Original Vs. Remake: Mother's Day

Last Updated on August 3, 2021

We had a very strong agreement with the outcome of our last Original Vs. Remake involving Friday the 13th. Clearly the original was indeed the better flick, however I think it’s safe to say that Julianna Guill can be considered a horror hottie legend by her performance in the remake. Nothing wrong with that!

Now for today’s O vs. R, we are delving into a pair of films based on an upcoming holiday that I’m sure is very close to many’s hearts (especially Jason Voorhees and Norman Bates). I’m speaking, of course, about dear ol’ Mother and the day singled out to celebrate all that she does. The only question right now is which one does it better? Mother’s Day 1980? Or Mother’s Day 2012? Regardless, let’s make Mother proud below!

Story

A tale very much in line with all the other hicks that terrorize chicks flicks that came out around the late 70’s and early 80’s. Three female friends set out for a camping vacation, but end up getting victimized by a pair of slack-jawed yokels with a super tight bond for their psycho, sadistic mother.

Taking the story out of the woods and into a single home setting, the remake does a nice job distancing itself from the rather mundane original. There are also some nice twists as the house guests attempt to survive mother and her family’s descent upon them. Special mention for the sadistic methods of torture that are enforced.

Special Effects

Well, this was low budget filming so there wasn’t anything particularly spectacular in the F/X department. There was some realistic-lookng bear doodie that one of the girls accidentally steps in. Besides that, we get a very cheesy beheading and some bloody bodies. At least it’s all practical.

This film doesn’t require any crazy, outlandish F/X, but it completely rocks in the gore department. There are some pretty sadistic acts of violence depicted here and the reason it works so well is because of how realistic the grue looks. A perfect example is when a guy’s hand is broken with a cue ball. Plus, the hurricane outside looks quite real (unless they actually filmed during one, but I doubt that).

Acting

This was a Troma production, which means there wasn’t too much cash in the budget to hire top thespians. Of course, many of the cheesy performances do add to the old time appeal of the flick. And I will say that Beatrice Pons gives a crotchety, creepy portrayal of that crazy ol’ mama.

The reason why this flick works so well is because Mr. Bousman brought forth some killer performances from his players. The standout is absolutely Miss Rebecca De Mornay as mama. Watching her go from nurturer to murderer is just so chilling. Horror heroine staple Jaime King is also at the top of her game. Really, there are no bad performances here.

Intensty

When the girls are first attacked, it really comes out of nowhere and delivers a good shock. It’s also quite intense as they are being dragged in their sleeping bags towards mama’s house. Then, once the boys start getting down to bad business with their captives to please their mother, it’s definitely some seat squirming stuff.

Oh, man is there some harsh, hair raising shit in this flick! First off, there’s a hurricane on its way towards the film’s central point of action. Great call! Second, one of mama’s boys has been shot and may be dying. Not to mention every time Mama and her boys need to force something out of their captives, the sheer bodily violence and tension are enough to make anyone blow a gasket.

Hot Chicks

Nancy Hendrickson, Deborah Luce, and Tiana Pierce are the epitome of hot, vintage, horror chicks. Cute faces, long lean legs, perky and real boobs, the works! And the best part is, they are perfectly comfortable hanging around each other in skimpy panties and other tasty forms of undress. Skinny dipping in a lake is always a plus as well.

The remake automatically earns extra points for casting an actress as “Mother” who is as hot as she is scary. Even at the age of 54, she still exudes sexy! Add to that, regular genre hotties Jaime King, Briana Evigan, and Deborah Ann Woll and you’ve got an unstoppable overload of beautiful babies. They didn’t even have to get naked (although I suppose it would have been nice).

Directing

I’m pretty sure that director Charlie Kaufman wasn’t looking to create an award-winning masterpiece with Mother’s Day. That’s not to say that the film wasn’t handled in an accomplished manner. I feel that Kaufman does a great job setting up the characters and developing who they are. It really makes you feel the terror once mama and her boys begin laying into them.

One of Mr. Bousman’s best directorial assets is his ability to create tension and then push it to the max. His penchant for letting his actors go almost to the edge in terms of crazy really helps to make dire situations more believable. He really does keep you on the edge of your seat for nearly the flick’s entire running time. That’s a sure sign of a man who cares about his craft.

Mother’s Day (’12)

We have ourselves a Mother’s Day massacre! Bousman’s remake absolutely manhandled the original. I had a feeling the newer version would win out, but didn’t expect such a landslide. Now, I ask you, my friends. Did mama get a fair shake? Is Ms. De Mornay too hot to handle? Or should Troma have taken the top spot? Spit them bullets below! And if you have any flicks you’d like to see in this column, give me a shout at [email protected]. Happy Mother’s Day!