Sorority House Massacre, Classic 1980s Slasher Fare

Slasher films began their rise to prominence in the 1970s with classics such as "Halloween." However, in the 1980s, all of us fans of that genre who were born in the mid-1960s, were finally able to sneak into Rated R movies.  Being 16 and sneaking into "Deadly Blessing" and "Halloween 2" were proud moments in my childhood.  Fans like me kept this genre afloat until we went off to college, and by the later half of the 1980s, the slasher film began to decrease in popularity.  1986's "Sorority House Massacre"is today's blog entry.  The slasher film of the 1980s will always occupy a place of honor on this blog.

The plot: 13 years ago, Robert pick-axed his mom and dad, and knifed three of his sisters.  Beth (Angela O'Neill) escaped, and was then raised by her aunt after her family was butchered.  Remembering nothing of this horror, Beth enters college.  As she arrives at her new sorority house, Robert (John C. Russell) goes bananas in a nearby insane asylum.  Robert is Beth's brother and mass murderer extraordinaire.  The two are psychically attuned, and Robert knows she has returned to the scene of the crime.  Oh yeah....get this....the sorority house is the same house Robert committed the murders.  Quite a coincidence.  Now Beth's memories begin to return, and she dreams about Robert coming after her.  Robert then kills an orderly and escapes.  On his way to the sorority house he steals a hunting knife after killing the shop owner.

The sorority sisters, who have no idea about the house's history or Robert's recent escape, plan a party.  I guess it is an Indian themed party as they erect a tepee in the front yard.  As Beth's dreams become increasingly graphic, the boyfriends arrive.  These guys are pretty useless, as after they make-out with the sisters, they end up murdered.  Now Robert is after the lovely sorority chicks.  Lots of running and screaming ensue, and the obligatory nudity, of course.  As Beth's memories come gushing back, the surviving sisters try to survive the night.  The gals are very feisty and inflict lots of punishment on Robert, but he keeps coming at them.  With the phone lines cut, the boyfriends assuming room temperature, and corpses in the tepee, the odds appear to be against these ladies.

This is a typical 1980s slasher film, complete with a synthesizer musical score, and will hold few surprises for the fan of this genre.  From a nostalgia perspective, this film brings back great memories of our youth.  Available on Netflix, filled with beautiful college girls, and some nice carnage, "Sorority House Massacre" is a great way to spend a movie night at home.