The Extremely R-Rated 80s Movie That’s A Shocking Prison Rampage

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

I’m just going to come out and say it. They really don’t make slashers like they used to. I love a solid elevated horror flick as much as the next person, and Weapons was one of my favorite widely released films last year. But one thing we’re missing from horror these days, aside from the fun meta commentary that the Scream franchise continues to deliver, is camp. Lots of it.

Though I don’t doom scroll on social media, I’ve adopted a far more harmful habit that should have my family worried about my general well being: doom scrolling through Tubi’s catalog and adding everything that looks even vaguely interesting, like 1988’s Destroyer, to my watch list.

Destroyer is a slasher that has a lot of fun with its very simple premise, and it’s so satisfying to watch because the stakes are laid out clear as day. We know who the killer is, the people who encounter him are familiar with his mythos, and they’re all stuck in one place. In this case, it’s a prison being used for a movie shoot. While it’s no Dr. Giggles (1992), Destroyer carries itself with the same kind of manic energy, just without nearly as many surgical puns.

Give ‘Em The Chair! 

Here’s the plot rundown for Destroyer so you know what you’re getting into. Epically jacked serial murderer Ivan Moser (Lyle Alzado) is executed by electric chair. During his execution, a prison riot causes confusion, leaving him only half electrocuted when the power shorts out. The combination of this electric charge, plus his “unusual genetic gift,” leaves him half alive and gives him superhuman strength. Though if I’m weighing in here, the dude is already ripped beyond belief, so I’m not sure where his mortal body ends and his immortal one begins.

Eighteen months later, the now abandoned prison is being used by a film crew as the set for their all-woman prison exploitation movie, Death House Dolls. Though everybody vaguely knows about Ivan’s execution and mysterious disappearance, he’s presumed dead and production continues as planned. Screenwriter David Harris (Clayton Rohner) and stunt woman Susan Malone (Deborah Foreman), who are dating, show up to work as usual. But David is fascinated with the lore surrounding Ivan and wonders how he could incorporate the legend into the film, which rightfully creeps Susan out.

Before you know it, all hell breaks loose when Ivan reveals he’s still living in the prison, and he’s pissed. He’s the kind of killer who isn’t mad at anything specific. He’s just a psycho who loves killing and torturing people. No ulterior motive. No vendetta against “the system.” He laughed while they were executing him, saying in so many words that he’s going to kill again. And here he is doing exactly that.

People run and scream, get torched, and ripped to shreds while Ivan gleefully antagonizes everybody unlucky enough to cross his path.

A Bare-Bones, Low-Budget Slasher That Does It For The Love Of The Game

Though Destroyer is obviously a low-budget slasher, to the point where I couldn’t even find specifics on exactly how much money went into its production, it’s still a solid effort. One aspect that really works to its advantage is that it was actually shot on location in a real abandoned prison, giving it an air of authenticity that most budget slashers can only dream of. Ninety-nine percent of the atmosphere comes from the decaying cell blocks of the former Wyoming State Prison. Even the electric chair scenes were filmed in the prison’s real execution chamber, though it had originally been used as a gas chamber when the facility was still housing inmates.

As for our villain, he’s large and in charge, carrying himself like a pro wrestler. It doesn’t hurt that Lyle Alzado’s intimidating physique comes from his work as a defensive end in the NFL, meaning he’s not Hollywood jacked. He’s a genuine bruiser through and through. His attempts at campy catchphrases leave a bit to be desired, but he still owns the role, and half the fun comes from how corny his delivery is.

Couple his charisma with some pretty gnarly practical gore shots and you’re going to have a great time. Destroyer doesn’t offer anything new to the slasher genre, but it’s an impressive outing compared to other B-movies of the time.

As of this writing, Destroyer is streaming for free on Tubi.