A masked killer begins targeting people during a weekend getaway for two sisters and their companions in a rural area north of New York City. The group’s trip includes a man having a yacht built by a local, and another character interacting with a burly lumberjack. Things quickly turn dark when the masked assailant starts committing murders. “Savage Weekend,” made in 1976 but not released until 1979 (and later shown internationally), is an independent slasher film that cost only $58,000 and came out a year before "Halloween” (which was filmed in 1977). Many mistakenly believe “Halloween” launched the slasher genre, however, there were at least a dozen films that appeared earlier, beginning with "Psycho" (1960) and including titles like "Dementia 13" (1963), "A Bay of Blood" (1971), "Silent Night, Bloody Night" (1972), "Home for the Holidays" (1972), "Torso" (1973), "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974), "Black Christmas" (1974), and “Schizo” (1976), among others. Even "The Toolbox Murders" (1978) was in theaters eight months before "Halloween." During production, the film had working titles of “The Killer Behind the Mask” and “Upstate Murders,” before finally being called “Savage Weekend.” It clearly drew inspiration from films like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” (1971), and "Deliverance" (1972). Certain scenes also evoke memories of “Squirm,” which was released the same year this film was shot. While it's likely the weakest among these films, there are still some interesting moments, such as an early scene at a bar involving the group’s somewhat effeminate friend. The role of Hillbilly Otis was played by William Sanderson, who is better known for his part on “Newhart” in the 1980s (you may recall he had two brothers named Darryl). Caitlin O'Heaney makes a notable impression as Shirley, appearing in an extended sequence wearing lingerie toward the end of the film. This was her first acting role and earned her SAG eligibility. There is a small amount of nudity to be expected. The movie has a running time of 1 hour, 28 minutes and was filmed in the Hudson Valley region, north of Yonkers and south of Albany, primarily at a secluded lake. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB