The House on Sorority Row (1983)

A killer stalks girls at university.
Starring: Kate McNeil, Eileen Davidson, Janis Ward, Harley Kozak, Christopher Lawrence

Link to IMDB

Katie

Only days away from graduation, the girls of the Pi Theta sorority house are busy packing and cleaning as they get ready to head back home. A group of seven friends decide to have one more party together, but the strict house-mother, Mrs. Slater, is harshing on everyone's good vibes.
We learn that Mrs. Slater is keeping some dark secrets, as mysterious and traumatic events from her past have left her troubled and angry.

The two main girls are Vicki, who is a bit of a wild rebel, and the more sensible Katie. Together they decide to pull a prank on Mrs. Slater involving a gun, but things go terribly wrong and they accidentally kill the old woman!
The girls begin to panic, and out of sheer confusion they hide Mrs. Slater's body in the yard. A big campus party is about to begin, and the girls have to act natural and keep the accident a secret.

It might seem like a ridiculous scenario at first, but the movie actually plays it rather realistically, which creates tension and an ominous mood. Things get crazier when the body disappears, and someone begins using Mrs.Slater's antique cane as a weapon to discreetly kill people on the campus!

Vicki's prank about to go wrong

Doctor: "We need to find Mrs. Slater. Where is she?"

Katie: [awkward silence]

Mrs. Slater

The eerie atmosphere is established quite well, but there's also an attempt at realism and a structure that helps circumvent clichés and gives the characters something to do instead of just get killed. I could almost sense a bit of Hitchcock's influence here.
Besides actually seeing the murders happen, we don't get much more information than what the girls know, so it keeps you guessing as to who the killer could be despite Mrs. Slater's past clearly being involved somehow. Regardless, the third act still found ways to surprise me.
There's not a lot of gore or blood, but we get a few unique deaths considering the weapon of choice is usually a spiked cane.
It kept me engaged, it's got a sense of humour, and is an above average slasher that influenced much of the genre.


Be sure not to miss:
- "I'm a sea pig."  This is easily one of the funniest, random situational lines of dialog I've ever heard. It alone is worth watching the movie for.
- I want Mrs. Slater's cane. It's pretty badass.
- The band at the party is 4 Out of 5 Doctors.

Internet review:
"It stands out as a memorable, well-made and treasured effort in an abundance of forgettable
slasher films." - HollieHorror

Should I watch it?
A must see for fans of the genre.

Where can I find it?
Viable links here.

House on Sorority Row gets...