Killbillies

Behind the campy title of this film from director Tomaz Gorkic lurks a serious bloodbath that earns a mild asterisk in the record books for purporting to be the first horror feature from the young nation of Slovenia. A fashion photographer and three amateur models head into the countryside of Eastern Europe for a shoot. Here, the rural peasants are uncouth, malformed degenerates (called “hillbillies” in the translated dialogue) dressed in folk attire. Two male goons attack and kidnap the visitors, but one would-be model (Nina Ivansin) has the street-bred instincts to fight back. Shock-schlock fans will recognize the influence of Tobe Hooper's classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wes Craven's splatter hit The Hills Have Eyes in the overtones of cannibalism here, as well as the grim theme that the “civilized” characters are, ultimately, no better than the monstrous, murderous yokels. Although trashy genre attributes such as gratuitous nudity and extreme mutilation are a bit less pronounced here than in other grindhouse fare, this is still more of a curio than a successful horror film. Optional. (C. Cassady)