PARTY NIGHT ** U.S.A. 2017 Dir: Troy Escamilla 70 mins
So many great slasher films are out there and for first time indie filmmakers its a genre which suits the modest budgets they have. With that in mind here is another slasher film which nods to the heyday of the 80’s slasher films boom, PARTY NIGHT. Deciding to ditch their prom night so they can spend what could be their final chance to be with each other, 6 friends head to one of the groups uncles cabin. Naturally it is secluded and is perfect for having sex, partying and getting drunk. As the night goes on and tempers rise, someone is out in the dark making this a killer party to remember…if you survive.
Original this film is not but it hits all the right notes for what it sets out to be, a love letter to 80’s slashers. Quick kills, a simplistic plot and characters that make you scream “what are you doing?” before they get killed off are all here to enjoy. The killer isn’t particularly memorable but you don’t see the killer in full on shots too often to make it a big issue. At times it is hard to work out what people are saying due to sound issues, but I can’t see these characters are having philosophical debates in between getting drunk. Troy Escamilla would follow up PARTY NIGHT with another slasher film heavily influenced by 80’s slasher movies, the 2018 film MRS. CLAUS.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins