Microwave Massacre

Microwave Massacre

Year: 1979

Runtime: 76 mins

Language: English

HorrorComedyCrude humor and satireHorror the undead and monster classicsFunny jokes and crude humor

Donald, a weary construction worker, struggles with his wife's insistence on cooking only gourmet meals, leaving him with barely edible food. After a heated argument ends in tragedy, he discovers an unconventional use for his microwave. He begins preparing richer dishes, experimenting with a variety of recipes and meats, turning the appliance into a macabre source of sustenance.

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Timeline & Setting – Microwave Massacre (1979)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Microwave Massacre (1979). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Donald and May's suburban home

The story largely unfolds in a modest suburban house where domestic routines mask a volatile relationship. The kitchen dominates the setting, anchored by a large Major Electric microwave that speeds up meals and amplifies tension. The house ultimately becomes a site of horror as May's body is concealed in the refrigerator, turning everyday spaces into macabre stages.

🏡 Suburban 🧰 Domestic life 🍽️ Cooking obsession

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:21

Main Characters – Microwave Massacre (1979)

Meet the key characters of Microwave Massacre (1979), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Donald (Jackie Vernon)

Overweight, middle-aged construction worker whose frustration with his wife May escalates into homicidal violence. He rationalizes his crimes as a misguided attempt to regain control, and his appetite soon shifts from ordinary meals to cannibalistic experiments. A petty, increasingly desperate man whose craving for food drives the horror.

😡 Violent temperament 🧭 Rationalizing murder 🥫 Cannibalistic tendencies

May (Claire Ginsberg)

Donald's wife, a self-styled gourmet whose pretensions set the couple apart from their working-class friends. Her extravagant meals mirror a need for status and control, and her murder catalyzes the film's horror. She becomes central to the escalating conflict that ends in violence.

🎭 Pretentious 🍽️ Gourmet cooking obsession 🧊 Status-seeking

Evelyn (Sarah Alt)

May's sister who confronts the grim truth behind May's disappearance. She is knocked unconscious and gagged, highlighting the vulnerability of characters who face the killer. Her presence adds a survivor element to the escalating horror.

😨 Fearful 🪪 Victim 🧭 Investigative

Roosevelt (Loren Schein)

One of Donald's friends who enjoys simple lunches and becomes a participant in the strange meals Donald prepares. He embodies the film's dark humor and perverse culinary premise, illustrating how far ordinary camaraderie can slide into complicity.

🍻 Foodie 🗣️ Loyal friend 🧪 Experimental eater

Philip (Al Troupe)

Another of Donald's friends who shares the ridiculous lunches and experiences the shocking consequences of the cannibalistic meals. He represents the blend of humor and horror that drives the plot forward.

🍽️ Food connoisseur 🗣️ Loyal friend 🧪 Experimental eater

Dr. Von Der Fool (Ed Thomas)

Donald's doctor who assesses the heart condition and notes the pacemaker, providing a clinical counterpoint to the unfolding chaos. The doctor grounds the events in ordinary life amid the horror.

🩺 Doctor 🧠 Skeptical

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:21

Major Themes – Microwave Massacre (1979)

Explore the central themes of Microwave Massacre (1979), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🍽️ Gourmet Horror

Cooking and appetite are twisted into instruments of violence. Donald's growing obsession with food drives murder, cannibalism, and tastings that blur the line between sustenance and atrocity. The film uses culinary imagery to satirize pretensions and domestic life, turning a kitchen into a stage for horror.

🎭 Domestic Satire

The movie skewers middle-class pretensions and the fantasy of refined living. May's ostentatious gourmet habits clash with reality, while Donald's attempt to project normalcy collapses under the weight of his crimes. The humor arises from the gap between appearance and grisly acts, exposing social hypocrisy.

💥 Toxic Masculinity

Donald's explosive temper and suppressed frustrations drive the plot, turning aggression into lethal action. The film explores how male rage is rationalized and enacted within a facade of normalcy. The violence is played for dark comedy, but it reveals the fragility of masculine authority.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:21

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Microwave Massacre Summary

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Microwave Massacre Summary

Microwave Massacre Timeline

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Microwave Massacre Timeline

More About Microwave Massacre

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