Rish Outfield's reviews
I love the '80s.
Killer Party started out very surreally: the first few minutes of the movie are supposed to be part of a horror flick being watched at a drive-in movie by people in a "White Sister" glam rock music video. Then it turns out even that was just something on the television being watched by one of the characters in the actual movie. After that, I was sure this was a campus comedy (ala Animal House or Revenge of the Nerds) rather than a horror film. It was very entertaining and funny in that regard, though it eventually steered back toward Horror. The bulk of the story concerns the local sorority house with a nasty history, and the pranks that are going to be played at its April Fool's Night reopening. That night, there's a party going on round here, a celebration to last throughout the year. But someone has brought more than his good times and laughter too, and that (dead) someone offs costumed party guests at every turn.
This was a Canadian production (I've been noticing a lot of them are lately. Now, Canada has a fine film program, especially with the government subsidizing and first feature deal, but I usually only know them from documentaries and quirky less-than-mainstream fare, so I will continue to point out Canadian horror films, okay?), and you know it's Spring when all the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The only familiar face was Paul Bartel (and even he I wouldn't have been able to name had he not passed away recently) and his role is almost solely comic. The main girl, Joanna Johnson is gorgeous, but she doesn't stay that way. Damn, she was fine, though.
The '80s is the best decade ever, I hope I've mentioned that. That notwithstanding, there was a dance sequence was just gay, but I think it was supposed to be, as well as an awful Go-Go's-esque song that plays three times throughout the film ("These are the best times of our lives...These are the best times!"), and as horrible as it was, I smiled every time it played. People don't make movies like this anymore. For example: there were several deaths within a five-minute sequence (Murder by Oar! Murder by Guillotine! Murder by Trident!) And one classic moment where . . . you're stuck in a three story house with a murderer. How do you get out? Of course, go upstairs!
Unfortunately, the last few minutes are dumb (with some silly Exorcist stuff), but it does have a somewhat cool ending. Further unfortunately, literally all gore is missing, either due to cutaways or off-screen violence. I hate that. My buddy tyranist woulda wanted a lot more nudity, and you know what. . .so do I. I wonder if there's a less toned-down version out there somewhere.
Best Scare: A will admit that a teeny bit of the ghost possession stuff got creepy.
I'd Recommend It To: If you see this on a video shelf sometime, it's worth a look, but mostly for the comedy, not the horror.

Total Skulls: 19

Sequel
Sequel setup
Rips off earlier film
Horror film showing on TV/in theater in movie
Future celebrity appears
Former celebrity appears
Bad title
Bad premise
Bad acting
Bad dialogue
Bad execution
MTV Editing
OTS
Girl unnecessarily gets naked
Wanton sex
Death associated with sex
Unfulfilled promise of nudity
Characters forget about threat
Secluded location
Power is cut
Phone lines are cut
Someone investigates a strange noise
Someone runs up stairs instead of going out front door
Camera is the killer
Victims cower in front of a window/door
Victim locks self in with killer
Victim running from killer inexplicably falls
Toilet stall scene
Shower/bath scene
Car stalls or won't start
Cat jumps out
Fake scare
Laughable scare
Stupid discovery of corpse
Dream sequence
Hallucination/Vision
No one believes only witness
Crazy, drunk, old man knows the truth
Warning goes unheeded
Music detracts from scene
Death in first five minutes
x years before/later
Flashback sequence
Dark and stormy night
Killer doesn't stay dead
Killer wears a mask
Killer is in closet
Killer is in car with victim
Villain is more sympathetic than heroes
Unscary villain/monster
Beheading
Blood fountain
Blood hits camera
Poor death effect
Excessive gore
No one dies at all
Virgin survives
Geek/Nerd survives
Little kid lamely survives
Dog/Pet miraculously survives
Unresolved subplots
"It was all a dream" ending
Unbelievably happy ending
Unbelievably crappy ending
What the hell?