Welcome back to Dark Corners Streaming.
‘Hello? Hello!’
If you’ve seen our School of Corman special, and if you haven’t then there’s a probably link onscreen somewhere,
you’ll know how many big names in film came up through Roger Corman,
and Slumber Party Massacre, which you can find on Shudder, showcases another.
Amy Holden Jones, who would go on to write Mystic Pizza, Beethoven, Indecent Proposal and more,
had been working as an editor for Corman and others but was keen to direct.
In Corman’s archive she found a script by Rita Mae Brown called Don’t Open The Door
and shot a test of the opening with her husband, her neighbour and some students.
The result was enough to convince Corman and the resulting film became the first in what was at the time,
and as far as I know remains, the only slasher series written and directed entirely by women.
Which is interesting but first and foremost what this is, is an 80s slasher,
'Pizza.'
with the requisite gore and the nudity on which Corman insisted.
Also featuring an early appearance by future scream queen Brinke Stevens.
Originally conceived as a spoof of the genre, with glimpses of that black comedy still in evidence,
the film box checks cliches like peeping college boys.
‘What we do to deserve this?’
troubled killers.
‘All of you are very pretty.’
and, particularly, false shock,
which, to be honest, it might overuse a bit.
Trish my God, I'm sorry, I dodn't mean to scare you.'
But while this may not be reinventing the wheel,
#Meow#
it is a really good example of what it is,
a few things making it stand out from the herd of lesser 80s slashers.
'Let's read our horoscopes.'
Firstly, that slumber party setting, as well as being an very saleable title,
is a great one for establishing characters.
‘It’s not how big your mouth is it’s what’s in it that counts’
It’s a forum in which the girls – old friends of years standing – can be themselves.
Plus, this is a conscious attempt to recapture the slumber parties of their childhood.
‘Just goes to show you’ can’t bring back the old days.’
Indeed you can’t. There is an overarching theme of growing up,
simultaneously reaching for it yet also backing away from it –
the boys aren’t supposed to be here but they aren’t asked to leave,
‘Here we go, house specialty.’ 'Thanks Kim.'
and that fear of becoming ‘a woman’ is given dreadful personification in the killer with his phallic drill.
I don’t think there’s any question that’s the theme but it’s very much in the background, it never impinges on this being an enjoyable slasher.
Which it really is, but I think a large part of why it is, is the characters of the girls
and if there is one area where you might point to the fact that this was written and directed by women, then characterisation is it.
‘Life goes on after all, and eating makes me feel better.’
The regulation gratuity is there,
but even as they strip Trish and her friends are likeable, interesting, funny and, above all, believable,
their dialogue and their interactions feel genuine, which is the exception rather than the rule in 80s slashers.
#singing twilight theme#
'Cut it out you guys.'
It makes you care about who lives, and who does not – and that is rule number one in a successful slasher.
'Come on, lets go.'
Thanks for watching and don’t forget to check out our School of Corman special.
Any thoughts on this or the Slumber Party Massacre franchise?
Let us know in the comments below.