless demon; it’s terrifying and cheesy at the same time. Ah, you gotta love pre-CGI horror movies!
Comic relief comes in the form of La Wanda Page, aka Aunt Esther from Sanford & Son, as the maid Elsie. Sadly, her role is all too brief but she leaves a lasting impression with hilarious lines like “Great googily moogily!” (perhaps a call-out to Whitman Mayo’s S&S character Grady), “There’s some strange s*** goin’ on in this house!” and her exit line, “No more grievin’, I’m leavin’!” Her character feels strangely out of place amidst the grisly goings-on, but it’s weird stuff like this that makes Mausoleum a memorable, trippy experience.
Gortner, a former Bible Belt preacher who left the profession to become an actor, is always a welcome presence in exploitation movies. I forgot he played the nemesis in American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt until I looked him up on IMDb. Of course, forgetting American Ninja 3 was on purpose. There is NO substitute for Michael Dudikoff. Everybody knows that! ANYWAY, Gortner is good in Mausoleum. I especially love how he keeps a straight face while boogying to cheesy disco music in the club scene. Forget that disco was long dead by ’83. Breese does a fine job as Susan. No pea soup gets spewed and no crucifix is violated, but she does get to play temptress.
I’ll grant that Mausoleum is no Exorcist, but other than the whole possession thing, the two films aren’t all that similar so why even compare? It’s a good scary movie in its own right. It’s thick with atmosphere, especially when the fog and green light effects kick in. The mausoleum itself is suitably creepy with the cobwebs and rats. It’s a moody piece that sometimes lapses into silliness giving the whole thing a wobbly, uneven feel. The final scene is one of the weirdest I’ve ever seen. At the same time, it’s a neat little final turn of the screw. Taking all of this in, you can see why I love 80s horror so much. They just don’t do it like this anymore.
