And Back to the Sorority Again...BACK...

 

Okay, I went back to look and I have dedicated some very popular blog posts to House on Sorority Row (1982) in the past, so I'm free to ramble a bit. So I noticed this was on Tubi this month, and I have been looking out for it to show up on the streamer for the last few months. This was essential for the weekend, but I was sort of wishy-washy about when to watch it. In the past, I would have given a Friday to the film. When you watch a movie shouldn't be such an ordeal or anything significant. For whatever reason, I've attached more significance than necessary to when to watch this or that movie. At any rate, a good kick off to Saturday after a somewhat entertaining Friday triple feature, The House on Sorority Row was one of the classier (if that is such a word for slasher films)  slashers in its era of the early 80s, going more of a thriller route despite plenty of bird-handle cane stab action (the tail as much a threat of gouging and impaling as the cane itself). The house mother and her graduating girls, their complex relationship eventually leading to accidental death, the past psychopathic offspring seeking revenge, a coverup, a house party, and doctor trying to correct a mistake from long ago...slasher films have worked off a lot less. This is about the killings, sure, but at least there was a foundation. I was trying to explain my own complex relationship with this film to my daughter who asked me about whether or not I liked it. I once wrote a rather unflattering review about it for my IMDb account, giving it a 4/10, later viewings improving upon that rating. I think the photography and music for the film give it a sophistication other slashers didn't have, and there is something about how the film opens with the happy young women preparing for life outside college that resonates with me. And there is just something about 1980 - 1985 era of the genre that I'm particularly drawn to. Trying to conceal a crime while each one among the group falling prey to someone who knows about it is at least a slab to build a house on. I think this one does well enough with its slab.

Always important to me is there is a strong female anchor for the film in Kate McNeil and a good antagonist in Eileen Davidson as the misbehaving leader-of-the-pack corralling her sorority sisters together to protect their secret. Lois Kelso Hunt has a great face and presence as the house mother stirring up her girls into playing a prank on her to get even for being such bone of contention for them, interfering with their efforts to have one last big party.

This Saturday viewing was enough to encourage picking the film up on pre-order for a DVD release.