In the tradition of House on Sorority Row, Final Exam, and other early ’80s college-set slashers is 1982’s GIRLS NITE OUT. After the DeWitt University basketball team wins big during a championship game, the players and their girlfriends celebrate by having a costume party. Things get out of hand at the party when Sheila (Lauren-Marie Taylor) publicly shows affection for basketball mascot Benson (Matthew Dunn), a moment witnessed by her boyfriend Mike (David Holbrook). Mike makes a scene and storms out.
The next night, someone in the mascot outfit begins killing the all-female participants of the annual scavenger hunt, using a homemade glove with a claw made of knives (hello, Freddy!). With all the targets being women from a popular clique, does the killer have a misogynistic motive for the brutal slayings? Could it be Mike, still in a jealous rage over Sheila? Or maybe it’s Dickie Cavanaugh, a former university student who murdered his girlfriend years earlier and who may or may not be dead? And what about Benson? Hmmm…
Despite some good moments and an inventive killer, Girls Nite Out is unfortunately a misfire. Unlike Halloween, Friday the 13th, or similar movies, there’s no Final Girl or Boy to root for; the film is littered with too many uninteresting characters, with no central theme or plot line, creating a confusing web of relationships and stories. This is made worse by a slow pace and a meandering vibe that doesn’t push the story forward but stops it in its tracks. Friday the 13th Part 2‘s Taylor has the best kill, but if you’ve seen more then one of these flicks you can guess the identity of the killer early on. C
Girls Nite Out is available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
If there’s one thing Italian genre filmmakers knew how to do in the ’70s and ’80s, it was pumping out stylish, but cockamamie, slashers, and 1981’s MADHOUSE is prime example. Shot in Savannah, Georgia, the story follows schoolteacher, Julia (Trish Everly), on the days leading up to her birthday. After paying her psycho twin sister, Mary, a visit at the local mental health facility, Julia begins having memories of her dysfunctional childhood, which was made worse by the sociopathic Mary and her vicious Rottweiler.
Triggered by Julia’s upcoming birthday, Mary escapes the hospital and, with her trusty, bloodthirsty dog by her side, begins to kill Julia’s friends. When Julia believes Mary murdered one of her students, Julia’s uncle (Dennis Robertson) dismisses her as delusional, creating tension and paranoia in Julia – and a higher body count. Is Mary responsible for the killings, or is Julia just imagining it all in her clouded mind?
The movie is very well made and often has the look of a polished Hollywood film. Unfortunately, its characters and situations are presented so ludicrously that it’s difficult to take any of it seriously, especially when it’s trying very hard to be serious. It’s hard to muster much sympathy for Julia when her character keeps putting herself in hot water, leading to an ending that makes little sense and has zero suspense. Madhouse is a movie you’ll want to see repossessed. C–