Horror Movie Review: The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

The Slumber Party Massacre series (three films) has the distinct honour of being the first horror movie series to be directed exclusively by women. That’s a pretty cool fact, it’s just a pity that the first movie, The Slumber Party Massacre is such a ‘by the numbers’ slasher horror.

The original screenplay would have seen the movie be more of a parody of the slasher genre but in the end, it takes a much more serious tone. The end result is a tepid, slasher clone with jump scares in place of tension. It’s entertaining in its simplicity and gore is solid, but it is certainly not anything to get excited about.

Trish (Michelle Michaels) is a high-school senior whose parents are away for the weekend. You know what that means!? Party!! All her friends come over to have a good time which includes smoking pot, stripping off and talking about boys. Talking of which, a couple of teenage lads’ spy on the girls through the window hoping to see some boobs!

They’re not the only male around the house though. Russ (Michael Villella) is an escaped murderer and he quite fancies attending the party too! His gift? A power drill. Cue lots of blood, lots of screaming and lots of jump scare attempts.

It’s not a bad film, there is a fair amount to enjoy if you watch The Slumber Party Massacre in a bubble. Try and forget that we’ve had a bazillion slashers both before and after, then we have a decent movie with flaws that aren’t easy to overlook.

The acting is hit and miss. While no-one is out right bad, a few of the supporting cast are wooden and forgettable. Those at the fore-front of the movie play their parts fine though. The victims run, hide, scream and eventually fight back. The killer gurns and slashes and eventually has the tables turned on him. Nothing wrong here but nothing to get excited about.

It’s a pity the film goes for shock tactics rather then tension building though. It makes for a far less thrilling movie and it never scares. Its focus is upping the blood and gore to high levels, some of which doesn’t look particularly great either. It’s an early 80’s slasher though, so you know what you’re getting into here.