SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE I & II – review

101 Films invite you to a sleepover in glorious 4K UHD with their NEW Limited-Edition release of Slumber Party Massacre and Slumber Party Massacre II – available now for the first time in the UK

With its literal title, the 1982 original is indeed the seminal classic within its sub-genre of pyjama slashers. However, its direction by a female filmmaker, Amy Holden Jones, adds an interesting element despite it being very typical in execution. The use of gratuitous nudity and violence, while far from an uncommon sight in horror, raises the question of whether or Slumber Party Massacre is a parody or just a simple serving for the lowest common denominator. Our power drill-carrying assailant and escaped serial killer, Russ Thorn, played silently by the late Michael Villella, seems to represent more than just a mindless psychopath. Thorn personifies the fear of sexual assault, which is heavily suggested in the film’s theatrical poster. Compounded with the film’s level of blood and guts, this disturbing undercurrent becomes especially explicit, fighting against the tone, which is often loose.

At only 77 minutes long it’s an easy watch in that sense and to the film’s credit, it’s definitely not boring as high school girls gather for the titular slumber party. A new girl, Valerie, declines an invite, much to the frustration of her rambunctious younger sister, Courtney, but they’re far from harm’s way. Performances vary, but all involved help set the right mood. Robin Stille as Valerie resembles a young Ronee Blakley while Gina Smika Hunter has P.J. Soles energy from Halloween.

Slumber Party Massacre II has a flimsy connection with the original and hits a different cord with its heavy use of pop music and the killer’s crazed rockabilly persona. Courtney, the younger sister of a now institutionalised Valerie, is a little older but haunted by the ghost of slashers past. She sets off for a weekend getaway with her friend and girl group but finds herself plagued by a spectre wielding a drill-tipped guitar.

While lighter in tone, there’s not a lot of sense behind this follow-up as the new-wave driller killer is mostly non-threatening, confined to Courney’s imagination, until he materialised outta nowhere ushering in the carnage. If the year 1987 was a movie, Slumber Party Massacre II would be it. Much of the style, flavour and excess from the decade’s latter half is present, but overall, it’s a relatively empty sequel despite a constant output of high energy.

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Limited edition booklet includes: ‘Holding a mirror to the male gaze’ by Sarah Appleton & ‘Teenage Dreams: The Slumber Party Massacre II’ by Keri O’Shea

Slumber Party Massacre

  • Sleepless Nights: The Making of the Slumber Party Massacre
  • Audio commentary with director Amy Holden Jones and actors Michael Villella and Debra De Liso
  • Interview with actor Rigg Kennedy
  • Trailers
  • Alternate title sequence
  • Still gallery

Slumber Party Massacre II:

  • Original R-rated cut
  • Extended unrated cut
  • Audio commentary with writer / director / producer Deborah Brock, producer Don Daniel and story editor Beverly Gray
  • Sleepless Nights: Revisiting Slumber Party Massacre II
  • Trailers
  • Still Gallery

Fittingly the retrospective featurettes available for both Slumber Party Massacre films come edited from the same documentary produced in 2010. As such the picture quality is very standard, but both feature a decent spread of cast and crew. Out of the pair, the retrospective for part II is a more enjoyable watch as the subjects seemed to come away with a better filming experience. Likewise, the commentary for the rockabilly sequel outshines the track for its predecessor and makes for a light-hearted and fun listen. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

I’ve only watched a handful of classic titles since making the leap over to Ultra HD and Slumber Party Massacre rates highly. It’s an extremely bright image with a high level of contrasts, which leads to a slight over-saturation of colour, whereas the outdoor scenes shot at night present good visibility while maintaining deep backs. DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 is available for both films which are equally loud in volume and clear in quality.

101 Film’s slate for this year has been something else, and as someone who thrives on variety, the selection hasn’t disappointed. Slumber Party Massacre I and II fit that 11 pm timeslot, for those occasions when you just want to banish everything that’s going on.

SUMBER PARTY MASSACRE I & II
(1982 & 1987, director: Amy Holden Jones & Deborah Brock)

★★★★

direct blu-ray screen captures

 

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