Routine early 80’s slasher in the Los Angeles burbs

The original script was written as a parody, but that was changed when production began and it was shot as a serious slasher. Perhaps this explains why I busted out laughing on at least four occasions. The amusing pizza-eating scene and the refrigerator sequence are good examples. Despite this, “The Slumber Party Massacre” (1981) IS a serious slasher flick featuring the ‘driller killer’ and it’s pretty well-done. The problem is, there’s an unimaginative bluntness to the proceedings and the final act isn’t all that compelling (I found my mind wandering a couple of times).

The female cast is decent, but not quite as good as in the Friday the 13th movies. Diane (Gina Smika Hunter, aka Gina Mari) is arguably the best, followed by the black chick.

The movie is short & sweet at 77 minutes and was shot entirely in Los Angeles with the neighborhood sequences filmed in Venice.

GRADE: C