So, you're probably thinking that just about everything has been done with horror films. Vampire films are far too frequent, there are a number of zombie films, every holiday has been covered save for Arbor Day and Yon Kipper, and you've seen it all. Exploding heads, ripped out entrails, vomited intestines, bodily dismemberment, stripped away skin, and just about every other grisly form of death has been creatively filmed. But, just like you might find at your place of work or even at your school, there is one person that has been lurking in the shadows, ignored by everyone else, and now his day has finally come. It's none other than . . . . . . The Janitor.

Lionel (Andy Signore) is your typical janitor, cleaning up the waste and mopping the stalls at a large corporation, but he has a slight problem. Lionel, working in a profession that tends to be degrading and humiliating, tends to get the short end of the stick and ridiculed by co-workers. This has made him into a killer, and quite a few of his co-workers have mysteriously turned up dead over the past few weeks.

The FBI is called in to investigate, but they can't seem to find any clues (even though they tend to be going on right under their noses.) When Lionel kills a prostitute however and leaves some DNA evidence in her severed head, the FBI has what they need. However, Lionel's mentor, Mr. Growbo (Bruce Cronander) knows what Lionel has been up to and agrees to help him. With that taken care of, Lionel ends up having the opportunity he's always been looking for end up right in his lap; the chance to clean up at a sorority house. But, Growbo isn't pleased and ends up taking the job from him. Now, Lionel is out for a little revenge.

The Janitor comes from the school of low budget horror films, something that can either be a plus or completely ruin the film. In this case though, the producers don't take the film seriously, throwing in a great amount of humor making it a tongue-in-cheek extravaganza, or toilet brush-in-mouth in this case. It's one thing to make a low budget film that is terrible and take it too seriously, but it's something completely different to make a low budget film, realize it from the start, and just have fun with it.

This is a fun movie, no matter how bad some of it might be. The acting isn't the best in the world, but the over-the-top approaches tend to add a great deal of character to the film. The Janitor reminds me of the glory days of the slasher films, those that appeared in the 70's and early 80's. There isn't any time wasted with the murder spree either and within the first few minutes we see Lionel take his first life. Lionel has been humiliated once again after being urinated on by a co-worker, and his revenge is to set him on fire.

However, unlike some killers, Lionel has a love interest named Hillary (Fiona MacIntyre) though she really has no idea that he exists. Did Jason ever have someone that he cared about, or even Freddy? Nope, so this makes Lionel a little different, and becomes a nice way to tie things together later in the film. Plus, you've got a boss who is hung up on venereal diseases, a bumbling FBI agent, and later, Lionel even gets a protégé. Willis (John Carreon) is supposed to take over when Lionel quits, but the two end up working side by side to get revenge on Glowbo and the sorority. When you add sorority girls, that means there's yet another thing that has been lost from horror films, and that would be the exploitation of the female body. There are plenty of boobs and blood in the film, and a few of these girls are naturally stacked, something to be quite proud of and flaunt for everyone to see. There's no shame in it.

One thing that people might noticed, especially if you're a big fan of horror films, is that there are Troma posters on a garbage can during two different scenes. Does this mean that the filmmakers are trying to make a statement about Troma? No, and in fact, if you know anything about the studio, you'll notice that Lloyd Kaufmann, the president of Troma Films, gives a cameo appearance in the movie. There's nothing like the president of a low budget company giving props to a low budget film.

The effects in the film tend to be a bit cheesy at times, but not in a way that it takes away from the movie. You'll find some eviscerations, machetes through the gut, slashed throats, and some other rather simplistic gore effects, but they are sued effectively, and they also tend to be overdone for the sake of the film. Really, it couldn't be done any other way. If they were too basic or not overly graphic, I don't feel that it would be quite as effective, and I don't see The Janitor as a film that is trying to make you queasy so much as make you laugh, and there are plenty of moments for that.

But, if you want a better look at what went into doing some of the effects, all you need to do is look at the bonus features. There is an hour look at the making of The Janitor, something that I have to say is much better than those short, fifteen minute teases that the major studios include on their releases that tend to tell you nothing about what went into making the film so much as the cast talking it up. Every film has some sort of inspiration, and you'll find the original short, The Office is Closed, that inspired The Janitor. Interestingly enough, due to copyright issues, all of the dialog, music, and sound effects have been replaced in this five-minute short. Guys, where do I find girls will to show their breasts for the camera? Just curious?

There are still more features though. You have a few deleted and extended scenes, and I really do understand the reason for either cutting these scenes down or eliminating them completely. It's the usual case of "it seemed like a good idea at the time." You will also find the a trailer for the film as well as a photo gallery. Believe it or not, there's even a music video for the movie included here. For a little more fun, take a listen to what is entitled the Extremely Drunken Commentary. You don't find commentary like this too often. Are they playing quarters in the background, I can't tell.

The Janitor probably isn't going to win any awards, it's not going to show up on AMC at any point, it's not likely to be something scene in film school, but for what it's worth, The Janitor is an entertaining film that was made by genre fans, and it's got plenty of gore and humor, just the right thing that are serious about horror films . . . . but not too serious. This is one janitor that shouldn't be left in the closet, and The Janitor should be a part of your horror collection.

Jason Voorhees, Henry Lee Lucas, and . . . . Lionel. What else could you ask for?

-mike-
 

Directed by: TJ Nordaker & Andy Signore   Written by: TJ Nordaker & Andy Signore   Cast: Andy Signore Bruce Cronander Crystal LeBard G. Larry Butler Skip Pipo John Carreon Rachael Ann Bennett

DVD Features: Widescreen Presentation "Blood, Guts & Cleaning Supplies The Making of The Janitor" Extremely Drunken Commentary Deleted Scenes Alternate Ending Music Video "The Office Is Closed..." The Original Short Trailer & Easter Eggs