The Slayer

Director - J.S. Cardone (The Forsaken, Shadowzone)
Starring - Sarah Kendall (The Karate Kid Part II), Frederick Flynn (Thunder Alley, Rockford Files), and Carol Kottenbrook (Thriller Zone, Survival Quest)
Release Date - 1982
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Is it a nightmare?  or is it..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Just when you think you've seen most of the slashers from slasher's golden age you discover another one that has slipped through the cracks.  I've spent most of my life collecting movies and I'm always hunting for something new to add to my collection.  While I love all horror I still have a soft spot for slashers.  I've thought I've heard of most of the slashers released from the late 70s and 80s but several times a week I learn of one that I have never heard of before.  Sometime ago Arrow Video announced that they would be releasing the 1982 slasher The Slayer on blu.  This was the first time I had heard of this.  When the U.S. release was available my friends over at MVD was kind enough to send over a review copy for me to check out.  Thank you guys so much!

     The film follows two couples; Eric, his wife Brooke, his sister Kay and Kay's husband David who head to a remote island for vacation.  Once they land they are informed of an approaching storm that could impede their relaxation but refuse to leave.  That night Kay's husband goes missing and she has a horrible dream that he was beheaded.  She tells her brother of her dream and he plays it off as her losing her mind.  He tries to find him the following day and suffers the same fate.  Now Kay is left alone with her sister in law as they try to unlock the secrets of the island and Kay's lucid dreams.  Who is killing and why has Kay been having dreams of this place for decades?
     I didn't know what to expect from The Slayer.  Was it going o be a shitty low rate slasher or was it going to be something that truly impressed me?  I really enjoyed the film for what its worth but there was something that let me down.  The acting in this one is fun.  The cast doesn't really make their characters stand out from other slashers of the time but they still deliver solid performances.  I really liked the characters we were given even though they would be classified as generic.  The story for this one flows like the classic slashers that I really love.  The teenagers in the cabin/woods has been replaced with grown adults on a private island but the stalking and killing is still the same.  The killer reveal is always one of my favorite parts of these slashers and this one let me down.  It was predictable and not used effectively.  I was also disappointed with the creature on the cover not having a bigger appearance in the film.  One would think that something on the cover of the movie would have more screen time that 20 seconds.  Finally, the film doesn't have a big body count.  In fact, it has less than a handful but it still delivers on some fun kills.  The practical effects are fantastic and rival anything from the early 80s.  Some of the kills will not be easily forgotten but a few are quick to leave your mind.  Overall, The Slayer is an underrated slasher that really needed the Arrow Video treatment.  This is one for horror and slasher fans alike so add it to your collection.