"Splatter Disco" Review - Written by Anthony Thurber

Splatter Disco
Year: 2008
Director: Richard Griffin
Stars: Trent Haaga, Debbie Rochon, Ken Foree
Studio: Shock-O-Rama Cinema
MPAA Ratting: Not Rated
Running Time: 87 Mins.





Splatter Disco Trailer:


“Splatter Disco” is one of those underground horror films that I’ve been looking forward to, ever since hearing the about it on the Shock-O-Rama website. I’ve even talked about it when I interviewed, the film’s Executive Producer Michael Raso, during this summer. With the tagline “The First Slasher Musical”, it’s a very good bet that I would be very interested. Also, add in the fact that the film was shot right here in Rhode Island, where I’m from. Well, you know that I was going to try review this film for the site at any costs. “Splatter Disco” is the second film to come out from director Richard Griffin this year. He also directed “Beyond the Dunwich Horror”(which you can read my review for that film, by clicking here.) which is available at the Scorpio Film Releasing website.

Now he’s directing the only Christmas horror film to be released, into the DVD market, this year. Wait a minute, first of all, a title like “Splatter Disco” doesn’t sound like a title for a Christmas film. Now I get it, as this film has nothing to do with Christmas. It’s just there, as a backdrop and there are no psycho Santas stalking people either, sorry. Let’s just get to the review.

“Splatter Disco” is about a club manager (Trent Haaga), whose life is in chaos. The mayor and his sociopath mother wants to shut his fetish night club down, his father’s (Ken Foree) health is ailing, and his hallucinating hippie lawyer can’t help him out of his problems, because he too busy wanting his beautiful wife (Debbie Rochon). If he thinks that things can get even worse, they do, as a killer is stalking and killing the employees of his club. In order to get out of this mess, he must find a way, to stop the psycho killer and stop the people, who are trying to shut his club down, before he loses his mind or worse, end up dead. Lynn Lowry (“The Crazies”, “I Drink Your Blood”) also co-stars in this film.

"Splatter Disco" was definitely worth the wait for me. This was a fun and entertaining horror/comedy/musical film. Richard Griffin’s direction and editing was very good. He does a very good job, making the film’s story move at a very good pace, as there was never a boring moment with all the action and musical numbers that were going on. The reason for that was that the action was intense and the context of the musical numbers were different from the ones in “Poultrygeist” and also makes sense with the rest of the film. I personally think, Griffin did a great job with his actors, as all of the characters were very lively and felt like average people that you would want to hang out with. Maybe not all of them like, Lynn Lowely’s character and the killer, but still, they were directed, very well. The film also has some very good standout performances, like the always-entertaining Trent Haaga, in the lead, along with Ken Foree, who was very good as Haaga’s father and unknown actor Robin Watkins (who ironically enough was also in “Poultrygeist”), as pot smoking hippy lawyer who wants to make out with Haaga’s wife.

The screenplay, which Griffin co-wrote with Ted Marr story was very fun filled one. The film’s screenplay reminded me a lot, of Lloyd Kaufman’s latest film “Poultrygeist” but without most of the political and corporate subtext that dominated Kaufman’s film. One of the things, they did well was to not turn this film into a heavily political satire film, as this could have gone that route from the opening scenes. They instead focus, on the characters and the action, especially with the music numbers and characters development. It makes it a better film and I’m not whining that this is a “Poultrygeist” clone. The musical numbers were written very well, as they made the film entertaining and help move the story’s plot along. Those numbers included the hippy lawyer in the town council chamber and Forre on the dance floor with a sharp dressed white suit. Those worked very well as it makes the film entertaining. The character development was also very good, as the screenwriters do a very good job with development of the relationship between Haaga’ and Foree’s, as it felt special seeing these cult icons on screen together. They also developed, the love story subplot very well, as it didn’t get to the point that was the only thing going on.

This is the best film that I’ve seen from Richard Griffin yet. Splatter Disco is a fun horror/comedy/musical that will liven up your appetite for blood splattering gore, this holiday season.

Review Rating: Four Stars