I've seen this one three different times - once in childhood, once in my teen years and finally again now as an adult as part of IFC's month-long "80s Slashback" series (August 2005). I watched every single retro slasher film they played and this one was by far one of the most enjoyable. Sure it is just a simple low-budget horror outing rife with chances to criticize it (as Siskel and Ebert, Leonard Maltin and many others did upon release), but what is maybe not-so-simple and not-so-typical in this critically disreputed genre is that it is put together with enthusiasm, a good sense of humor and surprising attention to detail. And while it provides the requisite nude scenes and gory murders, it does not put viewers to sleep in between the exploitation.
In other words, compared to the absolute crap we horror fans are subjected to nowadays, this movie is funny, clever, entertaining and fast-paced. SPM possesses a genuine sense of fun that is just about extinct in today's slasher movies. The principle cast (Michele Michaels, Debra DeLiso, Robin Stille...) is comprised of mostly unknown young actors and actresses, but they are fun, natural and appealing and none of them walk through their roles acting disinterested in the material. Brinke Stevens, one of the most ubiquitous Scream Queens of the past twenty years, has an early role here, as does Aaron Lipstadt, the director of the sci-fi sleeper Android (1982) with Klaus Kinski. Humorously scripted by feminist author Rita Mae Brown (of 'Rubyfruit Jungle' fame).
Score: 7 out of 10
In other words, compared to the absolute crap we horror fans are subjected to nowadays, this movie is funny, clever, entertaining and fast-paced. SPM possesses a genuine sense of fun that is just about extinct in today's slasher movies. The principle cast (Michele Michaels, Debra DeLiso, Robin Stille...) is comprised of mostly unknown young actors and actresses, but they are fun, natural and appealing and none of them walk through their roles acting disinterested in the material. Brinke Stevens, one of the most ubiquitous Scream Queens of the past twenty years, has an early role here, as does Aaron Lipstadt, the director of the sci-fi sleeper Android (1982) with Klaus Kinski. Humorously scripted by feminist author Rita Mae Brown (of 'Rubyfruit Jungle' fame).
Score: 7 out of 10