Back at the end of 2023, we heard that production had wrapped on Brute 1976, a horror project described as an homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. Now, Cinephobia Releasing is gearing up to release the film in the United States, and they have revealed that it will be reaching select theatres in August, followed closely by a digital and VOD release on August 26th. To figure out if this is a movie you’d like to watch in a couple of months, take a look at the trailer in the embed above.
Directed by Marcel Walz from a screenplay by Joe Knetter, Brute 1976 begins with Raquel and her girlfriend, whose car breaks down in the middle of nowhere as they travel to a photoshoot in the desert to celebrate Bicentennial unity . They stumble across an abandoned mine and explore it, while the photoshoot group replace her with make-up artist Sunshine and then find abandoned town Savage, which has a violent history but is the perfect place to take some photos. However, a family of masked psychopaths has claimed the town for themselves and are hell bent on it living up to its name.
The film stars Sarah French (Blind), Adriane McLean (Miracles of Christmas), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), Dazelle Yvette (Garden of Eden), Adam Bucci (NCIS Los Angeles), and Bishop Ali Stevens (Girl on the Third Floor).
The Cinephobia Releasing distribution deal was negotiated between Cinephobia President Raymond Murray, and Cecilia A. Brush, Head of Sales and Distribution of genre sales specialist Raven Banner Entertainment. Murray provided the following statement: “Brute 1976 is bloody and sexy, with a deranged family so demented they make John Waters’s Pink Flamingos look like a paradigm of family values. Brute 1976 restored my faith in horror that shocks.“
Walz added, “I’ve always been a huge fan of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes, both the originals and remakes. Brute 1976 was an amazing experience to shoot: It was hot, it was dirty and it was bloody. I’m sure the audience will feel that on screen.” Knetter – who is also co-writing the zombie film Twilight of the Dead, based on a treatment left behind by George A. Romero – said, “We are so excited to have Brute 1976, our modern take on the 70s horror films we love so much, in the hands of Cinephobia for it’s North American release. We look forward to everyone experiencing the Birdy family in all their gory glory.”
Coming our way from production company Neon Noir, Brute 1976 was produced by Marcel Walz, Joe Knetter, and Sarah French, with Dirk Schürmann and Tobias Schürman serving as executive producers. Robert Kern III (Prey, Creepypasta) provided makeup effects, and Marcus Friedlander (The Getback) served as Director of Photography. Production on a sequel, Brute 1986, has already wrapped.
Will you be watching Brute 1976 in August? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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