Motel Hell

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Motel Hell

R

1980

1h 46m

Horror

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

27 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Vincent Smith (Rory Calhoun) and his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons) run a rural hotel, but they earn most of their cash operating a food stand that specializes in world-famous sausages. After years of success, however, the duo's upstanding brother, Sheriff Bruce (Paul Linke), eventually discovers the grotesque details of his siblings' booming business: Vincent and Ida are actually plumping up their hotel patrons, killing and dismembering them and then grinding them into frankfurters.

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Critics Consensus

Eerie and satirical, Motel Hell has no vacancy when it comes to low-brow horror gags.

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Keith Phipps

The Dissolve

...a low-budget shocker that's picked up a sizable cult following over the years, thanks in no small part to Calhoun, whose welcoming smile and aging matinee-idol looks made his turn as a villainous madman fond of human flesh all that more effective.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 11, 2014

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Motel Hell is a welcome change-of-pace; it's to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as Airplane! is to Airport.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Even though it primarily features gore of the exploitation kind, a handful of concepts are curiously effective in their forthright executions; the ambiguity is just strong enough that it’s never entirely apparent what it's trying to accomplish.

Rated: 4/10

Aug 23, 2025

Full Review

Phil Edwards

Starburst

Even though Motel Hell does fall between the two stools of horror and comedy rather clumsily at times, it is an interesting variation in horror cinema.

Jul 26, 2022

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Philip French

Observer (UK)

Motel Hell is a queasy cross between Sweeny Todd and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a camp comedy that could put sensitive people off cannibalism and chainsaws for life.

Apr 7, 2022

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

It's certainly a workable, promising setup that's consistently employed to inept and flat-out unwatchable effect...

Rated: .5/4

Aug 23, 2021

Full Review

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Maksim S

Motel Hell is a darkly comic horror that blends genuinely creepy moments with sharp satire. The film thrives on its bizarre premise—a seemingly quaint roadside motel that hides a gruesome secret—and its combination of practical gore and offbeat humor keeps viewers both unsettled and entertained. The villains are memorably twisted, and the film leans into grotesque yet creative body horror that will satisfy fans of classic ’80s gore. While the tone occasionally wavers between horror and camp, this balance adds to the film’s charm rather than detracts from it. Clever, gory, and often hilarious, Motel Hell is an underrated gem that delivers a hearty slice of horror with a darkly comedic bite, earning a solid 3.5/5.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/28/25

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Eric F.

Motel Hell is a wonderfully sadistic affair, surprisingly well-written and filled with plenty of dark humor and unsettling horror, a bizarre nightmarish acid-trip.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/18/25

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Mania I.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Very satirical at tiles this horror comedy is a must for 70s and 80s horror fans. The screenplay is with and the movie is creepy. Solid cast and good direction as well. A must watch for me every October.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/26/25

Full Review

Nick O

Rory Calhoun goes all out in this classic hillbilly chainsaw-cannibal comedy! The kinda flick you watch on a hot summer night with the trailer door open.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/06/25

Full Review

Farah R

An interesting premise with a satisfying ending. It fails to be truly compelling with its slow buildup, but the good visual effects and decent characters make it worth watching.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

Full Review

CodyZamboni Z

Stupid and campy, but not in a good way. Lame horror comedy that is annoying and far from amusing. Boring characters, Amatuerish makeup fx. The actors do give their all, but to little effect.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

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Kevin Connor

Director

Rory Calhoun

Vincent Smith

Nancy Parsons

Ida Smith

Paul Linke

Sheriff Bruce Smith

Nina Axelrod

Terry

Wolfman Jack

Rev. Billy

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Ida Helps Bob Get Ahead

1:39

Motel Hell: Official Clip - You Take Care of My Animals

2:13

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Fake Cows

2:06

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Chainsaw Fight!

3:47

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Gassing the Swingers

2:10

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Buried Heads

1:49

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Feeding the Heads

1:40

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Farmer Vincent Fritters!

2:25

Motel Hell: Official Clip - Ida is Attacked

2:13

Motel Hell: Official Clip - I've Got a Treat For Ya

3:50

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Synopsis

Vincent Smith (Rory Calhoun) and his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons) run a rural hotel, but they earn most of their cash operating a food stand that specializes in world-famous sausages. After years of success, however, the duo's upstanding brother, Sheriff Bruce (Paul Linke), eventually discovers the grotesque details of his siblings' booming business: Vincent and Ida are actually plumping up their hotel patrons, killing and dismembering them and then grinding them into frankfurters.

Director: Kevin Connor
Producer: Steven-Charles Jaffe, Robert Jaffe
Screenwriter: Robert Jaffe, Steven-Charles Jaffe
Production Co: Camp Hill
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Surround

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