The Slayer

Four young people vacation on a barren island. One of them, a female artist, has dreams that depict ghastly murders. Sure enough, the fun begins when her boyfriend is found dead, and others begin to die, too. Soon, she becomes awear that something in her nightmares is escaping threw her dreams...and it ain't Freddy Krueger! A decent, watchable horror movie. I wonder if Wes Craven got the idea from this film for "A nightmare on elm street"? (Hmm, it makes one wonder…) The acting is generally pretty good, with the exception of Kay (Sarah Kendall) who overacted terribly. I've always liked the director, J.S. Cardone, He's capable of taking a generic plot and making it interesting and intelligent (See "Shadowzone" and "Alien Hunter", both were smart and enjoyable sci-fi movies that he scripted himself.) and he does well here with the creepy atmosphere he delivers. There's enough gore to satisfy, the pitchfork-threw-chest death scene being the best, but the gore is delivered just sparsely enough to make it effective. And the monster, once it finally shows up, looks really cool. I recommend "The Slayer" to horror fans, it's kind of different then the rest of the early 80's slashers, and one of the better ones at that. My rating for "The Slayer"—6.5/10.

Very few of the original 'video-nasties' were actually good. This one was definitely not one of the good ones. My biggest disappointment came when I realised that the monster that is shown on the DVD menu only properly shows up in the last minute of the film. So DVD menus have ruined another film for me. Trailers ruin films too sometimes. Like Spiders (2000) told me the ending in the trailer. I hate that. Anyway if you manage to not see the monster before you watch the film then this may be a little better for you. The story bumbles along telling us of nightmares, isolation and killing. It was actually quite gory even though there were only five people to kill off. What also surprised me was that there was actually a bit of atmosphere - just not enough. It was a film of not enough; they just needed more of everything to make it average.

Struggling artist Kay (Sarah Kendall), her husband (Frederick Flynn) and another couple (Carol Kottenbrook and Alan McRae), take an impromptu vacation to a remote island to get away from it all. Unfortunately for them, the terrible dreams that have haunted Kay since girlhood have followed her to the island. While Kay slumbers, one by one, her beloved and her friends are slowly and gruesomely picked off. Is it Kay's subconscious or is it... "The Slayer"?

Released in 1982, a time where you couldn't throw a cat (or a hammer?) without hitting a slasher film, "The Slayer" is in good company, but also stands out from the pack in a few ways. First off, unlike your "Prom Night" or "My Bloody Valentine," this film isn't about teens getting cut up. This is a movie about adults, and despite some dodgy acting here and there, these characters feel like a real, tight-knit group of people who care about each other, which makes their grisly fates even more effective. Also, this isn't exactly a body count flick. With only four characters (well, there's also the pilot who pops in and out of the plot), that pretty much goes without saying. As a result, "The Slayer" is slow and steady, and focuses on the surreal more than it does in grossing you out.

On the technical side of things, the haunting, desolated beach-side setting and the gorgeous cinematography help to keep things interesting during the movie's slower parts. Also of note are the special effects which, while few and far between, are pretty well accomplished for such a small-budget affair. They couldn't get Tom Savini, but Robert Babb does his best to keep you (ahem) hooked. Likewise, the score that serves as the backdrop to the horror adds a touch of class rarely associated with the genre.

There's a lot going on in this deceptively simple little film. Much like, say, "Phantasm," it plays with your expectations and makes you question that what you've seen was real (or at least real in the context of the film). If you watch it late at night, it will beg another viewing in the morning just to make sure you got everything. It's that kind of movie. For its modest intentions and humble origins, "The Slayer" pretty much slays. Fans of the genre who have patience for the more deliberately paced side of things won't want to sleep on this.

Two couples in their 30s take a vacation to a secluded isle off the coast when a storm hits and people mysteriously start dying one-by-one. Kay, a troubled artist (Sarah Kendall), says she sees everything in her nightmares before it happens.

I suppose "The Slayer" (1982), aka "Nightmare Island," could be classified as a slasher flick, but it's more accurately a mystery-horror with haunting remote island ambiance, sort of like "The Shuttered Room" (1967), but mixed with elements of moody coastal horror, such as "The Fog" (1980). "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" (1998) took the stormy island setting to forge a more conventional slasher.

The filmmaking is top-notch for the time period, including the superb score. Carol Kottenbrook as Brooke is a highlight, lookin' good in tight jeans. Kendall shows her acting chops as the haunted protagonist. Meanwhile the titular character is diabolically hideous, but you barely get to see him. Yet there's a twist and, even then, the movie's an enigma wrapped in a riddle.

The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot on Tybee Island, Georgia, and nearby Savannah.

GRADE: B

The Slayer only manages to scrape its way in to the slasher genre with its heels dragging across the floor. Like The Dead Pit, Hard Cover and Small Town Massacre; J.S. Cardone's video nasty includes many of the prominent trappings, but tries to incorporate something slightly different. The majority of the runtime is pretty standard stuff as a silhouetted killer hacks off cast members one by one. But when the maniac is revealed to be a supernatural monster, Cardone stretches the realms of the category beyond tradition. There's certainly nothing wrong with a tad of originality, but the stalk and slash cycle is renowned for its stringent similarities. This of course pushes titles like Pledge Night, Child's Play and A Nightmare on Elm Street just outside of the equation. Much has been written about The Slayer's obvious links to the creation of Wes Craven's Freddy franchise, so I won't dwell too much on that topic. But it's worth recognising the fact that Mr. Craven almost certainly lifted a few plot points from this and the Frankie Avalon bore fest of the following year (Blood Song) to come up with the idea for his huge horror series.

Surreal artist Kay (Sarah Kendall) has been having the same reoccurring dark dream since she was a young child. It contains vivid images of a horrific monster that stalks her in a flame filled room. Even though the nightmare has plagued her more and more over the past few days, she has never been able to see it through to its conclusion. Her Doctor husband David (Alan McRae) has agreed to take her away on a trip with her brother Eric (Frederick Flynn) and his wife Brooke (Carol Kottenbrook). He hopes that a little break from the pressures of everyday life will finally put an end to the restless nights. They have borrowed a beautiful house on a secluded island, which at this time of the year remains virtually un-inhabited. The rugged beauty of the isle immediately captivates Eric, but Kay is spooked because she believes that she has been there sometime before. On the first night they are warned that a dangerous storm is thundering towards the land, and it's arrival sends the atmosphere into total chaos. The following morning when they awaken, David has disappeared, unbeknownst to them semi-decapitated by an unseen menace. Before long, the silhouetted killer begins stalking the island with a pitchfork, looking to turn Kay's dreams into a shocking reality.

The Slayer succeeds in being one of the few video nasties that someway lives up to its gruesome reputation. Robert Folk's impressively orchestrated score keeps the tension running high and J.S. Cardone's razor sharp direction builds a few satisfying scares throughout the runtime. Although Richard short's special effects don't stand up to the scrutiny of Tom Savini's greatest hits, there's still some memorable gore scenes on offer. One guy gets semi decapitated in an ingenious killing that has surprisingly never been imitated over the following years, and there's a decidedly grisly pitchfork impalement that is worth the budget purchase price alone. The film does drag somewhat in places, but some splendid scenes, which see Kay battling to stay awake and prevent the monster's reappearance, salvage the final third. A good plot twist in the closing scene makes up for the somewhat brief showdown when the beast is finally unveiled and the net result is a thoroughly satisfying bloodbath.

Unfortunately, the years haven't been to kind to this feature and the digitally remastered DVD cannot hide the numerous blips on the negative. The level of performance from the cast is also fairly questionable, especially the lack of emotion from Sarah Kendall. Even when her brother and husband have been slaughtered she fails to look anything other than totally flat. At times Cardone also falls foul to the old 'victim # 1 goes missing so victim # 2 goes looking for him', which shows a slight weakness in the screenplay. But the intriguing set locations, some stunning aerial photography and a decent score (recorded at London's notorious Abbey Road studios) make up for the shortcomings.

The Slayer is one of the many old horror movies that have been re-released totally unedited on budget DVD. You can pick it up for next to nothing on Amazon, so there's really no reason why you shouldn't. Captivating, compelling and at times downright gruesome, this one is certainly worth picking up.