A Return to Slumber Parties, Massacres, Horror Parodies, and Feminist Agendas
Clearly, Danishka Esterhazy and her team knew the assignment when they made the 2021 revisioning of Slumber Party Massacre. It’s goofy fun. It plays with plenty of tropes from the original trilogy (well, largely the first two films). It brings in elements from other horror classics. And it changes the story up enough so it feels fresh while also a part of this universe. But is it too much of a self aware parody to let the feminist approach shine through? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we return to the Slumber Party Massacre series for our February 2023 member bonus episode with Esterhazy’s 2021 film Slumber Party Massacre.
Here’s a hint at what we talk about.
This film is a welcome return to the franchise as Esterhazy and screenwriter Suzanne Keilly clearly are having fun with their feminist approach to the story and the parodying of slasher films. They bring in elements from the first two films in ways that allow for great laughs from people who have seen those films. Do they work for people who haven’t seen those though? Or does it suddenly feel like a parody of slasher films that just doesn’t work?
We chat about the change in story with the intentions of our group of girls, not to mention the addition of a second slumber party of guys. We also have the addition of the backstory and the mom character. Does it all work? What about the people in the town, like the woman who runs the convenience store and the car repairman?
It’s an awful lot of fun, even if at times the parody feels so self-aware that it feels they’re losing some steam with their commentary on this type of slasher films. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!
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