The Slumber Party Massacre I (1982) & II (1987) – Film Review

By Sarah Morgan

You know how it is. You go over to a friend’s house for a sleepover, and then a homicidal maniac appears, determined to bump you off in as gruesome a manner.

What do you mean, you don’t how that is? Well, if you watch The Slumber Party Massacre and its sequel, then you most definitely will. They’re receiving a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release that may attract a new generation of fans while appealing to those who saw the films back in the 1980s, probably on VHS.

If you’re expecting soul-searching tales and thought-provoking dialogue, then you’re in the wrong place. Instead, these are cheap and (relatively) cheerful offerings designed to make a quick profit either on the big screen or via a home release on the then burgeoning video market.

“Escaped mass murderer”

The first movie, released in 1982, was originally designed to be a parody of the slasher movies then cleaning up at the box office. However, it was decided to film Rita Mae Brown’s screenplay in a more po-faced manner. There are the odd glimpses of humour in there, but the tone is more straightforward horror than comedy.

Distributed by low-budget king Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, it focuses on what happens when an escaped mass murderer crashes a teenage girl’s sleepover party, which has been arranged while her parents are away from home.

As is often the case with such productions, the teens all look about 25, and they’re summarily bumped off one by one until the hostess’s neighbour, a fellow high school student, arrives with a machete.

“Oddly entertaining”

A similar pattern emerges in the sequel, with the sister of one of the original film’s survivors at the centre of the story. This time, a fledgling girl band are holed up in a swanky holiday home, supposedly so they can practice. They seem more intent on partying and impressing a group of boys – until a supernatural killer (the reincarnation of the original film’s villain, no less) turns up, brandishing a guitar-shaped power-drill, which he isn’t intending to utilise on any flat pack furniture that may need putting together.

The second film wasn’t as big a box office hit, perhaps because the added musical elements are pretty terrible. The acting in both movies isn’t exactly great either, and a few too many bums and boobs abound. Nevertheless, the films remain oddly entertaining; if you’re looking for something simply to stare at after a bad day at work, you’ve certainly come to the right place.

Commentaries from directors Amy Holden Jones and Deborah Brock are included in the special features, as are a making-of documentary. Perhaps most interestingly, the set is also graced by a limited edition booklet containing new essays offering a fresh perspective on a franchise created by women in a genre traditionally dominated by men.

Slumber Party Massacre I & II is released on 4K UHD & Blu-ray by 101 Films