Written and directed by Mickey Rose
Starring Kristen Riter, Matt Goldsby and Cullen Chambers
USA, 1981
STUDENT BODIES is one of those flicks with VHS box art so good you probably sorta remember it even though the movie itself has sort of faded out of the public consciousness. I always figured it was one of those slasher first, comedy second flicks like SLEEPAWAY CAMP, but it turns out this is basically an AIRPLANE! or NAKED GUN-level send up of slashers. No holds are barred when it comes to the jokes and taste need not apply.
As the movie started, it was almost too much for me. Even though I compared it to a couple Zucker classics above, that’s more in style and tone, not necessarily in quality or execution. STUDENT BODIES wishes it was those movies. Every now and then it gets there, but a lot of the jokes are too corny even for me. Still, I have to admit, I laughed a few times in spite of myself, and a lot of that is because the sense of humor is just so weird and particular that I kinda had to.
STUDENT BODIES borrows its plot from slashers like HALLOWEEN, and has the “good girl” desperately trying to figure out who the heavy-breathing, first-person killer is before the next teen couple who sneaks off to hook up at an inopportune time gets offed. There are a lot of suspects and, I have to admit, I did not guess the ending. In some ways the movie is ahead of its time, presaging SCREAM a little bit. I assume Kevin Williamson MUST have rented this as teenager.
Interestingly, the stars of this indie product (which was picked up and released by Paramount), never really went on to do anything else. I say that’s interesting because they’re all pretty good for being Texas locals who never set foot in Hollywood. The movie’s worth watching just to see all the get-up-and-go on display, here.
But, it can be a tough watch. There are pacing issues, the jokes are all over the place, and it’s repetitive, by design. Still, I’ve seen dumber slashers and sadder comedies, for sure.
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