Roger Corman's Cult Classics: The Slumber Party Massacre Collection

Were it not for low-budget horror films, the world would be a much different place. Where could modestly talented, yet well endowed, women advance their "acting" careers? Where would young men develop their first taste for ridiculous bloodshed and pointless nudity? Providing a healthy dose of the above, famed B-film director/producer Roger Corman's name may only be attached to the middle entry of this laughable trilogy but what a threesome it is. Kicking off with the inaugural early '80s entry, we find a group of young girls subjected to the insane power tool-happy killing spree of one Driller Killer as he torments the bodacious young ladies in their silky nighties during a fun sleepover. Following the then-infamous tendency for first-person viewpoints (the killer's, that is), Slumber Party Massacre might feature groan-inducing acting and pregnant pauses in action but its overt stupidity is quite amusing. The same can be said for sequel Part II, a romp that follows the exact same premise, albeit with the younger sister from the first, all grown up and prime for, er, drilling. Updating the Driller Killer to include an odd guitar/drill torture device is fun, even if the acting is actually worse than its predecessor. Loose, sloppy and entertaining in a way solely Corman can oversee, Part II has its moments. It's only during Part III where the affair truly fall to pieces, when the exact same premise is updated with a beach stalker yet regurgitates virtually everything else, becoming rather boring and uninspired in the long run. Still, as a package, The Slumber Party Massacre Collection is worthwhile for its abundance of cheap flicks rounded out by features, including widescreen treatments, informative audio commentaries that peek into the films contextually and a three-part documentary about each flick that while failing to provide cast/crew interviews, does offer insight into the creation of these oft-forgotten cult classics.