reviews by Terry Wickham

I liked this back when I first saw it at a drive-in and enjoyed watching it again on DVD.  Made during the height of stalk-n-slash pictures, or the heels of HALLOWEEN, this has a very simple, clichéd story of a psychopath on the loose, pilling up as many bodies as possible.  But this film has more than average suspense and a bunch of pretty girls, so for me it was entertaining and fun. 

Director Amy Jones does a fair job of creating tension by choosing well-framed shots, using silence and an over the top organ score by Ralph Jones that actually works for the film.  What the film lacks in originality and amateur acting is made up with humor, gore and a brisk pace (77 minutes). 

This is one of the films that the tired Los Angeles locations are interlocked with story and I canât imagine the film in a better setting. 

I thought that Robin Stille did a great job as Valerie Bates, the pretty but strong girl who lives next door to the slumber party house.  Valerie has many good scenes with her sister Courtney Bates (Jennifer Myers) who comes off quite naturally as her sister.  Pamela Roy Lance plays the high school basketball coach; sheâs gone onto work on a lot in television.  Gina Mari who plays Diane, has been in some other independent films like SWORD AND THE SORCERER.  Scream queen Brinke Stevens has a small role.  Production manager Aaron Lipstadt went on to direct ANDRIOD, he plays the pizza boy who delivers the pizza dead.  Thereâs also a credit to apprentice editor Steve Herek, who I believe is the same guy who went onto to direct CRITTERS, BILL & TEDâS EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, DONâT TELL MOM THE BABYSITTERâS DEAD, THREE MUSKATEERS and MR. HOLLANDâS OPUS. 

This actually would have been a neat film to have audio commentary from the important people involved.  This DVD includes the filmâs trailer, a couple performance bios and ads for the two other Slumber Party Massacre sequels. 

I definitely suggest picking this up.
 

Official Website:
www.newconcorde.com 

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