Motel Hell (1980)

Director:

Kevin Connor

Writers:

Robert Jaffe (written by) and
Steven-Charles Jaffe (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

18 October 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Tagline:

You might just die...laughing!

Plot:

Farmer Vincent kidnaps unsuspecting travellers and is burying them in his garden. Unfortunately for his victims...

Plot Keywords:

Farmer | Slasher | Gore | Food | Slasher Flick

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Rory Calhoun	...	Vincent Smith
Paul Linke	...	Bruce Smith
Nancy Parsons	...	Ida Smith
Nina Axelrod	...	Terry
Wolfman Jack	...	Reverend Billy
Elaine Joyce	...	Edith Olson
Dick Curtis	...	Guy Robaire / 1st T.V. Preacher
Monique St. Pierre	...	Debbie
Rosanne Katon	...	Suzi
E. Hampton Beagle	...	Bob Anderson
Everett Creach	...	Bo Tulinski
Michael Melvin	...	Ivan
John Ratzenberger	...	Drummer
Marc Silver	...	Guitarist
Victoria Hartman	...	Female Terrible
Gwil Richards	...	Mr. Owens
Toni Gillman	...	Mrs. Owens
Shaylin Hendrixson	...	Twin #1
Heather Hendrixson	...	Twin #2
Margot Hope	...	Dixie
Barbara Goodson	...	Voice #1 (voice)
Kim Fowler	...	Voice #2 (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Max D. Adams	...	Big Gyna (uncredited)
Tony Agee	...	Blue Cochster (uncredited)
Rob Farrier	...	Norm Wester (uncredited)
Kerith Ann Hersey	...	Penelope (uncredited)
Donna Lee Miller	...	Barbara (uncredited)

Directed by
Kevin Connor

Writing credits
Robert Jaffe		(written by) and
Steven-Charles Jaffe		(written by)
Tim Tuchrello		uncredited

Produced by
Herb Jaffe	....	executive producer
Robert Jaffe	....	producer
Steven-Charles Jaffe	....	producer
Austen Jewell	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Lance Rubin

Cinematography by
Thomas Del Ruth		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bernard Gribble

Casting by
Stanzi Stokes

Art Direction by
Joseph M. Altadonna

Set Decoration by
W. Joe Kroesser		(as Joe Kroesser)

Makeup Department
Patricia Burck	....	hair stylist
Marie Carter	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Austen Jewell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Allen	....	second assistant director
Jack Barry	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Art Dudley	....	construction coordinator
George Hamilton	....	assistant property master
Bill Hudson	....	property master
Mel Johnson	....	leadman
William James Teegarden	....	set designer (as Jim Teegarden)
Steven Curtis Husch	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Don J. Bassman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Bassman)
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pat Egan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Holsen	....	dialogue editor
Craig Hundley	....	special sound effects
Jerry Jost	....	production sound mixer
William Manooch	....	cable person (as Bill Manooch)
Joseph Melody	....	sound effects editor
Malcolm Rennings	....	boom operator (as Mel Rennings)
Jay Wertz	....	supervising sound editor
Martha Burns Holsen	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound loader (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Adams Calvert	....	special effects (as Adams R. Calvert)

Stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stuntman (as Richard Butler)
Bill Catching	....	stuntman
Laurie Creach	....	stuntwoman
Vicki Creach	....	stuntwoman
Gene Hartline	....	stunt coordinator
Gene Hartline	....	stuntman
Leslie Hoffman	....	stuntwoman
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stuntman
Gary Jensen	....	stuntman (as Gary Jenson)
John Moio	....	stuntman
Sharon Schaffer	....	stuntwoman
John Sistrunk	....	stuntman

Camera and Electrical Department
Danny Buck	....	gaffer
Bob Coburn	....	still photographer
Buzz Feitshans IV	....	second assistant camera (as Fred Feitshans IV)
Cary Griffith	....	key grip
Henry M. Lebo	....	first assistant camera (as Henry Lebo)
Bradford May	....	camera operator (as Brad May)
Greg Guillo	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician (uncredited)
Don Nesmith	....	best boy (uncredited)

Casting Department
Victor J. Kubitschek	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karen Hudson	....	costumer: women
Bernie Pollack	....	costumer: men (as Bernard A. Pollack)

Editorial Department
Cheryl Ross	....	apprentice editor
Julian Semilian	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jerry MacDonald	....	music editor
Lance Rubin	....	conductor
Dan Wallin	....	music recording mixer

Transportation Department
Jay Coffman	....	transportation co-captain
Jack Lloyd	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Benita Allen	....	production assistant
Oga Danylo	....	secretary to executive producer
Jan Dennehy	....	production auditor (as Janice Elan)
Debra Leventhal	....	assistant to producers
John Moy	....	craft service
Lillian Neidenberg	....	paymaster
Bonne Radford	....	post-production auditor
Lina Shanklin	....	script supervisor (as Linda Shanklin)
Cassandra Wilson	....	production coordinator
Earl Wingard	....	unit publicist

Thanks
Richard Berres	....	special thanks
Christopher Outwater	....	special thanks (as Chris Outwater)
Colorado Pridham	....	special thanks
Frank Vacek	....	special thanks
Vera Vacek	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Camp Hill

Distributors

• United Artists (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2010) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  opticals and titles
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera
• Technicolor  color

Also Known As:

"Granja macabra" - Argentina, Mexico
"Hotel zur Hölle" - Austria, West Germany
"Helvetes motellet" - Sweden
"Hotel Hell" - Denmark (video title)
"Motel 'I Kolasi'" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Nuits de cauchemar" - France
"Piekielny motel" - Poland (imdb display title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | France:-16 | Germany:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (Approved No. 26113)

Filming Locations:

High Street, Moorpark, California, USA

Company:

Camp Hill

Trivia:

When Sheriff Smith asks Terri to the movies he says it is Monster _That Challenged the World, The (1957)_. Not only is this a real movie, but the scenes shown were actually from it.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the fight between the Sheriff and Vincent, the Sheriff's shirt switches between being badly cut up to relatively good condition.

Quotes:

Vincent Smith:I'm the biggest hypocrite of them all. My meats... I used preservatives.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Motel Hell" (1996)

Soundtrack:

You're Eating Out My Heart and Soul

Well made horror

I love this movie! Nothing beats a deranged hillbilly farmer who wears a severed hog's head to terrorize people.

Rory Calhoun and Paul Linke are wonderful in their roles. Rory effectively pulls off the mild-mannered farmer with a dark secret routine, while Paul Linke handles the role of jealous cop perfectly.

Nina Axelrod supplies the sex appeal, and capably I might add. Though her penchant for much older men is a little disturbing.

This film has gained a solid cult following thanks to end showdown of good vs. evil, with Rory wearing that hog's head and chasing after Paul Linke with a chainsaw.