User Reviews

Released from hospital after a nervous breakdown, Alice Jarett (Lynne Adams) moves into a country house with her philandering husband Martin (Pierre Lenoir), who has employed a team of workmen to renovate the property. At night, after the workmen have gone home and as Martin sleeps (having taken tranqs), Alice hears noises and investigates, discovering a lone carpenter (played by straight-to-video star Wings Hauser) hard at work. The genial craftsman befriends the flaky housewife, and becomes her guardian angel, using his handy array of power-tools to take care of those who mean to do her harm. It eventually transpires that Alice's new friend is the ghost of Ed, the man who originally built their home, and who was executed in the electric chair after killing those who tried to repossess his property.

I first saw The Carpenter in the wee hours at an all-night horror festival and struggled to stay focused thanks to the film's rather slow pace. But even with me wide awake this time around, the languorous approach still made this one drag quite a bit. As the carpenter with a screw loose (pun intended), Hauser absolutely nails it (pun also intended), being both charismatic and menacing, and there are a couple of reasonably bloody death scenes, but for much of the time I was bored (bored... board... geddit? OK, I was struggling with that one!).

"The Carpenter" is certainly more intelligent than many horror films out there,but it's also so mediocre.The plot is quite interesting,but the pace is rather slow and the film becomes quickly dull.There is a good deal of splatter and some gruesome killings,but really this one isn't worth your time.4 out of 10-not a classic by any means,just another mediocre Canadian horror.

The Carpenter would not appear to be a very well liked film, and it's really not difficult to see why. It seems that certain occupations lend themselves to horror; while dentistry, for example, has obvious horror themes that can spring from it, all carpentry has is the idea of someone murdering people with his tools, this idea has been used many times before and generally isn't all that interesting anyway. The fact that the plot here focuses on a dead carpenter who has come back for revenge doesn't really help since that idea is also massively overused. The plot is also rather boring in the way it plays out. However, I do have to say, in spite of all that I've already said, that The Carpenter isn't a film without any merits at all. Wings Hauser is good in the title role, and the scenes that see him taking some revenge on various people that he doesn't like are generally quite well done. The way he yacks on about 'the working man' etc can be a little dreary, but the delivery is good and Hauser makes for an effective villain. Overall, however, I have to say that The Carpenter is not a great film and there's not enough about it for me to recommend it.

"The Carpenter" is not likely to win many fans from the guts and gore crowd. The carpentry tool killings are so over the top, that they are only going to hold interest for admirers of "black comedy". Throw in at least average acting, a story with some originality for a change, and of course a deranged Wings Hauser. Since my girlfriend didn't leave the room and kept watching, even after arms were being cut off with a circular saw, I can confirm a certain romantic angle that I didn't see coming. Without the presence of Wings, this is completely forgettable. Wings fans will not be disappointed. In good conscience I cannot recommend this as a date movie, but I do recommend "The Carpenter" as a good dark comedy. - MERK

In THE CARPENTER, a woman named Alice (Lynne Adams) moves into a new home with her idiot husband, Martin (Pierre Lenoir). Alice has mental issues, including delusional thinking. The rural house needs a lot of repairs, and one night Alice meets the titular artisan (Wings Hauser) working late in the basement. Is he part of the work crew, or... ??

When Alice finds herself in a bad spot with one of the workmen, the mystery man intervenes in grisly fashion. Hmmm, Martin had better watch his P's and Q's, or he may just wind up "remodeled" himself! Why, he could have a "splitting" headache!

This movie is an insanely ghoulish, tragic love story, perfect for Wings Hauser fans, since he's great in it!...

THE CARPENTER is one of those forgettable direct-to-video films made in the 1980s that was filmed in Canada (probably financed by a Canadian cable network). There's almost nothing memorable about it. Bland cast and acting. Bland story. Bland music. Bland horror. Bland everything. The dull story doesn't fit any known horror category: is it supernatural? slasher? psychological horror? Probably but it's so shallow that calling it a psychological horror is too generous.

So this carpenter (a ghost?) kills all the people that annoy a mentally disturbed woman, who, during the beginning of the film, experienced a nervous breakdown (no reason is given for her breakdown). The film almost works on a feminist level: most of the victims are men and the nonsensical dialogue Wings Hauser spouts throughout the film sounds like feminism 101. But calling this boring horror a feminist statement would be an insult to feminism, whether if one agrees with feminism or not.

Anyway, too many words for a crappy film. There's almost nothing memorable about this film except for one scene: the woman is having a blissful dream with the carpenter. They're both dressed in white and dance cheek to cheek to music when the carpenter, at one point, unzips himself and the woman screams in horror at what she sees off-screen: we hear the sound of a drill. The carpenter has a drill for a penis. Totally ludicrous scene which made me laugh out loud. Had THE CARPENTER had more scenes like this, it would have been much more entertaining.

From producer Jack Bravman, a man who worked on such films as "Snuff" and "Zombie Nightmare", comes this goofy but fun horror movie, pretty much the working definition of the word offbeat. Written by Doug Taylor and directed by David Wellington, "The Carpenter" tells the story of poor Alice (Lynne Adams), a woman with an uncaring and unfaithful husband, Martin (Pierre Lenoir), who has a nervous breakdown, and after getting out of the hospital, moves with hubby into a country estate being renovated. She finds that every night after every other worker has gone home, a mysterious carpenter (Wings Hauser) continues to toil away, because after all, a job's not done until it's done. Words to live by. Anyway, she finds herself enticed by this guy, to the point where she looks forward to seeing him all the time. "The Carpenter" is an amusing Canuck horror flick that this viewer wouldn't really consider a slasher, and would concede may not have enough action, gore, or kills for some tastes. And, truthfully, it's a little disappointing that there isn't more gore when The Carpenter is busy eliminating any unpleasant person on the premises using his assorted implements (nail gun, power drill, etc.). But, in the end, what I like about this is how crazy it is as it goes for a more psychological approach. What is The Carpenter to Alice - an angel or a devil? Some moments in this movie are so silly, and so hilarious, it's hard to believe Bravman and company didn't have their tongues in their cheeks, at least to some degree, and it's just too entertaining to see Hauser and Adams indulge in some fairly serious conversations, as Wings waxes poetic on the nature of masculinity and the problem that arises when men get too far removed from good, honest, hard physical labour. Men have to take PRIDE in what they do, damn it! Wings fans can note that he's in fine form, as he plays a somewhat familiar and somewhat unfamiliar character, as he's often stern, sadistic, creepy, likable, and charming all at the same time, as he imparts upon others his own sense of morality. Adams, Lenoir and the other actors are just okay at best; they certainly pale in comparison to the dynamic star of this thing. Ron Lea, however, is a hoot as the jovial local sheriff who provides exposition in a manner that's anything but boring. Filmed at various Quebec locations, "The Carpenter" may eventually end up with a rather conventional finish, but until then it's pretty engaging - and, I dare say, under-rated - stuff. Seven out of 10.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Buying "The Carpenter" was all my fault, and I shouldn't have harbored the expectations that I did. I accept that. I'm not trying to blame anyone else for my misguided foul-ups. I do reserve the right, however, to curse the studio and all it represents for the various cinematic disappointments that are simply inexcusable.

The movie seemed interesting enough to me. A mysterious carpenter continues to appear in the, quote, "delirious dead of night," gruesomely eliminating any man or woman that causes the house owner grief. Yeah, yeah, great stuff.

The movie delivered, but only on certain levels. Yes, the carpenter showed up. And yes, the night always seemed slightly delirious. And you know what? There were even a number of original, if uninspired, death scenes. Great, great stuff.

Upon closer inspection, however, several glaring mistakes made themselves all too real.

Firstly, what's the deal with Wings Hauser? You've got one of the greatest character actors ever to grace the screen, and you waste his talent in such a visually lusterless role? Yeah yeah, I know. Wings Hauser sucks. Character actor? He's hardly an actor. The point I'm trying to make is that he needed to be dressed like a ghoul to make this flick a little more aesthetically appealing.

Secondly, and perhaps decisively, there's no nudity. I'm sorry, what? That's right, no nudity. There are two or three women in the film, but none strip down like they're supposed to. Several times we're offered some sort of teaser, but they never amount to anything. The very element that could have made this film is completely ignored, and "Carpenter" suffers for it.

Because of these simple mistakes, "The Carpenter" dawdles more in the twisted-romantic-drama genre and less in ceaseless, mind-numbing, bad horror like it was meant to. Sad. Very sad.

Ah well. Rent it anyway. It seems that if I can get other people to watch this crap, my life seems less desperate and lonely.

This is a horror film that portrays some chilling ways in which a person can be killed using ordinary carpenter's tools. Those of you who expect gore, will be more than satisfied, as this film highlights some disturbing killings perpetrated by The Carpenter (Wings Hauser).

Plot: Martin (Pierre Lenoir) and Alice Jarett (Lynne Adams) move into a new house that has some unfinished construction and repair-work to be done. Martin bought this property and is very happy with it. Alice who is still recovering from a nervous breakdown also takes to the house. She keeps busy doing menial chores while Martin, who is a lecturer is away at work.

Unknown to Alice is that the house has a sinister history attached to it. Meanwhile Martin is having an affair with a student of his for sometime. By mistake the student gets pregnant and she tells Martin about it. Martin tells her that the relationship is off and she should get an abortion.

In the middle of the night Alice hears some hammering and sawing sounds like someone at work. She goes to investigate and meets The Carpenter (Wings Hauser) for the very first time. They start talking. And both start show an interest in one another. Alice leaves The Carpenter to his work.

When morning comes, Alice finds no trace of The Carpenter who has mysteriously vanished. Sheriff J.J. Johnston makes a visit to Alice to welcome her into the community. And it is here that we learn the tale of the former owner of the house....

The house belonged to a married man, who wanted to build a house all by himself for his wife. He became obsessed with the house. Meanwhile his wife leaves him and he is devastated. He goes into debt but still wants to finish the house at all cost. Some men are sent to repossess the house but are all killed in gruesome ways. The man is caught and sentenced to death by electrocution.

It is the ghost of this man that wonders in the house during the house trying to finish it.

See the film to find out what happens next...

Excellent acting by all actors in the film. The special effects are good. Background music score is excellent. And overall a rare film to get hold off. I suggest if you see it to buy it for your horror movies collection.

Not great film that still has heart to bring some fun to the B film. After a nervous breakdown, a couple love to a home during rehab. A mysterious carpenter works at night taking pride in what he does, compensating for the lackadaisical day crew. Who is this guy? But he starts to intrigue the woman not quite recovering well from her stay in the hospital. Hokey elements and plot but performed with just enough gusto that it was an enjoyable if tired watch.

Wouldn't it be so much cooler if John Carpenter had directed this movie? Then the box of the VHS could loudly announce "John Carpenter's … The Carpenter"! And also, it probably would have been a much better film if John directed it… "The Carpenter" is a rather weak and laughable 80's slasher movie that desperately tries to add in some deeper psychological themes, but fails. It centers on a beautiful, thirty-something housewife that just got released from a period in a mental institution because she cut up her husband's business suits for no apparent reason. They move into a new countryside house that still needs a lot of renovation and Alice stays indoors whilst her husband cheats on her with a hot blond chick. Meanwhile Alice falls in love with the reincarnation of carpenter Ed (portrayed by 80's stud Wings Hauser). Ed is an old-fashioned workaholic who died in the electric chair 40 years earlier after he went a little berserk and killed some people that didn't allow him to finish his work. Together, Alice and Ed butcher a couple of lazy handymen and talk about dancing. How adorable! It's a pretty ridiculous film overall, with too much talking and only a couple of demented murder scenes to make up for it. The killings are similar to the ones in the 'video-nasty' cult classic "The Toolbox Murders" (a nail gun, a bench vice…) but not nearly as gross or memorable. I always thought Wings Hauser is a bit of an idiot and didn't really like him in this role, neither. His tedious speeches about how "handy-work is holy" are implausible and not exactly terrifying. The climax is just plain retarded.

When I finished watching this flick it appeared to me that it was made at the end of the eighties. I gave me a feeling of a seventies movie. And that's not so good. It came just after the slasher era and in a time when horror was not done by the majors. And it shows. It's a bit of supernatural thing of a carpenter coming back to his house after he got the electric chair. Sadly, it never becomes really bloody or messy. Even not when the carpenter kills the man of the women he loves. It is more a bit about affairs and how to compete with it. But things go from bad to worse and soon she, Alice, discovers that the man she falls in love with is a death person only to be hurt by destroying the house he build. Weird story, but so passé. Although the acting was okay, it fails nowadays in all ways. Still, up to today it is unavailable in all forms, it do pop up at flea markets on VHS and in the Benelux on DVD taken from a bad VHS rip.

Whoever said this film was an "Excellent late 80's horror" must be out of their mind! This film is stupid, pointless and really old fashioned. Not to mention cheesy. It is nowhere near "intensely scary" or "sensitive". Just plain confusing. If this film is so good then why did it come from a bargain bin, and no I didn't buy it, my Dad did. Though the only thing I did like about it was that it was so stupid I had to laugh.

Oh and one more thing, Wing Hauser is nowhere near talented. Actually, I could do a better job.

1/10 - complete claptrap.

*YaWn*

Sorry if I caused any offence to anyone concerned. If I did, then shame on you!

Anybody going into this movie hoping for a gory slasher movie about a psycho carpenter who uses his sharp tools to make a bloody mess of his victims is going to be disappointed. This Canadian filmed B-movie is slow and lame, the kills are weak, it is as much a drama as it is a horror movie. Wings Hauser gives an interesting performance as the title role, the ghost of a polite mass murderer, but that, along with a bit of sex, is not enough. I have this on UK VHS, great cover artwork and I like the plot, sadly the end product was not very well polished. Could and should have been better.

I like watching Wings Hauser and in 'The Carpenter' he could be classified the sole interest for giving this one a look. However I guess I like it more than others seem to do, even though I wouldn't call it excellent, but this low-budget straight video ditch is a modest achievement in the psycho thriller genre.

Alice (a reliable performance by Lynn Adams) and her husband have moved to a country estate, after she was release from hospital due to a mental break down. To keep her mind of the fact that her husband is cheating on her and her recurring nightmares, she finds comfort in the carpenter that's repairing her house. But there's something not quite right about him, as he begins to use his tools on those who cause any trouble to Alice.

Other than Hauser's performance (who perfectly nails down a quietly uneasy intensity), it's the hallucinogenic air that makes this a strange little package. This quality is rather profound as we don't know if it's all in the heroine's head (as she is recovering from an nervous breakdown), or maybe it's a simple psychopath or it could it be something out of left field involving the supernatural. It teases, nonetheless it's answered for us midway through and in certain aspects (due to the path it takes) it can feel absurdly daft.

True handyman horror! Hauser's uses hammers, nail guns and vice grips to dish up some unpleasant acts of violence, while also managing to spit out mannered dialogues about hard work and craftsmanship. It's all in a hard days work. The majority of the scenes occur around the house, close quarters and some under lit scenes amongst shadowy areas. The serviceable story is low-key, and David Wellington's direction keeps it basic making it sharply well-made. Although the pacing can become plodding, and latter end skews in to mundane territory. Pierre Bundock music score is hauntingly angelic, and pretty much bombards the air.

This movie is a classic horror movie in Norway. It's intensely scary yet sensitive. With the ever so talented Wing Hauser as the crazed carpenter, though it's special effects are rather outdated. But it's complex plot and intensely scary music more than makes up for it.

They just don't make them like this anymore. An instant classic.

10 out of 10. BRAVO

Liked this film for what it was. It has plot, mild suspense, decent character variety, and the house provides a dreamy setting. On the comedy end of the spectrum, the carpenter is terrific! I can't say more without spoiling it.