The House on Sorority Row

Year: 1983
Director: Mark Rosman
Writer: Mark Rosman, Bobby Fine
Genre: Horror: Thriller

Here's another one of those movies that has such a generic name you don't know what to expect. Or, you expect it to be nothing much at all. As it turns out The House on Sorority Row is actually a pretty special film.

It's certainly not the best movie that's ever come around but it certainly tries to be more than just your typical slasher or horror-mystery. That's the reason why I found it so enjoyable. You've got a group of sorority girls and their sorority mom or whoever is rather strict and old. After completely humiliating one of the girls, the humiliated girl seeks revenge. She attempts to pull a big stunt with a gun loaded with blanks, but things get a little out of hand...

From there, things start to get crazy. It's a rather slow burn from when things initially get out of hand for other events to occur. It may be because of this that the movie is able to draw you in so well. It lures you in with a bang of a start and then leaves you wondering what the resolution will be and if the sorority sisters will face repercussions for their actions.

You may feel like you know what is going to happen in the film but you may very well be wrong. The climax certainly caught me by surprise, anyway. The movie is good at leading you astray with red herring clues. Beyond that, it also has an exceptional soundtrack.

The Slumber Party Massacre

Year: 1982
Director: Amy Holden Jones
Writer: Rita Mae Brown, Amy Holden Jones
Genre: Horror: Slasher

I have a feeling that a lot of people disregard or disrespect this movie due simply to its name. The Slumber Party Massacre sure sounds like it's the basest of slasher fare. Then, with the post depicting a man with a phallic drill posed menacingly over a group of terrified girls... Yeah, it seems like something that caters to the base.

When starting the movie up I had these notions in my head. Perhaps because of them the movie ended up really impressing me. First off, I noticed that the film is almost entirely comprised of women. Well, sure, there are some guy characters but they are mostly there to spice up the cast and get killed off rather quick. This is a film about a group of teenage girls. They talk about a great deal of things too, not just how hot so-and-so is. Perhaps this should be expected seeing that both the director and writer are women.

Anyway, back to the basics of the movie. So there's girls and they have a slumber party. Who would have guessed? The premise is pretty standard but how the characters interact and react to the murderer in their midst is pretty entertaining to watch. Mostly though it's the characters who shine. It's also great to see that Amy Holden Jones had the guts to bring out a murder who was obviously sexual about his kills. It's always been a sort of thing in the background of films but brave to actually have it more obvious.

There are two other films in the series. I am not sure how they were made. Did the first movie make bank? Or was the director just really adamant at continuing her vision? Either way, they're also worth a watch if you like the original. Their posts are coming up so be on the lookout!

Midnight Movie

Year: 2008
Director: Jack Messitt
Writer: Jack Messitt, Mark Garbett
Genre: Horror: Slasher

I'll give Midnight Movie some credit. While horror movies that take place in and around movie theaters are nothing new, it does take a different spin on things. A handful of people have come to the theater to watch some super rare horror movie that was made by a madman. As they watch the on-screen killer stalk his victims they become confused as people on the screen start to look like their friends. The killer has made it out of the film and into the theater!

Wee! It's obvious the movie is pretty low budget but that doesn't stop it from being fun. There are only a few people in the theater so you get to know each character at least a little. There's no extraneous killings here, just the important people. The characters are all exhibit their own entertaining quirks too so it's fun to see how they play against each other. The killer himself is probably the weakest aspect as he doesn't offer much up in the creative category. Well, aside from one aspect of himself that I won't divulge.

One really enjoyable aspect of the film is the movie that the characters are watching. You get to see a big chunk of it and it's basically a Texas Chainsaw Massacre ripoff. However, it's a pretty hilariously bad rendition. That alone makes Midnight Movie worth checking out. Thankfully there's other things about the movie, such as the aforementioned characters, which make it a fun watch.

If you do try and watch it the introduction will probably throw you off as seeming like a really tremendously awful movie is in store for you. I think they could have done better to completely strip the intro from the film because it is not at all what the movie you end up getting is like.

Game Box 1.0

Year: 2004
Director: David Hillenbrand, Scott Hillenbrand
Writer: Worm Miller, Patrick Casey
Genre: Sci-fi

Although video games are definitely big business there haven't been many movies based around them. There are a few like Gamer and the like, but not really all that much considering. In fact, it feels like there are more movies based around retro arcades than anything attempting to be modern. Anyway, here's this sci-fi or horror movie about a new video game machine - Game Box 1.0.

So what's special about this latest gizmo? Unlike every console before it, it interfaces directly with your head. By using the included attachment that fits onto the player's head, the machine can pull out pertinent thoughts and memories to use in games. For example, you use your thoughts to plug in someone to be the game's villain.

In theory it's pretty cool but in action Game Box 1.0 is painfully bad. The effects are shameful and would make anyone who actually plays modern games laugh. The story is completely dumb and the characters are to. The only redeeming value of the film is how juvenile the story is. This is a good thing because it makes it a lot of fun to watch with friends and joke about it being awful.

The Crush

Year: 1993
Director: Alan Shapiro
Writer: Alan Shapiro
Genre: Drama

I don't know why I continue to subject myself to drama films. They often make me get that knot in my stomach but I'm stuck watching them anyway. So, The Crush is basically a sort of modernized Lolita. It's not exactly though since it's a whole new story going on but the ties are there. Obviously, a young girl attempts to seduce the lead character - that's a given.

Unlike Lolita though (from what little I remember) it feels a whole lot more sinister. The girl in question is 14, although much smarter than her peers, and is able to manipulate everyone around her. In a way, it felt like Poison Ivy with how secretly diabolical she is.

Beyond that though I didn't honestly care much for the movie. It's melodramatic and not so bad as a Lifetime movie but close enough. I never really felt engaged with the lead and those around him weren't very important either. Who cares if they die? So yeah, it's an acceptable way to spend your time but I'd look elsewhere. Or, if you really need some sort of hebephilic film might as well go with Lolita.

New Year's Evil

Year: 1980
Director: Emmett Alston
Writer: Leonard Neubauer
Genre: Horror: Holiday

Normally I'm a big fan of holiday-related horror flicks but in this case it just didn't work out. New Year's Evil is a passable film which focuses on a rockin' party. A band is busy performing in a hotel when a call comes in from someone claiming that he will start killing people soon. Apparently, when it reaches midnight in each timezone he will kill someone. It's an interesting enough idea, I suppose.

As it turns out though you never end up caring much for any of the characters. They're mostly one-dimensional and while they act adequately, there's little to keep you involved in watching. There's nothing notable about the movie aside from perhaps being one of the very few New Year's-themed horror films.

There's really nothing else I can say about the movie. It might not have been as much of a total bore as other films I've sat through, but it ranks right up there. However, it could be just me not being able to jive with the film. Give it a watch yourself sometime and maybe you'll get more out of it.

Terror Train

Year: 1980
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Writer: T.Y. Drake
Genre: Horror: Slasher

Jamie Lee Curtis was the best when she was just starting out. Between this, Halloween, and Prom Night there is probably no role that comes closer to perfection. Obviously my favorite role for her was in Halloween but this one is a close second.

In Terror Train the story is that a few years ago this fraternity decided to pull a stupid joke on one of the newbies. They led him to believe that a girl was interested in him, but instead scared him senseless with a cadaver. After that, the story fast forwards to today where the college kids are all about ready to graduate. They're celebrating their almost independence by having a party on a train as it drives on and on. Unfortunately it seems that the poor boy they teased back then has come back for revenge.

The movie is great because it takes place in an unusual location and uses that to its advantage. The enclosed cars are perfect and make you wonder how long it will be until bodies will be discovered. It's great fun and the characters are rather realistic, even if that means you'll end up hating some of them.

Really, if you've never seen Terror Train it's definitely worth watching. It's not a movie I've ever really heard mentioned before and that seems like a huge shame. I guess it got passed over alongside all other slashers coming out at the same time. The name isn't the most exciting thing out there so it probably didn't help attract viewers. Although I don't have much to say I'm absolutely smitten with the feature so please check it out.