“Slumber Party Massacre 2” is a bloody, campy sequel — a hidden gem highlighting women in horror and the absurdity of late slashers in the 1980s.
This week’s Tubi Tuesday recommendation is one that will certainly raise lots of questions and might answer some that you’ve had lingering around in your head for a while.
In this review, I’ll try to address these as best as I can and plead my case for why Slumber Party Massacre 2 is not only one of the best of the late 80s slashers, but certainly the campiest.
The first question you may be asking yourself is, what would a horror movie look like that was written and directed by horny 14-year-old boys?
After a viewing of Slumber Party Massacre 2, or for that matter any of the Slumber Party Massacre franchise films, you may be convinced that this is the definitive answer.
Unfortunately, and contrary to what you may be seeing on your screen, this movie (like all the films in the series) was written, directed and at least partially produced by a female. You might think that a movie with 4 cute girls at a slumber party — who randomly decide to have a pillow fight, soak each other with champagne and strip — would be directed by pre-teen boys. But it’s not.
There is a lot of talk these days about inclusion of woman in horror. It would seem, if you look hard enough, you can find some great representation in the 80s.
Slumber Party Massacre 2 picks up after the events of the original, following survivor Courtney as her and her friends in their all-girl band decide to have a slumber party in an empty condominium complex, so they can practice their music uninterrupted. They soon find themselves stalked by an unusual killer, which leads to the second question answered in this movie.
What would it be like if Freddy Krueger was a 1950s greaser with a leather jacket and steel tipped cowboy boots?
Well, the answer is the killer in Slumber Party Massacre 2. Haunting Courtney’s dreams, bending reality in grotesque ways — including a bath tub scene much like Freddy — and wearing all leather, with his collar popped and his greased up pompadour perfectly coiffed. The killer in this movie is equally as sarcastic, threatening and charismatic as the bastard son of 100 maniacs. But where this killer really shines brighter than Mr. Krueger is in the dance moves department.
What do you mean by dance moves? Well, in the climax of this movie where the killer starts killing all the underage drinking, dope smoking, premarital sex-having teens, he suddenly breaks into a musical number — singing and dancing throughout the house.
If a description is not enough, I’ve included a link to a YouTube excerpt of the music number to entice you further into watching this amazing flick. If, after watching this 3-minute clip, you’re not convinced to watch this movie, I don’t know what to say.
The last, and probably the simplest question you may be asking is the following.
Why would I pick Slumber Party Massacre 2 over Slumber Party Massacre the original?
In the original, the killer is armed with a large drill bit that he uses to impale scantily clad teen girls. In the sequel, this drill bit is attached to the head of a bright red electric guitar, which the killer plays as he stalks his victims.
The kills in the sequel are far campier than the original, while the practical effects used are far superior. The musical number, obviously, the 2 bumbling cops named Voorhees and Krueger, the bizarre premise, the addition of the supernatural element and an ending which will have you asking, “Was it all a dream? What is reality and what isn’t?”
Honestly though, the most important question to be answered is: What are you going to watch this Tubi Tuesday? Check out Slumber Party Massacre 2 currently streaming for free on the platform.
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