Whereas my viewing of Mortuary last week proved to be a circuitous path on the way to an oddball slasher film, this week the MVD Rewind Collection has presented me with a throwback horror film that is everything it appears to be on the surface – which is perfectly fine! The House on Sorority Row has never been considered the pinnacle of the slasher genre, but it has gained a steady cult following over the years. The 1982 film from Mark Rosman capably traverses the genre conventions with a killer who has been wronged and a bevy of scantily clad victims who are bound to get their just desserts in a spectacularly gnarly fashion. Modern audiences may unfortunately have a greater familiarity with the 2009 remake Sorority Row, but if you want the real down and dirty experience you have to make time for this original iteration and all of its cheesy charm.
The image of a young expectant mother first graces our screen in a flashback to a stormy night in the 1960s. The screams of the wailing woman permeate the halls of the institute where she currently resides. As the doctor, Dr. Beck (Christopher Lawrence), enters the room the woman cries out for her newborn child, but the solemn look on his face registers that all is not well. Those familiar with horror conventions know that this tragic night is not going to bode well for the house of graduates in “present day” early 1980s who are on the cusp of moving out of their sorority house. Especially considering the fact that their house mother, Mrs. Slater (Lois Kelso Hunt), is that young woman who lost her child all of those years ago. The seven sorority sisters – Katey, Vicki, Liz, Jeanie, Diane, Morgan, and Stevie – have decided to go against the wishes of Mrs. Slater and have a graduation party at the sorority house. When Mrs. Slater gets to become too much of a nuisance for some of the girls, they attempt to play a nasty prank on her that backfires in a spectacular fashion.
The script gives you the bare minimum amount of character development for these seven girls before the bodies start piling up about a third of the way into this spry 90-minute film. Vicki (Eileen Davidson) is the de facto “bad girl” of the group that holds the biggest grudge against the old lady. She holds a lot of sway over her sisters, even going as far as convincing them not to call the police when tragedy strikes. Katherine (Kathryn McNeil), on the other hand, is the prototypical final girl who does not want to cause trouble and tries to inject some morality into the messed up scenario in which they find themselves. McNeil is pretty solid and likable in the role, while Davidson devours every moment of being an agent of chaos. She will have you pulling your hair out, but she does what she needs to with the character. The remainder of the girls are not given much to do before they are dispatched in a ridiculously violent fashion. You can tell that the team behind the film can understand the limitations of some of the performers, so those people are given noticeably less dialogue. Being a movie from the 80s, they make up for this with gratuitous nudity before being stabbed in the face.
As a slasher film, you kind of have to judge it based on the effectiveness of the kills. Using that metric, The House on Sorority Row runs about even with its contemporaries. You can see the seams of the makeup and effects work, but that is part of what gives the film its nostalgic charm. They do not go overboard with the inventiveness of the kills, but the serial killer is swift in their dispatching of victims. One aspect that does not really help the movie is the lack of genuine surprise with any of the developments. Any time you think there is about to be a murder, there almost certainly is which takes away the tension. The story itself is predictable but serves as a decent framework for these ladies to get “what they deserve” in a Greek tragedy type of way. This film will not convert anyone to be a fan of the genre, but longtime enthusiasts will likely delight in its comforting predictability.
Video Quality
The House on Sorority Row returns to Blu-Ray via the MVD Rewind Collection with a 1080p transfer. The source of the transfer appears to be the one used for the Scorpion Releasing Blu-Ray before it went out of print, if the back cover art with the Scorpion Releasing logo is any indication. The results are pleasing enough given the low-rent nature of the film with an organically filmic presentation that only occasionally suffers from some juddering and clumpy grain. There is the occasional nick or scratch present in the print, but overall this is free of severe damage. For the majority of the film, the transfer is moderately detailed, but there is the occasional shot that runs on the soft side or experiences some fluctuations in density. The presentation features some pleasing detail in the production design and texture of clothing. The black levels could be a bit stronger as they struggle with depth. Colors are fairly vibrant and bright, especially in the daytime portions of the film with lovely shots of nature. This is a fairly solid presentation for a film that has a very low-rent aesthetic.
Audio Quality
MVD Entertainment brings us this new Blu-Ray with an LPCM 2.0 stereo track that offers a very strong audio experience. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the chatter at the party and the sound of a body being thrown into a pool. This track does not present with any glaring instances of age related wear and tear. This is a track that represents the film in a very pleasing way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary #1: Host Katarina Leigh Waters talks with Director Mark Rosman about the process of making this film including the original intention to have the opening in black & white, how he got around using a crane, the budgetary constraints of the film, the casting process, getting into Disney Channel movies after this film, the special effects in the film and more. The hosting skills leave a bit to be desired, but there are some good anecdotes provided.
- Audio Commentary #2: Director Mark Rosman and Stars Eileen Davidson and Kathryn McNeil cover much of the same territory as the previous track, but the two actresses do offer up some nice background perspective on their roles in the film and what it was like during filming and their thoughts on the legacy of the film. There are some dead spots, but overall there is a lot of good stuff to dig into.
- Interview with Star Harley Jane Kozak: A 42-minute interview with “Diane” in which the star discusses becoming involved with the production, memories of the shooting locations, dangerous stunts, her thoughts on the remake, the ups and downs of her subsequent career and much more. This interview is a pure delight and delivered with a refreshing honesty that you do not often get.
- Interview with Star Eileen Davidson: A 7-minute interview with “Vicki” in which she discusses her introduction into acting, getting the role in this film, the atmosphere of the set, projects that she has worked on in subsequent years and more.
- Interview with Star Kathryn McNeil: A 14-minute interview with “Katherine” in which she discusses what got her into acting, the daunting nature of having the lead role, freaky shooting situations, shooting in the disgusting pool and more.
- Interview with Director Mark Rosman: A 21-minute interview with Rosman in which he discusses his start in the business, how he got connected with the film, experiences of getting around SAG rules, working with Brian De Palma, assembling the team for the film and more.
- Interview with Composer Richard Band: A 45-minute interview with the film’s composer in which he discusses getting involved with the project, his desire to bring an orchestral sound to the film, creating key themes within the film, how the experience compares to his subsequent work, other projects that he has scored and more.
- Interview with Composer Igo Kantor: A 10-minute interview with the post-production supervisor in which he discusses getting the movie into fighting shape in terms of music, continuity, visual effects work and more.
- Original Pre-Credit Sequence: The original black-and-white version of the opening is included which looks more natural than what we got in the film.
- Alternate Ending Storyboards: A 7-minute piece in which director Mark Rosman takes you through his original vision of the ending before going into a comparison piece of storyboard and the finished product.
- Alternate Mono Audio Version with Re-Timed Pre-Credit Sequence: As described, the feature allows you to watch the film with the original black-and-white opening as well as in Dolby Digital 2.0 mono, which honestly is a great way to view this film. It is nice to have the option.
- Trailers: A Theatrical Trailer (3:10) and TV Spots (4:36) are provided for The House on Sorority Row. There are also trailers provided for Mind Games, Dahmer, Mikey and Mortuary.
- Poster: A fold-out poster of the cover art is included in the case.
Final Thoughts
The House on Sorority Row does nothing particularly well to make it stand out in a sea of 80s slasher films, but it serves as an entertaining distraction from the world while you are watching it. The movie is very much a product of its time with two-dimensional female protagonists propped up as sex objects and dispatched in a hostile manner. Even if you try to twist the facts to fit your needs, you would be hard-pressed to latch on to any female empowerment angle. MVD Entertainment has brought this cult favorite back in print with a new Blu-Ray sporting a pleasing A/V presentation, a surprising number of special features and some throwback packaging that is quite fun. If you are an 80s slasher film fan, go ahead and pick this one up if you do not own it. Recommended
The House on Sorority Row is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.