Hops and Box Office Flops: ‘MANDY’

Chainsaw Fight

Mandy is an absolutely bonkers, psychedelic acid trip loaded with blood, violence, and raw nerve.

It’s a tragic film—one where a man witnesses his beloved be burned alive by a religious cult. This action, of course, leaves him no other option than revenge. The brutality, though visually striking, is only a small portion of the movie’s brilliance.

Directed by Panos Cosmatos—son of famed director George P. Cosmatos—Mandy delights in its 80s look and feel. It utilizes atmosphere, unique colors, and framing to build upon the disturbing world it forces upon us.

Mandy is unapologetically itself; and whether someone wants to be on that ride may depend on their tastes. This can be a hard watch and not just because of Nicolas Cage’s Red slowly losing his mind or having to witness him scream into the void of agony.

There are visuals here that will stick with you long after the credits roll. This may be a niche, genre movie, but it is one that transcends that characterization.

Critics loved it. With 250 reviews, it’s a Certified Fresh 90%. And despite not grossing very much ($1.4 million) during its limited theatrical run, it is wholly deserving of its cult status.

Now, sit back, demolish a few a Devil’s Harvest Breakfast IPAs from Southern Prohibition Brewing, and don’t use any of that biker LSD! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Capt. Cash are fashioning the most metal ax in history to dole out some sweet and furious vengeance!

This Week’s Segments:

Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Like Jeremiah Sand, we come bearing a Message from the Mountain! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss our favorite gore-tastic scenes from the film. (38:58)
The “Children of the New Dawn” Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast survives a Chainsaw Match, and then Chumpzilla challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (1:00:56)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue “Hops and Cage Match Flops” with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent! (1:10:51)

And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—Jeremiah’s folk music and more—from this week’s episode!

You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!