MovieChat Forums > Hospital Massacre (1982) Discussion > X-Ray vs Hospital Massacre

X-Ray vs Hospital Massacre

posted 13 years ago by bbwibb02
5 replies | jump to latest

Can someone please tell me what is actually different between the two versions? Imdb says "The Rank VHS, under the title X-Ray, is heavily cut with a running time of 77 minutes, whereas the MGM/UA tape, under the title Hospital Massacre, runs 89 minutes." but it doesn't go into any details. I just got a dvd of it from a seller on ioffer and, when the title came up, it said "X-Ray" but I didn't really notice any places in the movie where anything might be cut, with the exception of one weird jump cut (when the doctor gets stabbed through the neck, after he slides to the floor, there's a weird jump cut where the killer is suddenly walking down the hall). Because I was watching the dvd on my PS3, I don't know how long this version was. But I'd really like to know if it actually was really cut or not.

[–] shred-com 13 years ago

I just came here to ask this! X Ray is on You Tube but I'm not gonna watch it if it's cut down *eyes*
lol at 2 people in the same 2 days wondering the same thing about this obscure long forgotten film.

[–] mirwax69 13 years ago

I have both versions of this one and had no idea that they could be/are different - other than the different titles over the skull x-ray at the film's start. Now I have something to do this weekend.

Thanks, guys.

Check out my horror blog, "LINUS LOVES 80'S HORROR" at http://linusloves80shorror.blogspot.com

[–] bbwibb02 13 years ago

Please get back to us and let us know the differences! It would be so very much appreciated!

[–] bbwibb02 12 years ago

Did you ever get around to watching them and comparing and contrasting them? I'd really like to know the differences.

[–] LoneWolfAttack 12 years ago

Cannon U.K. cut 8 minutes for the theatrical release, dropping the runtime from 89 minutes to 81. This is the version that Rank put out on home video over there. (The tape runs 78 minutes with PAL speedup.) There are cuts in 4 places:

1. Before Susan enters the Doctor's Lounge, there's a segment where she meets the doctor who gets the saw through his throat.

2. When Susan is in Dr. Saxon's office (the one with the hand paintings), her phone call to her daughter is cut out. Apparently, she just finds out that her ex left her daughter home alone through psychic powers.

3. The scene with the black lady typing has the beginning trimmed, showing the killer hiding in the room.

4. Jack wandering around the hospital to his doom in Room 911 has a chunk cut where he bumps into all the hospital crazies.

You can tell where the trims were made because there are audible tape splice marks marking each one.

However, the MGM/UA U.S. home video release, while it has these 8 minutes, it also has a 10 minute section at the end of the first reel that is missing ALL of the musical score. The Rank tape has this music present.

As for the difference in titles, "X-Ray" is technically the 'proper' one. "Hospital Massacre" was a refilmed title card that is noticeably 'cut in.'