Valentine's Day is coming around and the young people of the small mining town of Valentine's BLuffs are organising a party. A few decades earlier an explosion at the mine trapped six miners underground. One, Harry Warden, survived, though in a deranged state. Warden is sent to a mental hospital but escapes and murders those he deems responsible for the mine accident. Now people are being brutally murdered again, and the townsfolk suspect that it is the work of Harry Warden.

Better than your average slasher-horror, not that this says much. Reasonable set up, and a decent amount of intrigue. Does fall back on many horror clichés, and the performances are so-so. Plot is ultimately fairly formulaic, but has its moments.

"My Bloody Valentine" is your average horror flick: several years after a horrible disaster was followed by a series of murders, someone is out to punish those who have forgotten. But like your average horror flick, it's acceptable for what it is. As far as I know, none of the cast members went on to do anything bigger. Speaking of which, is Neil Affleck related to Ben Affleck?. I know of two other horror/suspense movies with valentine-related titles: "Valentine" and "The Caveman's Valentine", both released in 2001. Maybe people just find Valentine's Day a little too sugary and thus try to play with it however possible. This all holds something really special for me as an Oregonian (Oregon received statehood on Valentine's Day, 1859). Weird.

Twenty years ago, on the Valentine's Day in the city of Valentine Buffs, seven miners are working in the Hanniger mine, while the locals are participating in a big party. The two supervisors, anxious for going to the party, leave the five workers in the mine, which is full of methane. There is an explosion, and some days later, only one survivor is withdrawn from the debris. The man is completely insane, killing both supervisors and cursing the town. The locals grieve the Valentine's Day and decide to have no more celebrations on this date in the city. In the present days, the next generation of dwellers decides to have a party again. Then, violent deaths happen, with the killer removing the heart of the victims.

This movie is a sort of Canadian sub-product of 1974 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. After the huge success of Tobe Hooper's flick, slasher movies became very common in the 80's. In this decade, at least 1978 'Halloween', 1980 'Friday 13th' and 1984 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and their sequences were very successful movies. 1981 'My Bloody Valentine' is another sub product of this violent genre, and does not present anything special or different from the previously mentioned flicks. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): 'Dia dos Namorados Macabro' ('Macabre Valentine's Day')

Note: On 28 June 2020 I saw this film again.