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An orphaned teen (Jimmy McNichol) becomes fearful of his aunt (Susan Tyrrell) after she kills a man in their home. But that just scrapes the surface of Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker. Add in that the aunt has incestuous desire for the boy and plans to keep him with her forever — full athletic college scholarship be damned. She even starts poisoning him. Also add in that the local sheriff (Bo Svenson) is trying to pin the murder on the boy because he thinks the boy is gay. Add in that the boy’s basketball coach (Steve Eastin) really is gay, and the only character who believes the teen or tries to help him… even though the victim was one of the coach’s old lovers. Yeah. In case you haven’t gathered, this movie is most certainly not your typical formulaic horror flick — and I loved it!

The first thing I loved about this movie is that it turns the tables on the gender paradigm. It’s a woman to be feared and it’s our male protagonist who needs rescued in the third act. (And it doesn’t hurt that he’s a cutey.) The second thing I loved about the movie was that it dealt with homosexuality at all — a pretty rare thing for a movie in the early ’80s. The sheriff gets right up in our main character’s face and tries to force him into a confession with lines like, “You’re a fag, aren’t you? Tell me you’re a fag. Admit it.” And refreshingly, the character doesn’t go out of his way to prove he’s not gay. He’s not a homophobe. He even remains friends with the coach after the coach is forced to quit his job. Again, very progressive for an early 80s movie.

But here’s the pièce de résistance: The crazy aunt is played by Susan Tyrrell, Oscar nominee for Fat City, but you may know her best for her unforgettable, mesmerizing turn as Queen Doris of the Sixth Dimension in Forbidden Zone. Tyrrell is on fire here, just like she was as the intergalactic queen. She’s over-the-top in the best way possible, breaking dramatic moments with non-sequitur black comedy and giving already-disturbing moments just that little extra touch of perversion.

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is a low-budget horror flick with very few moments of gore or special effects. But if you’re looking for something unusual, a little provocative and a little campy, check it out!

With Julia Duffy and an early screen appearance by Bill Paxton.