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I thought I'd kick the new year off with another movie marathon. I thought it was time to check out a few old school mystery flicks. Som...

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Slasher Marathon

For those new to the site I spend part of each summer doing a deep dive on some slasher movies. I cover some familiar franchises as well as some one off movies you might not have heard of before. Some are good and many are bad... far too many. Why do I keep doing this to myself? That might be a question I worry about next year. With this Coronavirus shit going down what the hell else to I have to do? Might as well watch a bunch of teenagers get picked off at a summer camp... or where ever.

I'll keep a running list and links on this page to what I've covered this year so bookmark it! You don't want to miss anything do ya? Also if you are interested in my previous marathons I'll dump some links below. 




Now onto the Summer of 2020. The first movie of the marathon is...

Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985) - Thought I might as well kick this off with a bang. This is a fun entry into the Friday franchise. It does a decent job rebooting the series after the death of Jason in part IV.

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) - Effectively Jason vs. Carrie this is my least favorite of the Friday the 13th movies. Considering what was eventually to come that is saying a lot. The highlight is that this is the first Kane Hodder as Jason performance and he is really good. Other than that... meh.

Everyone Must Die (2012) - I thought that I'd check out this independent flick from filmmaker Steve Rudinski. This one is played more for laughs than it is for the kills. This movie delivers some fun lines and is one of the best low budget movies I've seen in awhile.

Madhouse (1981) - This is a slasher that has eluded me until recently. Though to be fair I never spent too much time trying to track it down. But after three summers of marathons I'm starting to run out of stuff to cover. That said I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.

Iced (1988) - Sooner or later in these marathons I end up watching a couple of stinkers. In the '80s there were so many slasher movies being made that everyone wanted to try their luck. That means we got a lot that are not only forgettable but also downright bad. Iced is one of those. In fact it's only real claim to fame is the creepy chance to see a former child star naked. You can click on the link above but let me clue you in on my recommendation... pass on this one.

Blood Lake (1987) - This shot on video slasher flick had been on my radar for many years. The VHS tape was really expensive and for the longest time it never had a DVD release. When I saw the new DVD sitting on a table at a show I was at I impulse purchased a copy, specifically for the next marathon. I can now understand why it took so long to get a release. Want to watch a slasher flick? This might not be for you. But if you want to learn how to water ski I can highly recommend it.

Student Bodies (1981) - Time to tap into one of the oddities of the first wave of slasher movies. I think that this one is the first attempt at a slasher comedy, but it wouldn't be the last. There are some funny jokes here, but it fails to be much of a horror flick. Check out my full review for details.

Cutting Class (1989) - The only reason that this movie might stand out from any of the other mediocre slashers that dominated the end of the '80s is because it starred a very young Brad Pitt. I also dig the fact that we get Roddy McDowall. Other than that this is a very tame and by the numbers affair.

Chopping Mall (1986) - I debated if I should cover this for the slasher movie marathon since many fans don't consider it to belong in the genre. The more that I thought about it the more convinced that I was that it does belong. If you switch out the killbots with a mask wearing machete wielding maniac it would unquestionably fit right in. Kids get locked in a mall, do naughty things, and get killed off. Check this one out as it is a blast.

Fatal Games (1984) - This is an interesting movie. A killer is picking off Olympic hopefuls with a javelin while they train for nationals. I enjoy the setting and the story is engaging. This one is a bit light on the gore, but still fun. Check out my full review for more details.

The House on Sorority Row (1982) - Here we have a gem that not a lot of fans talk about. There is a cool setup, some nifty kills, and the requisite dumb characters that sort of deserve what they get. There is a decent twist at the end with the identity of the killer and they keep you guessing as to their identity from start to finish. This is a highlight of this years marathon.

Blood Song (1982) - This is a fun little flick. Not terribly gory but Frankie Avalon gets a chance to play against type as the killer and is clearly having a blast. More of an oddity than a great movie I think that it is worth a look. Check out my full review for more.

Silent Madness (1984) - I've dug up yet another flick that I guess is sort of okay. It has a lot of pacing issues and seems to wander too far from the formula to build up any momentum. It does have a lady doctor in pursuit of the killer, which is different. Still I think this is an easy pass for most fans. Check out my review for more details.

Intruder (1989) - I felt like it was time to treat myself with an old favorite and one of the best slashers when it comes to gore that has ever been made. Plus there is an Evil Dead connection or two. What isn't to like about this movie? Check out my review for more or better yet go watch Intruder!

Offerings (1989) - Well damn I suppose I'm going to end this year's marathon with a stinker. Offerings is a derivative and poorly executed slasher coming at the tail end of the first wave of these things. It is the exact opposite of Intruder and totally misses the point. Check out my review for more.

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