Satan's Cheerleaders

 



Director - Greydon Clark (Black Shampoo, Uninvited)
Starring - John Ireland (Waxwork II: Lost in Time, The Graveyard Story), Yvonne De Carlo (Tales from the Crypt, The Munsters), and Jack Kruschen (The Incredible Hulk, City of Angels)
Release Date - 1977
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Come score with the cheerleaders"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love the time that I live in.  I'm a man who values technology and I'm constantly getting new devices and gadgets.  I love them but I can't deny the fact that my sense of style and taste is from decades long passed.  I was born in 86 but when I was growing up, mostly in the 90s, I found myself obsessing over 70s and 80s.   I was always jealous of those that grew up in the 60s and lived through the 70s and 80s.  They witnessed the drive in era, the small town theater booms, the amazing horror trends, and we can't forget about the music.  The biggest heartbreak for any modern movie fan is not living through the drive-in era.  All those campy and cheesy flicks showing on the big screen.  In 1977 the Satanic Panic was in full swing and the devil was a cash cow.  Movies and documentaries popped up everywhere and before long drive-ins were having Satanic double features.  One of those films released that year was Greydon Clark's Satan's Cheerleaders.  The film somewhat fell into obscurity until sometime ago when VCI Entertainment released it on blu. 

     The film follows a cheerleading squad who is known for roughing up the boys in more than one way.  Their creepy janitor has his eye on them but they don't see him for the stud he thinks he is so he turns a Satanic cult.    They promise him that he would have the one he desires but his advancements continue to fail so he tricks them into riding with him and their cheer coach into the woods where the Satanic cult is waiting but they discover the one that he had his eye on actually has a power far more sinister than the dark one they praise. 

     I was excited to check this one out.  I absolutely love the artwork for it.  I love those late 70s style posters and the Satanic films of this time had some of the best.  The artwork perfectly sums up the cheesy feel of the movie.  It did have plenty of room for improvement but I still enjoyed it for the most part.  The acting in this one is campy.  The cast completely hams it up but that adds some fun to the story that would feel like a chore to finish.  The cast works very well together and they try to deliver something fun but their characters are not that entertaining.  Poor writing doesn't stop the cast.  The story for this one is a bit of a stretch considering the film's runtime.  The movie has a fairly smooth pace but there is some scenes that are completely pointless.  They establish that the girls are a little sultry and on the rough side but we get several scenes showcasing this which is rather boring.  I did like the cult angle with the witch high school cheerleader but neither of these were capitalized on like I would have liked.  I would have loved more cult action in this one instead of a driving vehicle to get the girls in the woods.  Finally, if you want blood you wont find it here.  The film is story driven and that left no room for amazing kills.  Overall, Satan's Cheerleaders is far from perfect.  It is cheesy, the acting is full of ham, and the story could use some work but it still entertains.  This is one of those films you can really enjoy late at night with a six pack.  Check it out on blu now from VCI Entertainment.