Student Bodies (1981)

Directed by Mickey Rose.

Starring Kristen Riter and Richard Belzer.

IMDB

Probably the first outright horror parody, pre-dating stuff like Scream and Scary Movie by a decade and a half.

By the trailer, you can see that this was inspired by the previous years "Airplane". Mickey Rose, who wrote and directed, was once part of Woody Allen's team and co-wrote many of the early screwball comedies of Allen's career.

The parallels to today are striking. We are now seeing a slasher renaissance in Hollywood and soon enough we will be seeing the parody films in their wake. Student Bodies was released in reaction to the major success of films like Halloween and Friday The 13th from the first slasher wave.

The next Scary Movie is probably already on it's way.

This movie also features a scene that is strikingly similar to the opening of the first Scream film. It's probably no coincidence.

Happy Birthday to Me (1981)

Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Starring Melissa Sue Anderson and Glenn Ford.

IMDB

A classic Canadian slasher with one of the most memorable posters of the 80's. The producers of this movie were also responsible for the other giant of Canadian slasher films, My Bloody Valentine from the same year.

A fine example of "Canuxploitation".

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Directed by Dan O'Bannon.

Starring Clu Gulager and James Karen.

IMDB

Self-explanatory. If you're reading this site, you've already seen this movie a hundred times.

This is a staple of the 80's video rental days and this spent a lot of time in my VCR as a kid. Plus, it's a hell of a trailer.

Witchery (1988)

Clip: Linda Blair vs David Hasselhoff



Directed by Fabrizio Laurenti.

Starring Linda Blair and David Hasselhoff.

IMDB

Linda Blair and the Hoff in an 80's Italian horror movie? That is the very definition of must-see.

In fact, director Laurenti even managed to convince Blair to do an Exorcist style possession scene which puts this film over the top. Witchery also recycles a few old Suspiria themes with the witch angle but also with the shimmering medallion that seems to hypnotize people. This trailer makes the film seem more brutal and violent than it really feels when you watch the full-length but it will definitely please gore hounds as well.

I recommend this film as the finale in an all-Linda Blair 80's weekend. Start with Hell Night, then Savage Streets and finally, the all-mighty Witchery.

Penitentiary (1979)

Directed by Jamaa Fanaka.

Starring Leon Isaac Kennedy.

IMDB

This film seems to split people down the middle: they either love it or detest it. I'm in the former and I think it belongs on any list of tragically underrated films. There is so much grit coming at you that you'll be chiseling it off your shoulders for weeks.

This is some real low-budget fare but it's worth the ticket if you like prison films.

Black Shampoo (1976)

Directed by Greydon Clark.

Starring Gary Allen, Kelly Beau and Jack Meoff!!!

IMDB

This was Greydon Clark's first movie and it comes a bit late in the blaxploitation cycle and is largely forgotten nowadays. Clark would go on to direct the awesome 80's videogame movie called Joysticks in 1983.

Black Shampoo is definitely in the "Shaft" and "Slaughter" school of blaxploitation movies but it sort of veers into Jack Hill-esque ridiculousness. Highly recommended. It's available from VCI Video on DVD.

The Cheerleaders (1973)

Directed by Paul Glickler.

Starring Stephanie Fondue, Denise Dillaway and Jovita Bush.

IMDB

Mid-70's sex comedy that spawned two sequels, including the Jack Hill (Coffy) directed Swinging Cheerleaders in 74.

What is hilarious about this trailer is that the last minute or so is just a flagrant succession of butt shots. This is the type of film Clark Griswold probably watched while going to college in the 70's.