MUSTANG SALLY'S HORROR HOUSE

First, you're not hallucinating.  That name listed first in the credits, Elizabeth "E.G." Daily?  She WAS a Powerpuff Girl.  And that's the start of the uncomfortable fun brought to us by MUSTANG SALLY'S HORROR HOUSE.  Basically, in a move that won't surprise anyone, six twenty-year-old guys decide to go to a whorehouse.  But not just ANY whorehouse -- Mustang Sally's.  Where the girls are just to die for!  And since the movie can be found on the main shelves and not in a back room somewhere, you know that they mean that literally.  From there, we'll get a few killings, some mild cat-and-mouse games, and a couple warmed-over twists.

It takes almost half the movie, however, for a body to hit the floor. This is way too long for any decent horror flick, proving Mustang Sally's is entirely too focused on the screwing aspect of things.  They will even go so far as to put up split-screen action--four couples going at it all at once.  Which is lovely and all, but I didn't come here to watch guys get off.

Worse yet, characters will just sort of appear out of nowhere, with no kind of buildup or exposition to suggest they were even in the area.  Which, I confess, is a rather small quibble against my biggest problem with this movie.

Which is, plain and simple...E.G. Daily.  She's playing the madam of Mustang Sally's, namely, Mustang Sally.  But all I can ask is, what the hell was she doing in here?  Is this some kind of desperate scheme to keep from getting typecast?  Did she just need a paycheck?  Something to keep from getting bored whilst counting her fat Powerpuff cash? Because frankly, I really, REALLY, don't like the fact that if I close my eyes, I've got BUTTERCUP shrieking back at me.  I don't like the thought of Buttercup running a whorehouse. I REALLY don't like the part where Buttercup's screaming about getting gang-raped. 

This is extremely uncomfortable, folks.  Don't believe me--try it yourself.  Get a copy of this, and when you get to that part, just close your eyes and listen.  Then tell me you can separate the two out.  No. You inevitably find yourself thinking "Buttercup" and it's spectacularly uncomfortable, isn't it? 

At least, on the plus side, the ending manages to tie things up fairly well, and follows its chosen path of moderate twistiness well.

The special features will feature audio options, Spanish subtitles, and trailers for MUSTANG SALLY'S HORROR HOUSE, MOVIN' TOO FAST, AFGHAN KNIGHTS, and CONFESS.

All in all, MUSTANG SALLY'S HORROR HOUSE isn't what you'd call bad, but it isn't what you'd call good, either.  The unlikely appearance of E.G. Daily drags on the overall fit of the piece, but in the end, it works out at least marginally well.

RATING: ** (out of four)

Written by Guest Columnist Steve, The Video Store Guy