The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
Director: Amy Holden Jones
Writer: Rita Mae Brown
Genre: Slasher / Horror
Starring: Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille, Michael Villella
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) is a cult classic slasher film that follows a group of teenage girls whose slumber party turns into a bloody massacre when they are stalked by an escaped serial killer armed with a power drill. Initially written as a parody of the slasher genre, the film ended up being played mostly straight, blending traditional horror tropes with feminist undertones.
The movie begins with Trish Devereaux, a high school senior, whose parents are out of town for the weekend. She decides to throw a slumber party with her closest friends, unaware that a deranged serial killer, Russ Thorn, has escaped from prison and is on the loose.
As the girls—including Valerie, the new girl next door—gather for the party, Russ Thorn begins his killing spree. He first targets a telephone repairwoman before making his way toward Trish’s house. Meanwhile, the girls enjoy their night with pizza, gossip, and lighthearted fun, unaware that their night is about to turn deadly.
One by one, Russ brutally murders the partygoers, using his signature weapon: a large power drill. Valerie and her younger sister Courtney, who initially refused to attend the party, soon realize that something is terribly wrong next door. As the body count rises, the final confrontation pits the remaining survivors against Russ in a tense battle for survival.
In the end, Valerie, Trish, and Courtney manage to overpower and kill Russ, bringing an end to his reign of terror. The film closes with a haunting sense of trauma, reflecting the violence they endured.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) remains a beloved cult classic, blending brutal horror with subtle satire. While it appears to follow a typical slasher formula, it has a unique place in horror history due to its female-led creative team and underlying feminist themes.
