Scream Queen Hot Tub Party

Scream Queen Hot Tub Party (1991)

*** (out of 4)

Scream Queens Michelle Bauer, Brinke Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Kelli Maroney and Roxanne Kemohan are brought together for a hot tub party. Once all five are in the small hot tub they talk about some of their movies.

As the title clearly suggests, you really shouldn't expect too much plot here as this straight-to-VHS released was simply made to show off nudity. The formula is pretty simple as each of the five Scream Queens talk about certain movies, we then see them naked in that movie and finally they get their own "segment" where they discuss an aspect of being a Scream Queen. For example, when it's Stevens turn, she discusses and shows us the proper way to take a shower in a horror film.

The movie clips include films like THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE 2 and HARD TO DIE. Again, this thing was shot in one day and was clearly meant for directors Fred Olen Ray and Jim Wynorski to make some quick cash. After all, anyone who grew up renting videos back in the day are well aware of these ladies so the idea of them in a hot tub together was something that was going to be an easy sell. You really can't take this film too serious as it's just cheap fun with a lot of nudity.

It's a rare film that brings together so much legendary horror talent—the last time I recall such a gathering of genre greats was in Pete Walker's House of the Long Shadows, only that one didn't have its stars stripping off and hopping into a hot tub together (now that's what I would call horror!).

At less than an hour, the running time for Scream Queen Hot Tub Party is extremely short, just like the nighties the girls wear whilst holding their obligatory Ouija board session; similarly, the plot is thinner than its stars' underwear. Despite this lack of substance, the low, low production values, and some truly groan-worthy dialogue, scream queen fans still get value for money, each lady eagerly showing off their particular horror movie skills while wearing the minimum of clothing.

Brinke Stevens explains the art of the horror movie shower, going through each move in detail (I found things quick and easy to pick up; I'm now a master at soaping up my chest and lifting one leg to hide my naughty bits); Monique Gabrielle does an erotic vampire dance; Michelle Bauer puts Leatherface to shame whirling a chainsaw around like a dervish; Roxanne Kernohan acts goofy and gets attacked by a crappy monster; and, in a special treat for horror fans, the hitherto relatively reserved Kelli Maroney joins in the fun, greasing up her frontage to pump some iron.

'Classic' clips from the girls' finest films pad out the run-time to the full fifty minutes (these can be a bit boring if you've already seen their films in their entirety), after which the lovely ladies grab the soap and help each other to wash those difficult to reach parts of the body.

Pretty much a last harrah for the golden age of Scream Queens, plot-wise the era ends on a whimper. However entertainment wise it ends with a bang. Showing a lot of clips to pad out the still skimpy 49 minute running time and name-dropping other films at the drop of a hat. This film still succeed at what the film's main purpose is: Showing nudity and loads of it. Yea, the jokes are beyond lame and grown worthy, yea the story sucks, and yes the clips DO wear thin quite a bit. But this is pretty much the last movie to find Scream Queens in all their '80's glory. I know it was technically made in the '90's, but trust me it's an 80's movie through and through. (the 80's movies started a bit earlier than the '80's with "the Warriors" by the way)

My Grade: C+

Scream Queen Hot Tub Party is about the most literal title that could be attached to this particular film; a shot-on-video film that plays more like a compilation of seventies and eighties b-movies narrated and discussed by the buxom actresses who starred in them, the film is a video diary that effectively praises all things horror and breast.

Starring five actresses famous for their work in scuzzy b-movies, Brinke Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Kelli Maroney, Michelle Bauer, and Roxanne Kernohan all arrive at a home one day expecting to be a part of a seminar on how to properly create a horror film. When they enter the home, they realize the house is totally empty, but are troubled when they hear the house making eerie and unsettling noises. They order an Ouija board from a delivery service that delivers quicker than a contemporary Jimmy John's and also includes five skimpy nighties, which the girls embrace accordingly. The gaggle of queens proceed to enter a hot tub and reminisce on the conventions of the horror films they have acted in, as well as share their insights on working in the field of b-movies.

This involves Stevens showing us how a scream queen effectively showers, breaking down the conventions step-by-step in a steamy, arousing scene and the remainder of the girls giving us a taste at other attributes to the life of being a scream queen. In the opening of the film, the girls give us unwritten rules of the queen life, with one of the main rules being "no scenery unless they see 'greenery'" and the fact that scream queen girls are not allowed to think in any particular way. It's safe to say these women know their roles in their films, and the eye candy they provide is only elevated to the fact that they are an entertaining bunch to watch, energetic and unpredictable in the way they try to merit some kind of reaction out of the audience, be it a scare or an arousal.

Scream Queen Hot Tub Party's third act (in an affair that's only forty-six minutes long) mainly deals with clips from films of the scream queen era that effectively show what it means to be a queen in action. The clips are pleasant enough, but take away from the true appeal of the film, which is seeing five beauties sharing a hot tub and talking about their experiences on set and in film in general. The film would've benefited the most if it had kept the focus purely on the women at hand rather than serving as a greatest hits compilation for other, unseen queens like Linnea Quigley.

The film was directed by Fred Olen Ray and Jim Wynorski, who has made a long, prosperous career out of showing off the assets of beautiful women and surrounding them with ridiculous, b-movie elements. Scream Queen Hot Tub Party is a delightful ode to those principles, and at least profiles a collection of actresses who have long since go unnoticed and deserve their dues in some respect. At least one can say it's given by a man who knows what he's doing and is very familiar with the area.

Starring: Brinke Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Kelli Maroney, Michelle Bauer, and Roxanne Kernohan. Directed by: Fred Olen Ray and Jim Wynorski.

Five gals are summoned to a mysterious house for a seminar. When they arrive the host is nowhere to be found, so they start out playing with the Ouija board in skimpy nighties. Then they movie into the Hot Tub where each gal takes turns discussing a topic from their career. We get a lesson in horror movie showers and some weight lifting as a few examples. There are movie clips featuring the five main stars, as well as clips featuring other actresses.

I own the Blu Ray edition from Retromedia. I would say if you already own the regular DVD release there's no real extras or improvements in the quality of the film to make it worth upgrading.

Michelle Bauer, Brinke Stevens (Slumber Party Massacre), Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall, Face Down), Monique Gabrielle (Deathstalker II, Bachelor Party) and Roxanne Kernohan (Critters 2) are the gals. I bought this for Kelli Maroney. This was the first time that Kelli Maroney bared any flesh.