Rating: **1/2
Starring: Julia Montgomery, James Carroll and Suzanne Barnes
It was a winning basketball game for Dewitt University and this Ohio-based campus celebrates their victory with costume parties and, for some of the friskier students there, the ever popular sex after the big game. But for this year, things aren't going out quite right; with break-ups and cheating happening left and right around the members of the basketball team and their respective girlfriends, its no surprise some of these boys and girls will be upset. Upset enough to, perhaps, commit murder.As an annual campus tradition, there's a late night cheerleader scavenger hunt that happens every after game and somebody donning the college's bear mascot, rigged with knives, begins offing the girls. But who could it be? A vengeful ex? The school weirdo? A betrayed lover? A random psycho? Or was it Dicky Kavanaugh, the deranged former student who was institutionalized at a nearby loony bin?
Who it is, the movie plays well in hiding its suspects and this is one of the few things I come to enjoy about The Scaremaker (1982), AKA Girls Nite Out. While the movie did take its time to get the slasher antics going and there are some bit of cheese in the way, this gave way for us to know the major characters better, who may or may not end up as a red herring or worse at the end. With most of them guilty of temper, unfaithfulness and some suspicious background, it really could have been anyone inside the tampered bear suit.
Unfortunately, as good as the build-up was, by the time the bodycount starts with the scavenger hunt, it went kinda rocky; while showcasing some classic creep scenes like obscenely weird phone calls from the killer and some workable tension, the kills are oversimplified and the killer's disguise of choice is very distracting, even if it is an effective way to wander around the campus without being suspicious. I guess a bear suit with googly eyes isn't as imposing as, let's say a guy in a hockey mask, but hey, could be just me.
Unfortunately, as good as the build-up was, by the time the bodycount starts with the scavenger hunt, it went kinda rocky; while showcasing some classic creep scenes like obscenely weird phone calls from the killer and some workable tension, the kills are oversimplified and the killer's disguise of choice is very distracting, even if it is an effective way to wander around the campus without being suspicious. I guess a bear suit with googly eyes isn't as imposing as, let's say a guy in a hockey mask, but hey, could be just me.
Apart from that, The Scaremaker (1982) also does the strangest direction I've seen in a slasher film; interestingly, instead of going through your standard killer-chases-girl routine, it decided to cop out and give us a finale that resembles a crime thriller with all the suspects being interrogated and one cop managing to put all the pieces together. It all leads to a twist reveal that I admit didn't saw coming, but a bit random at most for how out of nowhere it was. Not the most exciting route but I'll give it credit for trying something different.
Still, The Scaremaker (1982) made it work at a level, albeit not enough to be that effective to be all that memorable for me. I guess I understand where its cult following comes from and I respect their enthusiasm for this movie. Not overly great but a valid cheese factor is there in the movie so fans of the hammy! Here's another one for your collection!
Bodycount:
1 male hanged
2 males hacked to death with shovel
1 male stabbed in chest with knife
1 female has neck slashed with knives
1 female killed offscreen
1 female has neck slashed knives
1 female killed offscreen with knives
1 male knifed on the back
Still, The Scaremaker (1982) made it work at a level, albeit not enough to be that effective to be all that memorable for me. I guess I understand where its cult following comes from and I respect their enthusiasm for this movie. Not overly great but a valid cheese factor is there in the movie so fans of the hammy! Here's another one for your collection!
Bodycount:
1 male hanged
2 males hacked to death with shovel
1 male stabbed in chest with knife
1 female has neck slashed with knives
1 female killed offscreen
1 female has neck slashed knives
1 female killed offscreen with knives
1 male knifed on the back
Total: 9
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