This 80’s slasher film lives up to two “G”: goofiness and gore and yet it will be known for two future stars in the making.

Ten years ago, Mitch Hausen was a palimony laywer who after celebrating a major win, has plans with girlfriend Judy LaRue. However, fate has something else in store when they end up in a serious car accident. Mitch is seriously hurt while Judy has been killed. The aftermath disfigures Mitch, who is believed to be dead. However, when it is time for his autopsy at the nearby medical center, Mitch awakens and kills the two coroners, making the center his new home.

Present day. Kiki LaRue, Judy’s daughter, is in grief as it is the ten-year anniversary of her mother’s death. Kiki is joined by boyfriend Mike and friends Jane, Darnell, and Dennis. They decide to go to the place where Judy was killed. There, they find the seemingly abandoned center, where they find themselves confronted by an all-girl rock trio, Tina and the Tots. However, they are not the only ones there as Mitch is still there and he’s ready to once again start killing.

From the director who helmed episodes of Friday the 13^th: The Series and Takes from the Darkside comes this 80’s typical slasher that also relies on a major amount of cheesiness to compliment the major amount of gore that is a must for 80s horror films. The film would also be known for a future horror icon and the film debut of a future HBO series star.

Patty Mullen, who would later become a horror cult icon for her role as the titular Frankenhooker in the 1990 cult classic, has dual roles. She appears in the opening scene as Judy, who is having a ball with her boyfriend Mitch, played by Michael Rogen. Rogen is clearly hamming it up in the scene as he is celebrating a major win. When it comes the accident, it’s clear the scene where Mitch is grieving for Judy seems more laughable rather than emotional.

The present-day scenes are a bit laughable. Aside from some cringy dialogue where Kiki (once again played by Mullen) is consoled by William Hay’s Mike and it gets to where Kiki offers to call Mike “Mom”?! The film marks the debut of Sex and the City’s Kristin Davis, who plays the nerdy Jane. It is clear her acting had improved over the years because she was completely over the top at times here, but it’s nothing compared to Ruth Collins’ band leader Tina, who is clearly hamming things up with her completely wild laugh! It is clear that this film isn’t meant to be taken too seriously and it shows.

However, the piece de resistance of the film is the gore. The death scenes are at times funny, but at other times, very awesome. Some of the ridiculous deaths include death by stethoscope strangling and death by medical pincers. However, the other deaths are excellent, from one character getting drilled in the head a la Slumber Party Massacre and one character getting their face cut up with a saw drill!

Doom Asylum is ultimately a mixed bag. If you’re a gorehound, you’ll love the film but you have to get through some major over the top goofiness as if it’s the key to the prize!

WFG RATING: C

A Manhattan Films production. Director: Richard Friedman. Producer: Steven Menkin. Writers: Rick Marx, Steven Menkin, and Richard Friedman. Cinematography: Larry Revene. Editing: Ray Shapiro.

Cast: Patty Mullen, Ruth Collins, Kristin Davis, William Hay, Kenny L. Price, Harrison White, Dawn Alvan, Farin, Michael Rogen, Harvey Keith, Steven Menkin, Paul Giorgi.