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The most underrated slasher movie of the '80s?

posted 12 years ago by Mr_Ectoplasma
13 replies | jump to latest

Friday the 13th takes the cake as far as classic '80s slashers are concerned, but the series ignited a firestorm of slashorama throughout the decade, and I was shocked after watching 'Girls Nite Out' to see that so many people detest this movie because I thought it was a very noble effort. I've seen just about every slasher in the book, and I really enjoyed this film.

A disappearing dead mental patient?
A bunch of girls on an all-night scavenger hunt?
A killer in a bear mascot suit with knife-claws?
COUNT ME IN.

People hate the characters— I thought they were well fleshed-out and likable, especially by slasher movie standards.

People hate the killer's costume— a creepy bear mascot suit with massive yellow eyes? So that's not scary but a guy in a hockey mask is? C'mon guys. It's original, and not only that, but you can't tell me if you saw someone lurking around in it at night that you wouldn't be freaked out. It's so unconventional and bizarre that it IS creepy.

People also take issue with the ending, which I don't understand because I was blindsided by the twist. Maybe a bit anticlimactic, but whatever.

People take issue with the '50s and '60s pop music in the movie, which, again, I thought was a neat touch. It gives it a retro "Happy Days" vibe that is sensible considering it's a party kinda slasher movie.

And the murders in the film— again, I don't get what's not pleasing you people. They're really bloody and actually kind of disturbing (a 6-foot bear mascot digging knives into a girl's neck while calling her a slut is downright macabre).

I also really love the college campus setting and the way the filmmakers presented it, really atmospheric.

Am I missing something here? All slasher movies are campy to some degree, and for some reason I've failed to see all the problems people have with this movie. Compared to other genre offerings, it's actually really good.

[–] joshg_123 11 years ago

Going by IMDb standards, this film should be no lower than a 4.5.

For me, I give it a 7/10. Aside from the points you mentioned, it's also very intelligent with its gender theme. The mixing of stereotypical roles (the women are the player men, while the guys are the ones who want to talk about feelings) comes out nicely in the end. It presents sex as a very fluid thing, and with the killer simply hating it in general, is very positive in that regard. Very unconventional. Maniac, Sheila, Teddy, Lynn, Dawn Sorenson, Kathy, Janie, Leslie... I thought the cast was very memorable. Plus Hal Holbrook! Haha.

It wouldn't make my top 20 slashers of the 80s, but I'd be surprised if it weren't somewhere in the top 50. These naysayers may not like the film because it's quirky. Personally, I think a little quirk adds a nice distinguishing touch.

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[–] JessePomeroy 11 years ago

It probably rates so low because the writing is atrocious. I have never before seen so many insipid teenagers spouting the worst dialog ever written, and I've seen a lot of crap movies.

Still, it has its moments.

[–] legnadibrom 7 years ago

agreed, i don't know how many times i was thinking to myself "no one actually talks like that.....right?"

Lee's Daniel's' THe Butler'

[–] Mr_Ectoplasma 11 years ago

I agree with you. There was more integrity in this movie than most slasher films offer, and it has a quirky and spunky vibe about it. Plus, it's got some great murder scenes and is halfway original. I still don't get people's responses to me about the dialogue being so awful. It's not great writing by any means, but GOD, people, is this the first '80s slasher movie you've ever seen? They ALL have bad dialogue to some degree.

[–] ktanddv 11 years ago

I love 80's slashers and this is no exception. I for oneb liked the twist ending.

[–] DesperateHouseboy 11 years ago

Idk if id call it underrated, but i do like it, as with most 80s slashers :)

[–] cymboline 11 years ago

It had potential and I like some of it but there's too many flaws more me to really rave about it. I think the best section is the scavenger hunt and the bear kills. The shot of the bear standing out in the woods or making its "claws" and the creepy voice are all terrific. It's the clownish male characters and their long painfully unfunny antics that hurt the movie. Having one or two buffoons in small doses would have been ok but there's four of them and they go on and on. And then there's the drawn out scenes with Dawn and Ted and Ted and Lynn.

If they'd kept the focus on the girls with their scavenger hunt, with a few more stalk and kills, scaled back the repetitious songs and goofy antics, reworked the police investigation which drags down the last 20 minutes, made the killer's reveal make a little more sense, I'd be a bigger fan of the movie.

[–] legnadibrom 7 years ago

you nailed it right there

Lee's Daniel's' THe Butler'

[–] Woodyanders 10 years ago

The bear suit was indeed a nice touch. The use of bouncy and upbeat golden oldies tunes provides a startling contrast to the ugly murders. Boffo creepy and surprising twist ending, too.

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[–] Dan_Garten 8 years ago

Cool.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

Definitely one of the more underrated slashers of the 80s. It deserves a lot better than its current imdb rating.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

Hard to say what the most underrated slasher is from the 80s.

[–] Wuchak (8076) 10 months ago

I vote for "Slumber Party Massacre II."