Absolute Horror Film Forum

I think the tag line on this one should read "Often Copied - Never Bettered".

If you're looking for a slasher flick, this is probably one of the best. For me though, as I've stated before with some films, it's not horror - It's a thriller with a very dark side.

It's mainly about a group of Sorority girls at Christmas Time, who haven't, or aren't, going home for the festive fun, and one sick psychopathic nut-job, who feels like handing out the present of death.

I originally watched this movie on the telly, way back in the late seventies or early eighties, and I didn't like it. Though, that could've been my tender age at the time - I'd been used to The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone. the bright technicolor Hammer House of Horror films, as well as the 50's Monster Movies that were playing - this was darker and more mature ... and went right over my head. Unfortunately, for me, I never saw it aired again, until this year, on satellite, and I loved it.

Now there's no gore in the film, because the director, his crew and the cast are so good at what they do.

The story line is crisp (even though you've now seen so many sorority girls sent to meet there maker, you think heaven is one big cheer-leading squad); the acting is good - not great (remember this is a B-movie) but it is way above average - only Margot Kidder spoiled it for me (ironically she plays the alcoholic in this film - if she was method acting she didn't hear the director call "It's A Wrap!"), luckily, for us blokes though, the beautiful Olivia Hussey (who, for some reason is the only person I remember from my first viewing ) more than makes up for it; the lighting is very ambient and used to very good effect - the shadows in the corners of the rooms could be concealing the killer; both sound and music are simplistic - though it's the killers telephone calls to the girls which make you thing W.T.F. The Killer barks like a dog, oinks and squeals like a pig, and even imitates the girls (for the time, and even now, it's scary). But it's the direction which makes the film as it was one of the first films to use POV camera work, for the killers shots - this therefore transformed the viewer into the killer, as he was never really seen

Now, I won't spoil it for you - Go rent it: Buy it if you have to: But watch it ... Late at night ... With the lights out ... and the phone off the hook.

9/10

Come join me - We ALL float down here.
PENNYWISE.