“Killer Party” has the most confusing start of any movie outside of “Voyage of the Rock Aliens.” It begins with the bad movie fake-out. That movie was being watched teenagers at a drive-in that are attacked by some rad looking zombies. That turns out to be a music video of a Whitesnake sounding heavy metal band, called White Sister, that the actual film’s protagonist is watching. It’s like “Scream IV” but in 1986.
Now, what follows is a horror film that is a comedy set in a university and made in 1986. That just means one thing: sexual assaults seen as pranks. If you are a young man in a fraternity thinking about releasing a bunch of wasps on unexpecting sorority women who are relaxing nude in a hot tub so they will flail around naked while you tape it on your VHS camera… don’t. It’s not moral or legal. Be better.
What is the vibe of this film? It has Paul Bartel. Every single film Paul Bartel was in had that distinctive type of irreverent humour. You don’t quite know it’s a satire, spoof or just straight up comedy. You just know you enjoy it.
The plot is straight up slasher-film-that-takes-place-at-a-university-made-in-the-1980s. Bunch of hot actors nearing the age of 30, a bunch of horny nerdy guys, some gratuitous nudity, a big party set in a big house, a killer dressed like a 1940s deep diver on the loose, and some loosening of virginities. You know the drill. Add to that the spirit possession from the “Prom Night” sequels and one of the worst songs I’ve heard, the aptly named “The best times” which is repeated ad nauseum throughout the film.
“Killer Party” is competently made, well-acted and entertaining enough to be a good watch. The main issue is it doesn’t quite “go there” enough. It plays with the ideas of being a sex-comedy, a splatter, a serious horror, but it never delivers more than a tease. The first two acts are quite disconnected from the third one, which is a straight up demonic horror show. A good watch for the serious slasher fan but can easily be skipped.
