A nothing-new slasher with a whimsical killer costume, “Girls Nite Out” fails to hit that trademark eighties college comedy level.
A killer in a bear costume is slaughtering coeds at an upstate New York college. Let’s dig into 1982’s GIRLS NITE OUT, directed by Robert Deubel!
As I See It
There is something very Scooby Doo about the whole thing.
The dissociative personality disorder seems so cheesy, it’s kinda surprising anyone still tries to use it (looking at you, M. Night).
Weston Hills Sanitarium (which precedes Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street – Westin Hills) is home to Dickie Cavanaugh, who has just hung himself. While burying his body, his gravediggers are attacked and killed with a shovel. This scene makes me believe they may have been shot with 3D intentions, though I can’t find anything about whether it was released as such.
There is an attempt to make this a memorable horror with comedy, even presenting a pranking duo along the lines of Chainsaw and Dave, but it never quite gets there.
The comedy doesn’t do much to soak up the blood in the ripe with Animal House rip-off moments.
I have bear attack nightmares multiple times a week, so it was nice to see such a ridiculous costumed killer. I must say the makeshift steak knife paws were pretty great, though.
Famous Faces
Julia Montgomery (Lynn) was Betty in the Revenge of the Nerds series.
Hal Holbrook just popped up in a Dig last week with Rituals.
Lauren-Marie Taylor (Lynn) was Vickie in Friday the 13th Part 2.
Of Gratuitous Nature
This was shot and based in upstate New York. Though it was released regionally in the southern United States at first, it’s hard to explain why a confederate flag shows up on the wall of a college in upstate New York.
I tried wrapping my brain back to a time when I was naive about its meaning. I was on tour playing a gig at Club Vegas in Salt Lake City, Utah. The guitarist, drummer, and I were having a conversation while we sat on the road cases. The guitarist had just acquired a cut-off work shirt that was an ode to Dimebag Darrell, the late and legendary guitarist from the Texas metal band Pantera.
Of course, as most Pantera artwork had, it featured a confederate flag patch.
Our drummer, who was not white, asked the guitarist why he would wear that: “…aren’t we friends?” Being about a half-decade younger than everyone, I listened to the drummer give an honest and heartfelt reason why that flag meant he doesn’t belong. I watched the guitarist take the shirt off, a shirt he had just minutes earlier acquired with beaming pride, and apologize to his friend.
I miss those types of dialogues, and I will forever be grateful to Tom for the life lesson I learned that day. Ignorance shouldn’t be an excuse.
Heartthrob
Suzanne Barnes (Dawn) on the couch at the costume party looks like an artistic goddess.
Ripe for a Remake
There is nothing new under the sun.
Spawns
No progeny to report.
Where to Watch
Arrow Video put out a Blu-Ray with new interviews, new commentary, a booklet written by Michael Gingold, the legendary Fangoria and Rue Morgue Writer/Editor, and new cover art from the incomparable Justin Osbourn. You can stream it on Arrow’s proprietary platform or rent it on Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, and Apple TV.
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