Written by Patti Pauley

Move over Slumber Party, Sorority House, and every other ’80s horror film with “massacre” in the title; Pool Party Massacre is rebooting the classic ’80s tit and gore fest that usually comes along with these sort of titles in the most epic of ways.

Several weeks ago, I became acquainted through the horror community’s interwebs with a goal-oriented, passionate horror fan by the name of Drew Marvick, who also happens to be a fellow local in my hometown of Las Vegas. Marvick pitched me his new movie that has already made its Vegas premiere in early April entitled Pool Party Massacre. A film that the fellow Nevadan, writer and the director calls a fun-time bloodbath that any fan of  1980’s horror will appreciate.

I was pretty much already sold on just Massacre already being in the title. Fantastic.

 

The plot is fairly simple- a wealthy, entitled girl by the name of Blair invites her fellow bitch brigade over for an elite pool party while her so-snooty-it’s-comical parents are out-of-town. Perfect setup for a slasher film, eh? The Pool Party Butcher, for unknown reasons until the very end, begins a bloody rampage throughout the gathering, offing the guests, and a few standbyers, one by one in unique form as the killer switches weapons for each victim using various hardware tools to getter’ done that results in pools of blood each go around.

We have our crew of under-dressed gals, along with that one outsider who doesn’t quite fit in with the clique, appropriately named Nancy (as we all know very well girls named Nancy in a horror film are usually the level-headed ones- i.e Stranger Things, NOES), who range from ditzy bitch to outright bitch of the year who you’re right away, already clamoring for their deaths. However, as scenes with the crew of girls who channeled their inner Rose McGowans’ from Jawbreaker progressed with interactions with each other, the hurling straightforward insults from one girl to another as they just utterly and unforgivingly riff on each other had me falling off my chair in tears. “The only job you truly qualify for is being a hooker. So get your lips around that rich dick, and hold on tight!”

There’s plenty of those kinds of national treasure type lines throughout this film. I promise.

One of the biggest treats for me in this film, was the comedy relief of Clay played by Nick Byer. Holy shit, this guy is an aspiring Danny McBride as the raunchy jokes just got filthier, funnier, and helped pace the movie along between kills with leaving you pissing your pants laughing. Each time this guy was on-screen, I knew to put my drink down for fear of liquids seeping through thine nostrils.

From the opening 8-bit credits ringing those ’80s nostalgic bells set to some kick-ass metal tunes to the synthesizer score, and the twist at the end I didn’t even see coming, Pool Party Massacre pleasantly surprised me by surpassing all expectations for the movie. It’s an all around fun time horror flick, perfect for a Friday night movie party with friends and booze and if my better half, who can be the BIGGEST horror movie snob of them all found it enjoyable, I think anyone reading this is really going to have a lot of fun in a viewing.

The film stars Kristin Noel McKusick, Margaux Némé, Crystal Stoney, Jenifer Marvick, Destiny Faith Nelson, Alexis Adams, Dora Deceuninck, Paul Card, Nick Byer, Jimmy Grosse, Sally Burnswello, John Molinaro, Mark Justice, Cameron Lee Vamp, and LeeAnna Vamp and is available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray, and even VHS form directly from the movie’s official website by clicking here! Have to say, a movie like this to be released on classic VHS, is so refreshing to see and gives me all the goddamn fuzzies. Well done Drew Marvick. This horror community salutes the hell out of you and this instant cult classic, Pool Party Massacre!

Also note, if you happen to be attending Orlando’s Spooky Empire this weekend, make sure to stop by the Pool Party Massacre booth and swoop up the movie along with some sweet merch!