BRUTE 1976: A Blood-Soaked, Grindhouse Homage to ’70s Horror Hits This August

The Birdy family welcomes you to hell in BRUTE 1976 — bloody, bold, and hotter than Texas asphalt.

BRUTE 1976 Brings Blood, Heat, and Homage to the Grindhouse Horror Revival

Cinephobia Releasing is unleashing pure ’70s terror this summer with Brute 1976, a savage, sun-scorched homage to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. Directed by genre provocateur Marcel Walz (That’s A Wrap, Pretty Boy) and written by Joe Knetter (George A. Romero’s Twilight of the Dead), the film will hit select theaters this August before slashing its way to digital and VOD on August 26.

Set in the sweltering heart of 1976, Brute follows Raquel and her girlfriend as they break down in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile, a desert photoshoot crew stumbles upon a derelict ghost town—home to a grotesque family of masked freaks with a taste for blood and zero hospitality. What begins as a retro slice of Americana quickly devolves into sun-bleached sadism and grindhouse gore.

Cinephobia President Raymond Murray calls it “bloody and sexy, with a deranged family so demented they make Pink Flamingos look like a Hallmark movie.” The film drips with practical FX, filthy desert energy, and a nod to every VHS nasty horror fans grew up on.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes,” said director Marcel Walz. “Brute 1976 was hot, dirty, and bloody—and I’m sure the audience will feel that on screen.”

Writer Joe Knetter adds, “We wanted to create a modern take on the ’70s horror films we love. And with Cinephobia handling the North American release, horror fans are going to experience the Birdy family in all their gory glory.”

The cast includes Adriane McLean (Miracles of Christmas), Sarah French (Blind), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), Dazelle Yvette (Garden of Eden), and Adam Bucci (NCIS: Los Angeles). The film is produced by Neon Noir with Walz, Knetter, and French, alongside executive producers Dirk and Tobias Schürmann. Practical effects were handled by Robert Kern III (Prey, Creepypasta), with Marcus Friedlander (The Getback) behind the camera.

Start prepping your grindhouse marathons—Brute 1976 is coming, and it’s bringing the blood with it.