Seriously scary and oppressively atmospheric, Tobe Hooper’s slasher is an underrated gem worth investigating. Lead Elizabeth Berridge makes a compelling, unusual scream queen, able to channel the same charisma and star quality as Jamie Lee Curtis with some of Stockard Channing’s magnetic severity. The movie itself is creepy and often downright frightening from the first few scenes, and Hooper’s emphasis on suspense over gore is the right choice, leading to a number of suspenseful moments to white-knuckle your way through. Highly recommended for slasher fans, and fans of the aforementioned Jamie Lee Curtis, especially her early run as a scream queen.
Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)
Pop Culture Thoughts 
I love this film. I’m a big Joe Dante fan. I love how he always inserts little homages into his movies.
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Yeah, this one’s great isn’t it! I first saw it in high school, late one night on TV and it frightened me, I remember going to school the next day genuinely unsettled. Good stuff. Did you ever see “Alligator”? (I’m assuming yes lol)
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I liked Alligator too. It’s a real hoot! John Sayles’s script has fun with monster movie cliches. 🙂
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