A group of nine college students staying at a friend's remote island mansion begin to fall victim to an unseen murderer over the April Fool's day weekend.
We consulted IMDb's Highest-Rated Action-Family Films to came up with 10 scene-stealing action figures your kids can relate to, look up to, and be inspired by.
At the snobby Crawford Academy, Virginia's group of friends start to go missing years after horrible events that happened to her as a child around her birthday.
Director:
J. Lee Thompson
Stars:
Melissa Sue Anderson,
Glenn Ford,
Lawrence Dane
A decades old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine's Day, turns out to be true to legend when a group defies the killer's order and people start turning up dead.
A masked killer targets six college kids responsible for a prank gone wrong three years earlier and who are currently throwing a large New Year's Eve costume party aboard a moving train.
Director:
Roger Spottiswoode
Stars:
Ben Johnson,
Jamie Lee Curtis,
Hart Bochner
A former summer camp caretaker, horribly burned from a prank gone wrong, lurks around an upstate New York summer camp bent on killing the teenagers responsible for his disfigurement.
A masked killer, wearing World War II U.S. Army fatigues, stalks a small New Jersey town bent on reliving a 35-year-old double murder by focusing on a group of college kids holding an annual Spring Dance.
Director:
Joseph Zito
Stars:
Vicky Dawson,
Christopher Goutman,
Lawrence Tierney
Angela Baker, a traumatized and very shy young girl, is sent to summer camp with her cousin. Shortly after her arrival, anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions gets their comeuppance.
Director:
Robert Hiltzik
Stars:
Felissa Rose,
Jonathan Tiersten,
Karen Fields
After a seemingly innocent prank goes horribly wrong, a group of sorority sisters are stalked and murdered one by one in their sorority house while throwing a party to celebrate their graduation.
A year after an April Fool's Day prank which resulted in the death of one of their set, a group of friends find themselves targeted by someone who is out for revenge.
Directors:
Mitchell Altieri,
Phil Flores
Stars:
Taylor Cole,
Josh Henderson,
Scout Taylor-Compton
After his parents are murdered, a young tormented teenager goes on a murderous rampage dressed as Santa, due to his stay at an orphanage where he was abused by the Mother Superior.
Director:
Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Stars:
Lilyan Chauvin,
Gilmer McCormick,
Toni Nero
A group of eight college friends gather together at an island mansion belonging to heiress Muffy St. John to celebrate their final year of school. They soon discover that each has a hidden secret from their past which is revealed, and soon after, they turn up dead. Yet, are they really dead? Or is it just part of some very real and cruel April Fool's jokes? The hostess, Muffy, is the only one who apparently knows what's going on. But then again, is it really her doing the killing? Written by
Losman <losman@express-news.net>
A novelization of this film written by Jeff Rovin was first published in 1986. See more »
Goofs
At the end, Buck sticks the prosthetic to the side of Rob's face. But it's partially covering one eye when he runs into the room with everyone else. See more »
Quotes
Kit Graham:
Oh Ha Ha. HA HA HA HA! That's really funny, you guys. Really funny! Fuck you!
See more »
When a formula is worn out people tend to lose interest. If you use it without something new to say then why bother right? You could apply this to slasher films, many of which are cliché and predictable. There are some exceptions. If a film that's like so many others has talented people involved in front of and behind the camera then it might rise above that. Fortunately there are some filmmakers out there who don't want to lose their audience and try to keep things fresh and exciting with each project. After you've seen so many slasher films what else can they really do with the concept? By 1986 the number of these films made was overwhelming, but of course there were diamonds in the rough. Paramount, the home of the hit 'Friday the 13th' series is also responsible for a forgotten (Not by horror fans) film that would surprise those tired of the same old, same old.
Pros: Performances are good all around. A good fresh spin on the slasher genre. Plus the writing is quite good. A great sense of humor. A nice job done on the score, which is eerie. Beautiful shooting location and photography. Some good creepy sequences. Fast paced. Director Fred Walton and writer Danilo Bach do a fine job of keeping this from getting too predictable. Some nice surprises I wouldn't dream of giving away.
Cons: Some of the characters are not too likable and can be irritating. Most of the kills are off screen.
Final thoughts: Truly a breath of fresh air for the slasher sub-genre. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of 1980s slasher films I enjoy, good and bad, but so many lack anything new that hasn't already been seen in countless other films. A must see for genre buffs. I must warn you though, the 2008 remake is not at all worth seeing and will be no more than a waste of your time.
My rating: 4.5/5
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
When a formula is worn out people tend to lose interest. If you use it without something new to say then why bother right? You could apply this to slasher films, many of which are cliché and predictable. There are some exceptions. If a film that's like so many others has talented people involved in front of and behind the camera then it might rise above that. Fortunately there are some filmmakers out there who don't want to lose their audience and try to keep things fresh and exciting with each project. After you've seen so many slasher films what else can they really do with the concept? By 1986 the number of these films made was overwhelming, but of course there were diamonds in the rough. Paramount, the home of the hit 'Friday the 13th' series is also responsible for a forgotten (Not by horror fans) film that would surprise those tired of the same old, same old.
Pros: Performances are good all around. A good fresh spin on the slasher genre. Plus the writing is quite good. A great sense of humor. A nice job done on the score, which is eerie. Beautiful shooting location and photography. Some good creepy sequences. Fast paced. Director Fred Walton and writer Danilo Bach do a fine job of keeping this from getting too predictable. Some nice surprises I wouldn't dream of giving away.
Cons: Some of the characters are not too likable and can be irritating. Most of the kills are off screen.
Final thoughts: Truly a breath of fresh air for the slasher sub-genre. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of 1980s slasher films I enjoy, good and bad, but so many lack anything new that hasn't already been seen in countless other films. A must see for genre buffs. I must warn you though, the 2008 remake is not at all worth seeing and will be no more than a waste of your time.
My rating: 4.5/5