The Dorm That Dripped Blood "Pranks, Death Dorm" (1982)

The Dorm That Dripped Blood (Pranks, Death Dorm) is an American horror slasher film directed by Stephen Carpenter, Jeffrey Obrow and written by Carpenter and Stacey Giachino. The film involves four college students who stay behind at their college campus during the Christmas holiday to clean a dormitory that is about to be demolished. As they begin to clean out the dormitory, they begin to be stalked by an unknown killer who uses a multitude of industrial tools, such as a spiked baseball bat, wire and industrial tools to kill his victims. The students begin to notice the tools missing and they suspect it’s a guy they know who hangs around the school. The killer slays one student after another. As the movie progresses, the killer turns out to be a vicious murdering stalker who is madly in love with one of the girls. There is a lot of twists and turns with lots of gore and originality, The Dorm That Drips Blood is a classic slasher and ultimately earns it’s keep in anyone’s horror collection. Featuring Daphne Zuniga as (Debby) in her film debut, “Pranks, Death Dorm” was deemed video nasty in the United Kingdom upon its initial release due to its drill killing scene and its original art work that showed a spiked baseball bat. Unfortunately in 1992 it was re-released with the drill murder removed. Released once more by Synapse Films as of 2011 as an Uncensored Directors Cut as a BluRay/DVD combo pack including audio commentary with Jeffrey Obrow and Carpenter, Interviews and many more Bonus Features, the film is absolutely a must own and can be purchased from Synapse Films or Amazon.

Popcorn (1991)

Popcorn is an American horror film from 1991 directed by Mark Herrier and written by Alan Ormsby. The film revolves around a “Horror-thon” in an abandoned theater, when a mysterious murderer begins killing off the teenagers. The film focuses on a college film student Maggie Butler (Jill Schoelen) who has had recurring dreams about a young girl named Sarah who is being chased by a killer while being stuck in a house fire. Taking notes from her dreams, she plans to make a movie out of her dreams. Recently her mother Suzanne (Dee Wallace), who she lives with, has been receiving strange and threatening phone calls. A friend of the Professor, Toby D’Amato (Tom Villard) a film school student has a plan to throw an all-night “Horror-thon” to raise money for their department. They set up the “Horror-thon” at a now defunct Dreamland theater, an old building that’s about to be demolished in three weeks. Professor Davis (Tony Roberts) head of the film department is concerned about time constraints and has hired an expert on film memorabilia, Dr. Mnesyne (Ray Walston) who chooses the horror props for the festival. While setting up the props, they begin to see a mysterious figure roaming the theater.  The figure turns out to be Toby, who fifteen years-ago was badly burned as a child in a theater, after a showing of a horror movie with his mother, who was killed in the fire.  Now, he still holds a grudge against Suzanne and Maggie for being responsible for his mother’s death. He has deranged thoughts and now plans to exact his revenge on them by re-enacting the film he witnessed with his mother. As he acts out his revenge with murder scenes from the movie, he kidnaps Maggie and Suzanne, eventually finding out that the final cuts of the film end up destroying his plans. The film is thrilling, exciting and has a bit of comedy entwined within the film which made this film a cult classic among many as the film has gone out of print. The film is still very hard to find and expensive to purchase, but for its original plot and ideas coming from the horror culture, this film is a must own for your own horror collection. It still can be found in limited listings on eBay and for purchase on Amazon released by Elite Entertainment on DVD which is now discontinued. A domestic version of the film is planned to be released by Synapse Films on BluRay soon which will make this a well sought release.

The House on Sorority Row (1983)

The House on Sorority Row is a cult classic in the horror genre known as an American slasher film, directed by Mark Rosman. The plot follows seven young sorority sisters who pull a cruel prank on their strict house mother, Mrs. Slater (Lois Kelso Hunt). The prank involved one of the sorority girls pointing a gun to threaten Mrs. Slater but her heart gave out and she died. Covering up the body of Mrs. Slater, the sorority sisters now have time and the ability to throw a graduation party they always wanted but weren’t allowed. During the graduation party, guests are being targeted along with seven sorority sisters. Little did they know that Mrs. Slater had a disfigured and mentally challenged son, Eric (Charles Serio) who lived in the attic and witnessed the prank.  Eric is now out for revenge. The film is a classic slasher film from the 80’s and has all the criteria for being a cult classic as the sorority sisters think Mrs. Slate was not dead and is getting revenge. Eric is now on the prowl as only one survivor is left to defeat his malicious intentions. The House on Sorority Row needs to be in your horror collection and is a cult masterpiece. Released and re-mastered in widescreen with extras, The House on Sorority Row has been released on BluRay on a 2-Disc set by Scorpion Releasing and is not one to pass up on. It can be purchased through Amazon or directly from Scorpion Releasing as a limited edition to 2200 prints.

Terror Train (1980)

Terror Train is a classic retro horror film directed by Roger Spottiswoode written by T.Y. Drake and produced by Daniel Grodnik . Terror Train stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Johnson and David Copperfield as himself. It’s New Years Eve and a number of kids from a college fraternity play a cruel prank on a disturbed and shy kid Kenny Hampson (Derek Mckinnon). Three years pass by after the prank has gone horribly wrong and left Kenny in a psychiatric hospital, it’s now a New Year again and the fraternity throws a New Year’s Eve masquerade party on a train with Ben Carson as the train conductor. David Copperfield cameos as a magician on the train. During the long ride across town, the party goers parade around from bunk to bunk in a fancy train headed to nowhere. This night it will leave them going nowhere, as Kenny is back and he kills one by one by wearing the costumes of the party goers. Kenny changes costume masks for all the killings disguising himself from an alien lizard, a bird, and an old hag. As the train travels through the icy terrain, the student’s that were responsible for the prank are murdered. The film is packed with thrilling guesses as to who is beneath the mask; with scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis (Alana Maxwell) as Kenny attempts to redeem the kiss from the prank that made him go crazy. All aboard... If you dare! Terror Train has finally been released on a BluRay/DVD combo pack by Scream! Factory the collector’s edition feature is packed with tons of bonus features including, an interview With Production Executive Don Carmody, Producer Daniel Grodnik, Production Designer Glenn Bydwell And Composer John Mills-Cockell and is a must own for any fan of this classic slasher film. You can purchase Terror Train from either Amazon or directly from Scream! Factory as of Oct. 16, 2012.