Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)

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

This improves upon the unimaginative bluntness of the first film from five years prior 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" and "Psycho III.”

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, their all-female rock band, and Courtney's bloody nightmares, the latter of which borrows from "A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Like "Friday the 13th Part V," the movie emphasizes the lingering 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, just 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. At the time, this original element was still fresh.

The third installment came out three years later and features a quality female cast, but it lacks the imagination of this one and resorts to too much tastelessness. It’s a’right, but it’s easily the least of the series.

This one is short ‘n’ sweet at 1h 16m and was shot in Jun 1987 in Los Angeles, including Venice Beach, as well as Santa Clarita for the condo sequences, which is a 40 minutes’ drive to the northwest.

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**