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Film: Slaughterhouse Slumber Party
Year: 2019
Director: Dustin Mills
Writer: Dustin Mills
Starring: Jason Crowe, Kayla Elizabeth and Ariel Nicole Jarchow
Review:
This was interesting for me, because I actually met writer and director Dustin Mills on the second day of the Nightmares Film Festival where this had its world premiere. I interestingly learned as well that he’s actually from near my hometown as well. Enough of that though, this is actually the first film from him that I’ve seen so I was intrigued. The synopsis is what started as the debauched annual slumber party for a tight knit group of gal pals becomes a fight for their lives when supernatural evil threatens to destroy the world.
We start this off in a graveyard that is done by green screen. It turns out to be for a movie that is starring Rocket von Ribcage (Ariel Nicole Jarchow). She seems to have a series that is involves her fighting different monster by ripping off her clothes before she does each time.
It then shifts to a house where are bunch of girls are hanging out.. We see Courtney (Haley Madison) go into a room and confused where everyone went to. She goes upstairs to find them all nude having a pillow fight. She takes off her clothes to join them.
We then go to the events that led to this. These girls are all getting together for a slumber party. We’ve already met Courtney, who’s a wild bartender. There’s Carol Anne (Kayla Elizabeth) who talks with a southern drawl and is the nicest person you’ll ever meet. Gretchen (J. Ania Lupa) who is new and was invited when she met Carol Anne. There’s Lennon (Erin R. Ryan) who’s a lesbian that adores and reviews the Rocket von Ribcage films for her YouTube channel. There’s Stoya (Alyss Winkler), a Russian, as well as Langley (Roni Jonah), Blanche (Reagan Wright) and Moon (Melissa Sue Zahs).
Gretchen is quite weird and Courtney doesn’t trust her. Her fears turn out to be correct when she is performing a ritual in the attic. She is accidentally killed and this causes her body to become possessed by a demon. She comes back to wreck havoc on these girls as they try to find a way to defeat her before it’s too late.
Now this is another film that you need to come in to have fun. It isn’t good in the traditional sense. It is low budget and I have to give credit to Mills, he knows what he has to work with and will do whatever it takes to get the film made for sure.
With that out of the way, there’s actually some really good writing here. It really felt like a mash-up of Evil Dead, Poltergeist, Slumber Party Massacre and The Office. We get people that are talking to the camera like on that show and it’s actually an interesting way to get what they’re thinking. It does make it feel a bit disjointed, but I don’t mind it since it is a comedy.
If you like to see naked women, then you really should check this out. Every single girl in this is topless and many of them you get to see full frontal and from the back. I didn’t expect them to be naked as much as they are, but since they were down for it who am I to complain about it.
The last thing is that this is that we get our ladies being possessed. Gretchen performs a ritual and then goes about possessing others. I did like that there’s things that are introduced earlier in the film about these women that ends up being used against them later. That is something you don’t necessarily get to see in low budget films like this. I definitely had to give props there.
Moving to the pacing, this comes in at 85 minutes, which is perfect. Since this film is socially aware it really gives us what we want without bogging itself down. I thought we got introduced to a fun scene to start and then we get to meet the characters. It doesn’t take long for the possession to start and moving us into the more horrific parts we get here. The only issue that I really had was the ending and how it decided to go a bit too happy. Being it’s a comedy makes sense, but I prefer not copping out as well.
That will take me to the acting of this one. Don’t expect to get Oscar worthy performances. These girls are here to have fun and it looks like that is exactly what we got. They all were on board with getting nude, which was nice. I’m not going to lie though, even though she’s gross in the movie, I have a huge crush on Madison. I thought Lupa was pretty funny in how deadpan she was and being the villain of all this. Elizabeth also plays the nicest person here as well and I like how that makes a huge difference in the end. The rest definitely rounded it out with some goofy performances, with a shout-out to the nerdy girl as well.
That will take me to the effects of this one. I was shocked to see that there are actually some practical effects here that look great, with the major one being the tentacle boobs. I won’t go farther or spoil it, but just remember that when watching this. There’s a super creepy mask that Gretchen has at one point. My only complaint was I wanted to see more of it. I did like hear Mills state he used CGI only when he had to. It doesn’t look good, but he even acknowledges it in the film itself which actually makes me like it. The film was shot very well in my opinion which was a plus.
Now with that said, this is definitely a film to come into to have fun. I don’t always like horror comedies, but this one just broke me down and I dug it. I really like that it actually has some really good writing despite this, with things referenced early that payoff later. It doesn’t outstay its welcome and knows exactly what it’s doing. The acting is over the top, but I actually don’t mind it for the most part. The practical effects are great and even some of the CGI is as well. The soundtrack really didn’t stand out to me, but it also doesn’t hurt it either. Overall I’d say this is a fun film, so come in and just take it for it what is it. If you like naked ladies, definitely check this out. It is above average film for sure.
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10