A Closer Look at 'Slumber Party Massacre (2021)': A Chat with Director Danishka Esterhazy (Spoilers)

Hello everyone, hope everyone has had a good few weeks. So who watched SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (2021)? It had a successful premiere over on SYFY. And it's available now to buy digitally. 

If you haven't checked out my first chat with director Danishka Esterhazy, you can check it out. Today, I am happy to share the second half. Now it says in the title that this will be spoiler filled, if don't wish for spoilers - turn away and check out the film. Okay, still there? Cool, you can check out the chat below.

SPOILERS.....LAST WARNING....

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The beginning of the film is fantastic. Like I had mentioned in my review, it felt in tone with how say the My Bloody Valentine from 2009 began. It's like a short sweet bite sized version of the original film. What was the decision that decided to set it in the early 90s as opposed to the early 80s? 

Thank you! We wanted that opening sequence to feel very retro. We had to move the date to the 90s so that Dana could be a young woman in 2021.

The Driller Killer Russell. Is there more to his story? He seemed a little one note in a sense. But again, that was done in the original as well. Is he just an escaped patient from an asylum?

There is a hint about our backstory in the Crime Bandits podcast that Dana is listening to in her first scene…

The second killer. This was something that I didn't see coming. The reveal was fantastic. It's nice cause it fleshes out Russell's backstory a little more. It feels like there could be more with his mother. Was that an homage to Friday the 13th? 

We were definitely thinking of Friday the 13th. And Psycho. And Carrie. Who doesn’t love a killer mom?

It feels similar to Pamela Voorhees. But in a funny way, could see those two being good friends and teasing recipes. 

I sense a short film in the making …

The bros over at the cabin.This was a fantastic thing that caught me off guard at first. It just adds a whole layer of fun to the film. Because we see what the girls view as a typical slumber party etiquette. But then when the girls see the guys, they manage to outdo them.

Reversing the gaze was a lot of fun. I wanted to poke fun at the ridiculous sexism of 80s and 90s horror. Because … sheesh!!!!

Also what were the guys going to do if they found Russell? Just say Hi? 

They didn’t have a great plan! And they didn’t really expect to find him. The just wanted to drink and fanboy together.

I also love that the guys end up calling two of them Guy 1 and Guy 2. That whole through line with the joke was so good. Were there names really Guy?

That was Suzanne’s joke from the beginning! I was skeptical that the joke wouldn’t work. But it did! Always trust your writer.

The character of Matt. What is his deal? He seemed like a huge red herring for a bit of the film. It was to the point where I thought somehow he was going to be Russell's son. But I just can't stop thinking there's more to him going on than we see. Was he just some average bro?

Ha! I did hope that the audience would suspect Matt or John of being the killer. They are an intentional red herring. But, in the end, they are just bros.

There was also a moment or two that I thought maybe Dana would somehow turn out to be Russell's daughter. Especially after Dana's mom is reintroduced towards the end of the film with her interaction with Russell's mom at first.

Interesting! Nope. Russ is definitely not the Dad.

How was it getting to have a Battle of the Moms in a way? 

Super fun. Jennifer and Schelaine are both amazing actors. Smart, committed, nuanced. Working with them was a total blast.

Who is Dana's father? 

A man that Trish met several years after Russ killed her friends. Dana’s dad was in one of the earlier drafts of the script but we later cut him out. Decided that Trish was now a single mom.

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Thank you everyone for checking this out. This has been a great experience getting to chat about the new Slumber Party Massacre. This was my first big film that I had the chance of officially covering. Never thought I'd get the chance to do so and am super grateful for. Check out BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter. 

Coming up we are going to be closing out 31 on 31 for Halloween series. Who is excited for that? We also have some great stuff coming up as well. So stay tuned and come on back.

Inside 'Slumber Party Massacre '21': A Chat with Danishka Esterhazy Part 1

Here we are on the eve of Shout! Studios and SYFY's SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE! I am super excited for tonight's premiere. Earlier this week, I had the chance to talk with the director Danishka Esterhazy about the film. 

How were you introduced to the horror genre?

My mother loved scary movies and ghost stories so I was introduced to horror at an early age.

What is your favorite horror movie?

I love so many horror movies. For classic picks – The Shining. For modern picks – It Follows.

What do you think it is about horror that makes it seemingly everlasting? 

I think we all need the catharsis that horror offers.

 When I was doing researched, I noticed that you had directed The Banana Splits Movie from a few years back. 

I did indeed!

What was it that drew you to that project?

I’ve always loved animatronics. So, the idea of killer mascot robots really appealed to me. It reminded me of the original Westworld – which I love.

How was it filming that compared to this film?

Lots of similarities! I shot both films in Cape Town with mostly the same crew. When you find a great crew, you want to work with them again and again.

How did you feel that film turned out? What was the audience response to it? 

Some people loved it! Some people did not. It’s a horror comedy with lots of gore. Which is something I really enjoy! But it is not everyone’s favorite genre.

In a way, you kinda paved the way for other films such as Willy's Wonderland. Definitely makes a great double feature. 

 I think they would make a fabulous double feature.

What is your experience with the original Slumber Party Massacre? If you've seen it, what did you think of it? 

I’ve watched the original many times. I love Amy Holden Jones’ direction. She is a master with actor blocking, pacing, intercuts. Her experience as a film editor really shows.

Many fans will undoubtedly compare this to that film. How would you like to set the story straight as to how this is different?

I hope fans will see my film as both a homage to the original film and a satire of 80s slasher tropes. 

How did you come to the project? 

I was invited to pitch this project to Shout Factory by SyFy executive Josh van Houdt. So, Josh and screenwriter Suzanne Keilly and myself came up with a vision for the remake and we pitched that vision to Shout – who owns all the Roger Corman film rights. Shout loved our plans for the remake! So, we started to collaborate, along with producers from Blue Ice Pictures, to make it happen.

What was it that just sold you on this take for this film? 

I wanted to embrace the fun and the gore of 80s slasher films. But update the sexual politics. 

The cinematography is pretty fantastic in the film. What was it like finding the right tones for that cinematography? 

All that praise belongs to cinematographer Trevor Calverley. Slumber Party is our third time shooting together. I love Trevor’s work. He (and his camera team) are just amazing. I can’t wait to shoot with them again!

How long was the shoot?

18 days.

What was it like shooting in South Africa?

Wonderful! The crews in Cape Town are world class. I love shooting in South Africa.

Do you think the cast fit their characters?

I think casting is all about finding an actor who fits the role but also leaving room for the role to absorb parts of the actor. The two parts should merge to create something unique that reflects the actor, the writer and the director. It’s a magical combination.

 There's a lot of subverting the expectations for this film. It's something that definitely helps create a unique approach for the story. Was that fun being able to surprise the audience?

Suzanne’s script is full of surprises. It was so much fun planning the twists, the misdirections, the surprises.

There is some gore in the film. Was there more that originally happened?

We did cut 1 or 2 death scenes because of time and budget. But everything we shot is in the film.

How has it been seeing all of the responses so far to Slumber Party Massacre? 

Wonderful! The festival premiere at Fantastic Fest was such a blast. And we won an Audience Choice Award from the Fantastic Fiends! I am really excited to see how the SyFy and Starz audiences react to the film.

Is there a chance that we may see a sequel? If the right story was found.

I’d love to do a sequel.

What's next for you?

I am working on a great new TV series for SyFy called Astrid and Lilly Save the World. It comes out early next year and it is hilarious!! 

Slumber Party Massacre airs Oct. 16th on SYFY at 9 PM PT/ET. 

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You Know The Drill: Slumber Party Massacre (2021)

When I first watched the original Slumber Party Massacre, I loved it. Earlier this year, I had the chance to revisit it. It held up extremely well. It was the first time that my partner, Mandy, got to watch the film. They loved it. It has a very distinct unique voice. One that was different from other slashers at the time. It had a very feminine perspective - credit for that must go to Amy Holden Jones and Rita Mae Brown. It definitely played upon ones expectations on what a slasher film could be. It resulted in a film that was a love letter to the genre while also having fun with it. 

When it was first announced that it would be receiving a remake, I was a bit hesitant. Actually I'll admit it, I was very skeptical. The original was a very good film. *Note to self: Must track it down on blu-ray.* Then I started to think about it after hearing it would be from Shout! Studios and SYFY. I started to become a bit more open to the idea of it. I wasn't exactly sure how they would adapt it. There are definitely many ways that one could go about doing so. That's honestly one of the beautiful aspects of approaching a remake, it is a bit of an open slate. 

Then the trailer was released, it looked like fun. It looked like it was approaching the material with respect and honor. I immediately was like Let's Go! I even remember looking at my partner with a huge smile on my face. They were like What are you smirking about? I immediately turned my phone and showed them the trailer. Mandy was on board as well. At that time, word had begun to get out from Fantastic Fest screening. The word was its good. My excitement just continued to grow for the film. 

After that, I decided that I would just take my shot and reach out to those involved. Thank you to Danishka Esterhazy, SYFY and NBCUniversal for allowing me this huge opportunity. 

Now, I'm not going to be diving into spoilers with this review. That's not what this one is going to be about. Be patient and after the film is released, we will be diving deeper into things. 

With all of that out of the way, is Slumber Party Massacre (2021) a Slumber Party Massacre film? Girls having a great time at a slumber party? Check. Crazed man that silently stalks them from the shadows? Check. Massive oversized power drill? Check. Yes, this is a Slumber Party Massacre film. 

How is the film? First off, I went into the movie with a lot of expectations. I am happy to say that Danishka Esterhazy (Director/Executive Producer) and Suzanne Keilly (writer) have crafted a very fine film. They knew exactly the kind of film that they wanted to make and story to tell. They are not afraid of having fun with the material while also honoring and respecting the original film. It allows the film to be a fun rollercoaster. And that's something that is very refreshing and gives the film such a unique voice.

Now going back to my expectations, they took every one that I had and subverted it. I thought I knew where the story was going one minute and then the next, they proved me wrong. It left me guessing as to what was going to happen next. This is a film that also manages to dip into different types of horror. One minute it's a straight forward slasher, then it'll dip into a bit of parody and follow it up with a feminine take on things. There are many different aspects that are being juggled throughout the runtime. 

The characters are all pretty well rounded. When compared to the original, I would say that they are given a bit more depth in this take. Would I have enjoyed more time with them? Yes, I would have loved more time getting to know the characters. But I never felt like they were cardboard cutouts that fill the typical sterotypes. Each one has something that makes them standout. 

For those worried that there wouldn't be any gore, don't be. There is gore in this film. I would say that there probably is more than in the original film. The kills are well done. Yeah, we get the oversized power drill from the original. But be prepared for a few surprises with the weapons used. There is a healthy amount of them. 

This film looks beautiful. There are many times where I kept forgetting that this was a SyFy Original. The way that the colors are utilized is so good. It's very nice and bright at times. 

Overall, Slumber Party Massacre (2021) is a film that I honestly wasn't expecting. It left me wondering where the story was going to go next. It honors and respects the legacy of this franchise while updating the story wonderfully. There are quite a few likeable characters. It's a fun, gorey, rollercoaster. One that honestly helped me realize that 2021 really is the year fun horror movies have returned. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

*A screener was supplied by NBCUniversal and the SYFY Press Team*

"Slumber Party Massacre" airs Saturday, October 16th at 9PM PT/ET on SYFY. 

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