Slumber Party Massacre II

***A rockabilly driller-killer menaces Crystal Bernard & friends***

Courtney (Crystal Bernard) is a survivor of the first film and is now in an all-girl rock band in high school in Los Angeles. On a weekend getaway, they venture to a condo outside of town to practice & party with a few invited guys. Unfortunately Courtney is haunted by the past, suffering post-traumatic neurosis marked by a rockabilly driller killer in her nightmares.

“Slumber Party Massacre II” (1987) improves upon the unimaginative bluntness of the first film (1982) with a superior cast of females, highlighted by winsome Bernard and blonde Heidi Kozak as Sally. Juliette Cummins is also on hand as redhead Sheila, who previously appeared in “Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning” (1985) and “Psycho III” (1986).

The film clicks with kinetic mojo and is almost ingenious in the way it dares to sneer at horror conventions for the first two-thirds. Instead, it focuses on establishing the quality characters, the fun antics of their outing and Courtney’s bloody nightmares, the latter of which borrows from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984).

Like “Friday the 13th Part V,” the movie emphasizes the lingering negative aftereffects of an episode with a mad killer. The driller killer from Courtney’s nightmares is curiously part rockabilly greaser and part mid-80’s metal maniac; naturally a little reminiscent of the rock star killer from “Trick or Treat” (1986), Sammi Curr, but less dead serious and more comical.

I suppose some of the editing in the suspenseful last act could be chalked up to amateurish filmmaking (e.g. when the girl falls from the ledge), but perhaps it better reflects what’s really happening. I’d say more but I don’t want to give away spoilers. Let’s just say 2 + 2 = 4. This original element was borrowed by later flicks.

The film is short and sweet at 1 hour, 17 minutes; it was shot in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B

Which one was this? I can't really remember. I do, however, know it was the movie where they hire a lot of women and require them all to take their clothes off.

I recall a shower scene in there somewhere.

And then I remember the women running around screaming in undies that are really only worn in the bedroom.

Was there a plot? Not really, it was just an excuse for nudity and undies.

But, you already knew all of that when you sat down to watch this. Because, honestly in film making, they aren't really trying to pass it off as anything other than an excuse to film young naked breasts and you don't really get anything but that.

So, why are you reading this? You know exactly what this movie is about. You knew that before you even clicked on this review.

But, at least the review is as honest as the movie.

If you are expecting more than that, there is something seriously wrong with you.

Where the first movie was a cross between Friday the 13th and Halloween, this sequel takes inspiration from Nightmare on Elm Street. This was a slog to get through where the first half is in the main character's head and second half he comes to life and starts making his way through the cast. This was just a bizarre movie with musical scenes thrown in. I guess points for not just being a retread of the first movie... **2/5**