SoraRabbit Short Hop 025: Horror Movie Marathon Part 1

The Halloween festivities continue on the SoraRabbit Hole! So far I’ve played through one Silent Hill game, and I’m in the process of getting through another. Plus I have a special surprise coming up in my next main post. But, on the spur of the moment, I ended up coming up with the idea for this post and I feel like it has the potential to be a series all its own, so I’ve proactively labelled it as Part 1. This one’s about slasher movies!

So far I’ve only gotten around to talking about four slasher movies on my blog. Here are the links if you’re interested in checking them out:

028: The Dream Trilogy, or SoraRabbit Geeks Out Over Freddy

051: SoraRabbit Does a Christmas Special - Slasher Edition

(And this just reminded me that I always meant to go back and cover the next two Silent Night Deadly Night movies. Maybe next year…)

Love this. (Credit: Damien Leone, Epic Pictures Group)

A little history up front… I’ve gone into greater detail in the posts linked above, but all my life I’ve had a deep love for horror and slasher movies specifically. (Especially those from the 70s, 80s, and some 90s. Although I don’t really discriminate.) I have so many fond memories of visits to the video store when I first got my license, picking up a stack of video cassettes, and settling in for a long night alone or with friends, watching good or bad or bad-good horror movies. This has gone on throughout my life depending on my mood, and thankfully I found a partner with the same sort of taste in horror flicks.

As Halloween neared this year and I wasn’t dealing with chronic pain (the past two Halloweens I was in recovery from various surgeries) I found myself once more gravitating towards horror movies. Every day as I have my morning coffee I cruise the streaming apps for their live horror channels, finding some diversion from my busy holiday blogging schedule and in some cases finding some real gems I will someday watch in full.

This is what inspired this post, as during my jaunts through these channels I was exposed to the Terrifier franchise. I sat down over the course of a weekend to watch through two of related films to that series, one movie that we’d been meaning to watch for a year, and another that I’m shocked I never saw when I was younger. It was a fun weekend, and I realized some mini reviews would work just fine for a bonus Halloween post. So here we are!

Spoiler Warning: I am not doing full plot breakdowns of these movies, but some minor spoilers follow.

Trigger Warnings: I’m not going to go into much detail, but there is mention of murder, torture, death, demons, and clowns. Also, although I won’t be too graphic, some of the screenshots below are a bit bloody, so use caution if that’s not your thing. Anyway, let’s look at some movies!

Title card. (Credit: Colin and Cameron Cairnes, IFC Films)

Late Night With the Devil was released in 2023 by IFC Films for streaming on the Shudder service. It was written, directed, and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes. This was one that Cocoashade and I had been meaning to watch since we saw the trailer for it last year. (We just needed a good time to temporarily subscribe to the service.)

Content Warnings: Language, violence, blood, projectile vomit, demonic possession, nostalgia, alcohol, smoking, some minor AI art.

Plot Summary: A documentary-style movie showing the events on and off screen during a fictional talk show’s ill-fated Halloween episode in 1977. The show soon turns dark and unexplained things happen relating to clairvoyance, ghosts, a secret society, a cult, demonic possession, and the devil.

Lil’ devil. (Credit: Colin and Cameron Cairnes, IFC Films)

Thoughts: This movie was set up very creatively, starting with a faux-documentary to set up the rest of the movie and then going into the actual talk show. During commercial breaks, the action turns to black-and-white and we see some behind-the-scenes moments occurring in real time. This was a very nice way of laying out the movie, giving further context for the plot. It was highly stylized, utilizing low-definition to give everything an aged feel and using dated hairstyles, clothing, and set pieces. The movie was even in standard-width format to mimic television of the era. The show itself is a pastiche of several real-life late night talk shows, especially Carson and Letterman. It was well-rooted in the 70s in aesthetic and sensibilities.

The twist near the end (don’t worry, I won’t spoil it) was pretty well-telegraphed and obvious if you were paying attention, but the turns it took to get to the reveal kept me guessing. The very end was still a bit of a surprise. And although it was obvious where it was headed, there were a lot of misdirects sprinkled in… the skeleton costumed person in the audience, the cohost’s devil costume, the skeptic’s beard and sinister tone… the movie was good at making you wonder where they were headed up until the reveals.

Vintage! (Credit: Colin and Cameron Cairnes, IFC Films)

Review: Late Night With the Devil was very well-done and entertaining. It had good pacing and excellent performances. The horror was low-key, the suspense a slow burn. While the twists could have been a bit better hidden, the ultimate conclusion and the journey was a memorable one. I give this 7 out of 10 skellyton heads.

Title card. (Credit: Damien Leone, Ruthless Pictures)

All Hallow’s Eve is an anthology movie released straight-to-video in 2013 by Ruthless Pictures and directed and written by Damien Leone. The first short was footage from the 2008 short film The 9th Circle. The third was the 2011 short film Terrifier. The second film was original for this production, as was the framing narrative. This film has gone on to have three more entries so far, all featuring different independent filmmakers. The character of Art the Clown has spun off into the film series Terrifier.

Content Warnings: Blood, guts, violence, language, torture, minor nudity, bad monster makeup, nonsensical plot twists, a creepy alien, harm to the unborn and children, a disturbing clown.

Plot Summary: A reluctant babysitter watches two kids on Halloween night. The boy got an unmarked video tape from an unknown source and convinces her to let them watch it. The short films play out as content on the video tape and bizarre things start happening in the real world as the tape goes on. The first short involves abducted women and a weird cult. The second is about an alien. The third involves a woman fleeing from a clown-themed serial killer. All three films have to do with an enigmatic murderer named Art the Clown.

HONK. (Credit: Damien Leone, Ruthless Pictures)

Thoughts: This one was fun… good, but not great. There were some memorable ideas and images throughout this, and it kept my attention focused to see what would happen next. The pacing was strange, with the individual stories taking their time getting to the point… especially the second story which was in no hurry to get anywhere and then abruptly ended without a real conclusion.

It was a bit strange to me that they kept cutting back to the framing story as the shorts were playing to show the character’s reactions to the films. It was an odd choice. (Although seeing how deeply the boy was into the films was a little disturbing and worrisome and added to the creepiness factor.) Usually in these sorts of anthology movies, they only cut to the framing story/hosts at the beginning and end and occasionally in between stories. This movie made the choice of involving the framing characters throughout, entangling them with the story in a deep way. Despite it’s strangeness, it’s actually kind of creative.

The first short started off solid and devolved into utter nonsense with horrible makeup and acting. What started off as a tense and promising premise fell into ridiculous monster masks and an orgy of gore with no real point or plot. The second was slow and seemed out of place, although I did like the actress and the design and movement of the alien. The third short was the most solid and well-conceived, serving as a competent slasher movie that made you want more. The framing story was very entertaining, aside from some awkward dialogue and questionable character choices. The concept was creative. In a genre where the premise is generally just “let me tell you some spooky stories”, the idea of a mysterious unlabeled video tape providing said spooky stories is a solid one. I also like that the films were connected by the character of Art, tenuous as that connection was at times.

Is alien. (Credit: Damien Leone, Ruthless Pictures)

Review: All Hallow’s Eve was a mixed bag. As an anthology, the quality of the individual films are up and down. The framing story and the character of Art the Clown were the best parts of it, in my opinion. The choice to cut back and forth between the shorts and the framing characters, while creative, broke up the pacing and tension of the individual stories. It also served to obfuscate the fact that the second one didn’t have an ending at all. The reference to Art was out of place in this one (he appeared as a painting) and made the whole thing feel tacked on to fill the runtime. It gave the impression of padding rather than a natural part of the movie and dragged the whole thing down.

Overall, the silly effects, over-the-top gore, and odd pacing and editing choices didn’t necessarily wreck the whole movie, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other movies on this list. It had solid direction and some decent ideas, but faltered throughout. I give the overall movie 6 out of 10 negligent babysitters.

Title card. (Credit: Damien Leone, Epic Pictures)

Terrifier was released in 2016 by Epic Pictures Group, directed and written by Damien Leone. This film begins the Terrifier franchise, which currently has two sequels with a final movie on the way. What I appreciate most about this franchise is the promise that it will have a definitive ending that it’s been building towards from the beginning. All the major characters will finish their arcs and reach their own conclusions by the end of it. That’s refreshing in this day and age of eternally unspinning franchises and reboots. While this movie does focus on Art the Clown who was introduced in the shorts featured in All Hallow’s Eve, this film is its own continuity, not related to the content of those shorts.

Content Warnings: Blood, violence, alcohol, a creepy clown, nudity, smoking, language, stalking, torture, an unrealistic bisection, gross disfigurements, hard to identify bodily wastes, suicide, and a crop top made of skin.

Plot Summary: On Halloween night, two young women face danger in the form of a psychotic clown on a killing spree. Others are dragged into the orbit of the mysterious Art the Clown, culminating with a tantalizingly inexplicable twist and then a blatantly obvious reveal.

Ain’t he a stinker. (Credit: Damien Leone, Epic Pictures Group)

Thoughts: I enjoyed this movie from the start. I really like the character of Art the Clown. I appreciate that nothing was explained, including Art’s origin or motivations. There were just the hints of the supernatural, like in the first two Halloween movies. (I would expect further movies to delve more into this, but it works as a starting point.) This really felt like an homage to the classic slasher movies I grew up with, but with a modern feel. Some of it was silly and over-the-top (especially the crop-top made out of skin… that wasn’t a joke, it was actually in the movie) but it all fit in with the whole. The movie was staffed with likable characters, and Art especially was great. The swiftness with which he went from grinning and jaunty to threatening and imposing was incredible. You could never tell what he was going to do from moment to moment. (In one scene he abandoned his knife, pulled out a handgun, and shot someone. This part made me laugh way too loud out of sheer surprise with how quickly he went from his preferred sharp objects to a firearm.)

Plot-wise, I figured out the big ending twist about ten minutes in. I assume it was meant to be a surprise just due to the way it was revealed and the weight which the movie gave it. But it felt like a lame attempt at a Saw-like shock twist ending… if you’re paying attention at all and take a moment to think about it, it’s obvious. I won’t give it away, though… maybe I’m wrong and it will surprise some viewers. (It does have some interesting implications that will likely be explored in the sequel, though.) The other twist (during the climax of the movie) was excellent and very well-executed. Cocoa and I did not see it coming and this scene is the main reason why I’m eager to see the next film… it puts seeds in the viewer’s mind questioning everything about Art and his motivations. Again, not spoiling it, but you’ll know what I’m referencing if you’ve seen it.

As a tiny side-note, I was a little confused about why they kept referring to Art as a clown. I saw him more as a mime because his color scheme is white and black and he’s mute throughout, using pantomime and facial expressions to get his points across. This led to an interesting conversation with Cocoa where she made an excellent point: “All mimes are clowns, but not all clowns are mimes.“ My wife is wise.

Yep, a stinker. (Credit: Damien Leone, Epic Pictures Group)

Review: Terrifier was a really cool movie and a solid entry into the slasher genre. Art the Clown is certainly a memorable killer, and the acting was top-notch from all the players. Well-directed and well-conceived. There was some very good imagery and enough mystery to get me to tune in to the next three movies. The mystery is handled well enough to keep you wondering what exactly is going on, but not thick enough to lose the plot in it. I’m really looking forward to the next entries in the series. (I wish I wasn’t so busy with these posts or I’d hurry up and watch the second one and go see the third in the theater.) I highly recommend this movie for fans of the slasher genre, new or old.

All of that said, this is clearly the first movie in a franchise, and as such it feels like just what it is— a beginning. I feel like each movie will be better and more expansive than the last, which necessarily skews my rating of this one. The failed ending twist and the amazing climactic twist kind of cancel each other out. I give this 8 out of 10 bloody clowns.

Title card. (Credit: Amy Jones, Rita Mae Brown, New World Pictures)

Slumber Party Massacre was released in 1982. This movie was produced and directed by Amy Jones and written by Rita Mae Brown, which immediately got me interested. It’s rare to see female writers and directors helming horror movies from this era. This movie is the first entry in the loose Massacre franchise, which includes Slumber Party Massacre, Sorority House Massacre, Cheerleader Massacre, and more. The movies do not, generally, continue or intersect. The franchise is mainly based on shared concepts, female creators, and the word “massacre” in the titles.

Content Warnings: Nudity, adult language, drug and alcohol use, more nudity, blood, violence, a creepy neighbor, sexual themes, boobs, cruelty to snails, basketball, and just a bit more nudity.

Plot Summary: A psychotic serial killer has escaped from prison! A group of scantily clad teenaged girls gather for a slumber party! The pizza guy is late! Completely expected chaos ensues!

I couldn't get any screenshots of the actual plot since this is a family blog. (Credit: Amy Jones, Rita Mae Brown, New World Pictures)

Thoughts: I still have no idea how I never saw this movie before! This movie is totally my bag. I’m a huge fan of slasher movies from this era and this one is a lesser-known cult classic. I recall seeing it on the shelves at the video store and I was always looking for these sorts of movies when I was younger… somehow I ended up missing it until now. Well, better late than never and it lets me end this post on a high note.

This movie had a surprising amount of charm. The characters were not nuanced, the killer was creepy and his motivations confusing, and the plot was predictable. But for all of that, I loved every minute. You know from the opening moments who the killer is and basically the way everything is going to happen and nothing really changes throughout. The real surprises come in the final scenes, trying to guess who will survive and how, and why the killer is actually doing this. (Spoiler: You find out, but it makes zero sense. He’s mental, y’all.)

You can tell right away what the movie’s all about… in the first couple of minutes the main character is topless. (I shouted, “Hey, look! Plot!“ and made Cocoa laugh.) And then after a scene where they all play basketball, most of the female characters are naked in the showers. (Sora: “Hey look, more plot!“ Cocoa: “Haha quit it.“) Still, it wasn’t necessarily excessive compared to some movies I’ve seen.

Interestingly enough, Brown originally wrote this movie as a parody of the genre, but it was shot as a straight-up slasher movie, giving it disparate tones that make it feel like something truly original. It was a movie that was a parody of itself, and it’s incredible that they pulled that off. This movie knew exactly what it was and reveled in that. But still, it didn’t take itself too seriously or even bog itself down in the gratuitous nudity and violence. There was a nice balance of every element of this movie.

I liked all the actors and the performances were decent. The killer’s weapon of choice being a power drill was an interesting choice and added to the film’s originality. The movie was predictable, but that’s not necessarily a downside. There’s something comforting about this sort of slasher movie— drop a killer into the midst of a bunch of teenagers— motivation and backstory for the killer entirely optional— and let the events unfold just as expected. Lots of people die, including the killer (or did he? Fake out!) and someone or multiple someones survive. Even knowing where it was going, there wasn’t a moment in this movie where I was bored. I can identify this sort of movie is not for everyone… but fans of Friday the 13th, Halloween, and the like would probably enjoy this for what it is— mindless bloody fun.

Oh, wait here’s some non-nude plot. (Credit: Amy Jones, Rita Mae Brown, New World Pictures)

Review: Slumber Party Massacre seems like it would be lazy and cookie-cutter, but it was surprisingly good. It’s not deep on any level, but it was entertaining and likeable. Some of the dialogue was thin and downright confusing, but that’s to be expected in this kind of movie. Knowing exactly who the killer is and where the movie is heading makes it a comforting and low-effort watch. The writing is fun, the directing is very good, the editing and pacing excellent. It takes itself seriously, but in a sarcastic kind of way.

It’s certainly not for everyone, but if you’re a fan of the genre, you can’t go wrong giving it a try. I enjoyed the hell out of it and I will, of course, go on to watch every single entry in the franchise. I give this one 9 out of 10 boobies. (Don’t ask me where the final booby went.)

Just watching herself about to get killed. (Credit: Damien Leone, Ruthless Pictures)

So those were the latest four horror movies I’ve watched! I hope you enjoyed this quick little review post. I had fun with it, and I will certainly continue making them as I see more movies. If you have any suggestions, let me know. I can always use more ideas for movies to watch, and this should give you an idea of my tastes.

EEEEK. (Credit: Amy Jones, Rita Mae Brown, New World Pictures)

Thank you for joining me for this spooky review session! I appreciate you all and I hope you’re having a fun Halloween-time or whenever you’re reading this. Halloween is a state of mind, so it really doesn’t matter. Whatever day it happens to be, Happy Halloween. Keep a look out for serial killers, demons, aliens, and creepy mime-clowns! In my experience, they’re everywhere!

Very cool shot. (Credit: Amy Jones, Rita Mae Brown, New World Pictures)