Mausoleum – Treasured Films

Director: Michael Dugan
Screenplay: Robert Barich and Robert Madero
Starring: Marjoe Gortner, Bobbie Bresee, Norman Burton, Maurice Sherbanee, La Wanda Page
Country: USA
Running time: 97 min
Year: 1983
BBFC certificate: 15

The 1980s have a fond place in cinema for many, the decade generating much nostalgia and leading to numerous pop cultural throwbacks to the era. It’s easy to see why when you look at some of the major titles and blockbusters that hail from the decade, like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and Batman, as well as critically acclaimed fare such as Do The Right Thing, Raging Bull and Blade Runner.

The decade is also memorable for the hysteria that broke out in Britain through the controversial ‘video nasties’ scandal, which saw films criticised and targeted for their violent content, and a campaign launched by activist Mary Whitehouse and the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association (NVALA). The scandal led to the Director of Public Prosecutions releasing a list of 72 films (known as Section One and Section Two films) believed to violate the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and liable for either prosecution for those dealing or distributing them, or confiscation. Alongside this inventory was a further list of 82 Section 3 video nasties which could be seized, confiscated and destroyed.

Mausoleum is one of the titles featured on the Section 3 list, with video tapes of the film seized and confiscated. Watching the film now, it’s hard to see what all the fuss was about (but that’s also the case for many of the other titles on the lists); the film is now released uncut with a 15 rating in the UK. Yet once you look past the fact it was a video nasty, you’re left with an entertaining, atmospheric but ultimately flawed supernatural horror.

The film follows Susan (Julie Christy Murray as a child and Bobbie Bresee as an adult) who, as a 10-year-old, is drawn to a mausoleum in a cemetery where her mother is buried. After entering the mausoleum she’s possessed by a demon. Fast forward 20 years and the demon takes over, after laying dormant for the past two decades, leading to a variety of creative deaths and an eye-catching demon form for Susan which has biting faces for breasts (just watch the film to see what I mean, the image is difficult to forget). Susan’s husband Oliver (Marjoe Gortner), and Dr Simon Andrews (Norman Burton), and others investigate to try to uncover what’s happening to Susan and why a trail of bodies is left in her wake.

It’s the type of film you have to just go with to get the best out of it – there are plot holes and the story doesn’t all come together – but if you submit to its charms, you’re left with an always watchable and fun tale of demonic possession, a family curse and some well crafted physical effects.

Some of the death scenes, in particular, feature strong effects and gloopy gore and there are some explosions, be they human or environmental, that also stand up well, though the same can’t be said for all of the effects – the optical effects in particular (smoke around the mausoleum at the start and the green eyes of Susan showing she’s been possessed) aren’t great at all, and it’s at times like this that its low budget shows.

One of the highlights of Mausoleum is the performance of Bresee as the adult Susan. She is given a lot to do and shows a surprising range, from loving housewife to handyman temptress, and from full-on demon possession to regressing to a child-like state. I say it’s a surprising range because she appeared in only a small number of films and TV shows during a brief screen career before retiring. Based on this performance, a longer career could have beckoned.

Mausoleum also leaves you with one of those “what have I just seen” twist endings that makes you either question the whole film or it just plain doesn’t make any sense, depending on which way you look at it.

In short, I had a great time with Mausoleum – it’s a far from perfect film but there’s so much to enjoy and it’s never dull. The central performance, practical effects and atmosphere of the mausoleum sequences are memorable, it’s well shot and that twist ending means it leaves you with plenty to discuss.

Film:

Mausoleum is released by Treasured Films on region free Blu-ray and can be purchased direct from their website. The transfer is excellent for the most part, with incredibly strong detail and rich colours – the Mario Bava-esque colour scheme of the titular mausoleum itself is particularly pleasing. The only blemish is with the background to the opening credits which feels slightly shaky and unstable and show some print damage. It’s a small flaw though and overall this is a fantastic transfer. The mono audio is also great, with music, sound effects and dialogue all clear.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS (3,000 units only)

• Rigid slipcase with exclusive artwork by Graham Humphreys
• Perfect-bound book with essays by John Martin, Darrell Buxton and Mikel Koven
• 6 collectors’ art cards
• Webstore exclusive ‘Bitey Boobs’ Nomed Demon Magnet (first 500 orders only)
• Webstore exclusive A3 reversible fold-out poster (first 500 orders only)

SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K scan and restoration from the 35mm original camera negative
• New audio commentary by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
• 2008 audio commentary by Bobbie Bresee and Lee Christian
• A Damn Good Reason: Bobbie Bresee comes out of retirement to give a new and exclusive comprehensive audio interview on her life and career. Packed full of photos and press clippings from Bobbie’s personal files
• When You Comin’ Back, Marjoe?: a new video essay on the life and career of Marjoe Gortner, written and presented by author John Harrison
• Making Monsters: interview with special effects makeup artist John Carl Buechler
• Babysitting Monsters: a new interview with special effects artist Christopher Biggs
• Cursed Auras: Stephen Thrower on Mausoleum
• Trailers
• TV Spots
• Image Gallery Slideshow: promotional stills, advertisements, press cuttings, lobby cards and video covers
• Reversible sleeve featuring two artwork choices
• English SDH Subtitles

Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw are always excellent value and their commentary is outstanding. It packs so much into the running time, all done in their ever entertaining style, opening with reference to the movie’s place on the video nasty list and bouncing between marketing and details of the actors. They share their memories of watching the film in the 1980s, why Marjoe Gortner gets top billing, and insights into the careers of some of the actors. The pair play off each other really well and share a wealth of information. There’s so much to take from the commentary. A real gem of the package.

The archival Bobbie Bresee and Lee Christian commentary is really great fun, packing in loads of recollections and anecdotes, and scene specific insights. Like the recent interview with Bresee (more on that in a moment), it’s an engaging and entertaining listen which gives a great amount of background material on the film and insights into Bresee’s career. 

The Bobbie Bresee interview is outstanding and a really easy listen. It’s an audio interview which runs for 53 minutes over a variety of photos and press clippings from the actress’s personal files. The new interview covers a lot of ground, from her time as a one-time Playboy Bunny to some of her early TV guest spots, including Charlie’s Angels and, of course, her role in Mausoleum, as well as a look at her retirement. She’s really charming and engaging and it’s a great interview that’s well worth a listen.

When You Comin’ Back, Marjoe? is a fascinating video essay about actor Marjoe Gortner by Australian author John Harrison, who has written a book on the actor. The author outlines how he was introduced to Gortner and why he’s followed his career as an actor and as a person in a 20-minute piece that includes trailers of other films he’s starred in, including The Food of the Gods. It packs a lot into the running time and is an excellent overview of the star.

Stephen Thrower’s piece provides an expert 30-minute overview of Mausoleum and its history, revealing that Bobbie Bresee was first approached about the film in 1978, four years before its release. Thrower runs through the events of the next few years related to the film before production began. He talks through the production and about some of the actors and the interesting careers they had (La Wanda Page, who plays maid Elsie, in particular had a memorable one). It’s always a pleasure to see Thrower’s name on the special features list for Blu-ray releases and pieces like this make it easy to see why.

The 9-minute interview with special effects makeup artist John Carl Buechler is split screen, with scenes from the film playing alongside the interview. Buechler outlines the production schedule, and how it made it difficult to ensure effects were ready in time.

A new interview with special effects artist Christopher Biggs runs for 23 minutes and it a fun overview of how some of the effects were created. Biggs is an excellent interviewee who shares a number of fun anecdotes about the film, as well as some of the other films he worked on, including A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

The image gallery runs for 7 minutes and features a range of posters, adverts, press articles, production stills and home video artwork.

The physical package is also first class. The rigid slipcase features exclusive artwork from the great Graham Humphreys, which really captures the atmosphere of the film, the six collector’s cards are double sided with stills from the film, and the webstore exclusive magnet and poster are nice touches.

The booklet is also great – it starts with a one-page synopsis and ends with a list of all the other Section 3 Video Nasties outlining who released them on video and whether they were cut. In between we get three essays. Darrell Buxton runs through films with graveyard scenes before turning to some of the crew involved in bringing Mausoleum to the screen, and its distribution and life on video, particularly in the UK. Next up, Mikel J Koven looks at succubi (a demon in female form that appear in dreams to seduce men, which bears similarities to Bresee’s demon-possessed character in Mausoleum). Finally John Martin, author of a book about the video nasties scandal called Seduction of the Gullible, runs through the Section 3 video nasties. He covers the hysteria, and some of the films caught up in it, surmising that censorship inevitably fails.

I had a blast with Mausoleum. Its flaws (in particular some of the acting and effects) are endearing, but amidst these is an entertaining movie that starts and ends in atmospheric style, features some memorable physical effects and horror scenes, and has, at its heart, a wonderful central performance from Bobbie Bresee. It’s a shame she retired early and didn’t have a longer career.

The Blu-Ray is the third home-run from the excellent new label Treasured Films. Each of their limited edition releases (the first two were Antonio Margheriti’s The Last Hunter and Jeff Lieberman’s Satan’s Little Helper) is a labour of love and well curated, with beautiful packaging and well appointed extras. Mausoleum is no different – the transfer is mostly excellent, the physical package is first rate and the plentiful extras are insightful, informative and entertaining. It’s a brilliant release of an entertaining slice of horror.

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