The big revelation in this week's Vidiot's Box is that not all video box covers tell the truth. Witness the write up on the box of The Plumber, an allegedly scary 1980 movie by Aussie director Peter Weir. Alongside claims that the film is chilling, is a picture of a woman losing it, looking like she's going nuts with fear.

Don't be fooled! Instead, The Plumber is really much more of a black comedy and running commentary about power relations across class and gender lines. A weird man shows up on a woman's doorstep and insists that he must fix her plumbing (this despite her noticing no problems with the loo whatsoever). Soon enough, he's ripping down the walls and ceiling of the washroom, while pausing to make all sorts of sexual innuendo with the woman. Which raises a dilemma for her: how does she get rid of him? Her husband doesn't believe the plumber's all that bad. She tries ignoring him and even locking him out (he climbs through a hole he made in the roof!). This plumber's undoubtedly as irritating to her as to the audience. But really, this film goes on too long--especially when you're expecting a horror movie in the first place!

--Matthew Hays