Previously banned in the UK (Why?) this film was the first offering from
Director Stephen Carpenter who most recently brought us the tepid ‘Soul
Survivors’, and whilst it appears to be very low budget it isn’t too bad.
The premise sees students who are short of cash, staying at college over
the Christmas holidays to close down Morgan Meadows Hall, an old dorm, in
preparation for it to be converted into flats.
The supporting characters all worry that the kid’s are not all right and
then promptly go on skiing holidays and back home leaving them all alone
(nice).
Many people complain that the prologue has nothing to do with the actual
film but in fact all it does is set up the film in a way that so many
others have.
Most notable for containing Daphne Zuniga’s film debut, the rest of the
main cast are mostly likeable though clearly all amateurs (reinforced by
the fact that none of them have acted since).
The kills are well orchestrated and there is a suitably creepy atmosphere
provided for them by the also suitably creepy location and score (the
first by genre favourite Christopher Young).
Whilst it does have it’s moments of cheesy dialogue and acting, it does
offer some new aspects that were very against the norm in the early ‘s,
although I still don’t know why it was banned here in the UK?
OVERALL SUMMARY
A very good first attempt for Stephen Carpenter (and partner Jeffrey
Obrow) a Director who has good ideas but often seems to hit snags that
inevitably hamper the success of his films.
