While the calendar might be hyping Christmas, Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Not the holiday, but the cult film that’s getting released on 4K UHD. This film from 1980 offers the answer to “What happened at the summer camp next to Camp Crystal Lake?” Turns out Mother’s Day was being shot at the YMCA camp next to the New Jersey location that was being used for the original Friday The 13th. Mother’s Day proves there were worse things lurking in the woods than a mass murderer with a hockey mask. Mother and her two sons were also out claiming victims in the Pine Barrens.
During a self-help conference a hippie girl and her boyfriend befriend an old lady. She offers to let the couple stay at her place in the woods. They accept the generosity and hop in the car. During the drive, it looks like the boyfriend is going to snuff the old lady. She has a little engine trouble and stops to see what’s under the hood. The hippies are about to spring into action, but their plans come to an abrupt end. They didn’t realize they’re dealing with Mother (Car 54, Where Are You?’s Beatrice Pons) and her two sons Ike (Gary Pollard) and Addley (Michael McCleery). It’s a brutal scene in the middle of nowhere. Trina (Tiana Pierce), Abbey (Nancy Hendrickson), and Jackie (Deborah Luce) are three college friends who have stayed close friends after all these years. Part of their fun is a yearly mystery vacation. Jackie gets to pick the location. Instead of somewhere exotic, she takes her two friends on a camping trip to Deep Barons Wilderness Area in New Jersey. You know this trip isn’t going to go that great. The trio of ladies do enjoy making the nature scene including a spot of skinny dipping in a pond. They also enjoy scaring each other with practical jokes. But one night, the joke turns on them when Ike and Addley abduct them. Mother has the girls tied up in their workout room and orders Jackie to be the first one taken outside to be tortured by her sons. Mom’s calling the hideous shots as she has one son attack Jackie while the other takes Polaroids of the event. What is going to happen to the other two girls?
Who would have known that Camp Crystal Lake was a better choice than camping nearby and running to Mother and her boys? Mother’s Day is more savage than the other film. The counselors at the camp don’t suffer as much as the trio of campers in Mother’s Day. Beatrice Pons is so vicious and sadistic as she controls her boys. Even with her neck brace, she could take out Mrs. Voorhees on a dirt trail in the woods. Perhaps the creepiest part of the film is how the sons use a Big Bird alarm clock in their bedroom. They really missed out on the lessons of Sesame Street. The movie isn’t all about the women being tortured by the sons. They rise up and refuse to accept their fate that Mother demands. Even with the comic elements, the movie is disturbing now as when it came out in 1980. Mother’s Day is a reminder to never camp in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The new HDR transfer is taken off the original 35mm negative. You see so much more into the sets and location. You’ll feel the depravity ooze off the screen. The Audio is DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono. You’ll hear a lot of sounds in the New Jersey woods. The movie is subtitled.
Blu-ray has the movie and the bonus features.
Commentary track with director Charles Kaufman and assistant art director Rex A. Piano gets into what they did that summer.
You’re a Sick Woman! (32:37) catches up with actress Nancy Hendrickson. Her husband was editing the film. She got hired after production started when an actress dropped out.
My Brother and Me (26:54) meets up with actor Michael McCleery. His first big films were Friends of Eddie Coyle and Harry and Tonto. He saw an ad for Mother’s Day casting. He liked the script and talks about shooting in the sticks of New Jersey.
Writing to Mother (37:30) has co-writer Warren Leight talk about how he wanted a gig in journalism, but ended up writing for hire. He met Charles Kaufman and was asked if he can write a horror movie. Charles had the backing to make a scary film, but it had to be about a holiday like Halloween. Warren suggested Mother’s Day. He talks about his approach to the script. When it came to the shoot, Charles talked him into being the boom operator. He heard all his lines over the microphone.
The Book of Mother’s Day (32:25) has producer Michael Kravitz discuss how his good handwriting helped get him into the world of film production. He gets into his role of producing a horror film in New York and New Jersey. They used a YMCA camp. He points out that he didn’t pay to use a location until after they shot there in case the place falls through for whatever reason. Money is tight. He gets into how banged up the cast got during the shoot.
The Last House in the Woods (21:31) reunites production designer Susan Kaufman and costume designer Ellen Lutter. Susan jokes that the film about two brothers and their mother might be autobiographical to Charlie and Lloyd Kaufman. They are her brothers. Ellen Lutter got her start at Troma working for free. Susan also worked for free for Lloyd as a PA before getting bumped up to production designer. She had previously worked for the Smithsonian. The two discuss what they did to make Mother’s Day look so creepy.
Cutting Mother (30:17) allows editor Daniel Loewenthal and assistant editor Richard W. Haines discuss how they cut up a slashing scene. Haines took classes under Leonard Maltin. Daniel had previously worked Charles on an Adult feature. He was happy to be able to work on a film that could play normal theaters. Haines worked with Daniel and after the fine edit, he took over as the sound editor.
Celebrating Mother’s Day (21:52) has assistant art director Rex A. Piano explain that this wasn’t the only job he did during the shoot. They were a small crew. He was an NYU student and saw a flyer asking if he wanted to work on a movie. He showed up at Troma’s office and landed the gig. He points out that they didn’t have to do too much to make the house look so creepy.
Director Charles Kaufman interviewed by Lloyd Kaufman (7:55) has the two brothers talk about their film. Charles talks in front of his bakers Bread & Cie in San Diego. He made the film after getting out of film school. He could raise a small budget and knew he could horror film with comedy.
Interview with actress Tiana Pierce (6:53) has her recount her time as Trina. They shot in the Pine Barons. This is where the Jersey Devil roams. It was freezing cold when they shot and they demanded a van to stay warm.
Messin’ Up In Deep Barons: The Locations of Mother’s Day (19:10) is a tour of the shooting locations with assistant art director Rex A. Piano and superfan Brandon Hall. They were constantly running into cast and crew making Friday The 13th that was shooting next to them.
Archival interview with director Charles Kaufman (2:29) has him welcoming us to the Blu-ray version of a previous release. He’s at his coffeeshop in San Diego. They bake bread there.
Charles Kaufman and Darren Bousman talk MOTHER’S DAY at Comic Con 2010 (8:05) from Troma TV. Darren admits seeing the movie when he was 8 years old. Charles talks about the rumor that there was a dead body in the house before the shoot. Darren has made a remake of Mother’s Day so Charles asks him about his approach to the material.
Eli Roth on MOTHER’S DAY (13:07) is the director of Thanksgiving talking about how he rented it when he was 12. He became obsessed with the movie. He views the movie as smart and subversive.
8mm behind-the-scenes with commentary by Charles Kaufman (10:07) has him point out how these were 8 mm tests of makeup. We see the ax to the crotch scene. He found the reel in his garage.
Archival interview with assistant art director Rex A. Piano (1:07) has him talk about his first movie he worked on. He’s at Charles’ coffeeshop. Rex is now a director
Theatrical trailer (2:17) talks about a mother and her sons living in the countryside. The family is pretty outrageous. Three girls have their weekend ruined when they bump into mother.
TV spot (0:32) has them tell us all the scenes they can’t show on TV.
Multiple radio spots (1:30) promises a celebration of terror. I think Frankie Crocker is behind the microphone.
Vinegar Syndrome presents Mother’s Day. Directed by Charles Kaufman. Screenplay by Warren D. Leight. Starring Nancy Hendrickson, Deborah Luce, Tiana Pierce, Beatrice Pons, Gary Pollard, Michael McCleery, Bobby Collins as Ernie & Peter Fox. Running Time: 90 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: November 28, 2023.
