"Spring Break Massacre" DVD Review - Written by Anthony T

Spring Break Massacre
Year: 2010
Directors: Rex Kramer
Stars: Toni Buena, Renee Darmiento, Reggie Bannister
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Synkronized USA / Disruptive Media Productions
Running Time: 81 Mins





Film Synopsis.

"Spring Break Massacre" is from the producers of "Reunion of Terror". The film is about six beautiful sorority coeds, who are have a sleepover party during spring break. But their fun ends, when convicted serial killer Stanley Peterson breaks out of the maximum security prison. Now on the run from the authorities, he is out continue his killing spree by stalking the each of the coeds. In order to stop this madman, they must find the mystery of their would assailant before he kills them all in homage to eighties horror with appearances from horror icons Reggie Bannister (Phantasm) and Linnea Quigley (The Return of the Living Dead).

Film Review:

Going into "Spring Break Massacre, I thought that this was just going to be a plain fun campy movie. Instead it's still a campy movie but within the campiness there was also the dark and serious tone that "Reunion of Terror" had. For that, it's a more interesting movie than your normal camp film.

Director Rex Kramer does a good job paying homage to the B movie slasher films of the early eighties. He does that by making the acting and the death scenes in the house feel so campy to the point that you're having fun watching the film. It's effective, because the way Kramer directs the death scenes especially towards the end of the film, as there was actual though into them. Another thing that is done well was the way that Kramer adds various effects to the images of the film. Whether it's old dust print effect that is used in the beginning to the black and white effect that is used in transition for certain parts of the film, as it gives the film a different identity, instead of the making this film your normal eighties camp homage film that tries to be a film that was made in the eighties.

The screenplay is written by Michael A. Hoffman and Megan Jones, who also wrote the screenplay for "ROT: Reunion of Terror", which was recently released on DVD from Shock-O-Rama Cinema. I liked how they made the story feel like a campy eighties horror film, while also using the same dark tone that made "ROT" an interested and inventive film. It's done because if this was complete campy, then the story would have felt more like it was ripped off from films like "The House of Sorority Row" and "Slumber Party Massacre". Instead, it makes the film not completely campy to the point that if feels ripped off from those films. Another thing that I liked was the fact how they made the girl's story campy and the sheriff's story have a different tone to the point that you felt like were watching another film. By doing that, it makes everything interesting. Also, I like how some of the dialogue was written, especially towards the end of the film. It helps make this a fun film to watch. Even though "Reunion of Terror" is better film, I liked how they put some thought into the tone of the film.

DVD Extras:

First on the disc is a four minute behind the scenes featurette that does nothing to go into the making of the film, as it all felt like rehearsal footage. I would have to have interviews from the cast, at least just the feeling of the process of the production. The extras continue to go downhill after that, as there is the official and international trailers for the film and four minutes of deleted scenes. I wished at least a commentary track with the writers and some of the cast members, as I would've have loved to have heard stories on the production of the film. Overall disappointing release extras wise.

Even though it's very disappointing on the DVD Extras front, I still recommend checking this film out if your into the campy films of the early eighties. "Spring Break Massacre" is a fun film that is worth checking out for eighties camp horror fans or fans of mindless horror fun.

Film Rating: 3.5 Stars

DVD Extras Review: One Star