College girl Joanne Murray takes on the unenviable job of readying the student housing building to become apartments,which includes selling the unneeded furniture This takes place during a break,so a mysterious psycho is stalking the nearly-empty premises on campus."Dorm that Dripped Blood" is a low-budget slasher flick that is quite entertaining.The acting is pretty bad,the plot is predictable,but the gore effects are quite good.The film was made by UCLA film students Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow for next to nothing.Soon a dreamy ambiance kicks in,very similar to the enveloping forests of Jeff Leiberman's fantastic "Just Before Dawn".7 out of 10.It's great to see Daphne Zuniga of "The Initiation" fame run over few times by a car.
65 Reviews
Decent Slasher With A Crazy Ending
marcusgrant-8663014 September 2018
Well, that was a downer! And I mean that in the best sense. In fact, The Dorm That Dripped Blood has an ending so mean...so cruel...so nuts...that it actually elevates the entire film that came before it. Before that moment, The Dorm That Dripped Blood basically clips along as a decent enough college slash 'em up, but the ending really sends it over the top.
The film follows a group of college kids staying over the holiday break to take inventory and clean up an old deserted dorm. Soon enough, they find themselves sliced and diced by an unseen murderer. Why? Who knows. People handle the stress of college in their own unique ways.
The murders are mostly well staged and there's a handful of suspense here and there. Most of the actors are fine if nothing else. There's a fun cameo by Daphne Zuniga and a pretty cool music score by Christopher Young if that helps.
All in all, The Dorm That Dripped Blood is a decent little time waster. You could do much worse.
The film follows a group of college kids staying over the holiday break to take inventory and clean up an old deserted dorm. Soon enough, they find themselves sliced and diced by an unseen murderer. Why? Who knows. People handle the stress of college in their own unique ways.
The murders are mostly well staged and there's a handful of suspense here and there. Most of the actors are fine if nothing else. There's a fun cameo by Daphne Zuniga and a pretty cool music score by Christopher Young if that helps.
All in all, The Dorm That Dripped Blood is a decent little time waster. You could do much worse.
The finale saves this one from the trash.
Nightman856 January 2009
College students, who are clearing out a condemned dormitory, are stalked by an elusive killer.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood (aka Pranks) is a bit of a mixed bag for slasher fans. The movies production values are pretty low and the story for the most part is pretty routine, there's even a creepy bum hanging around for a red herring. In fact much of the story's build-up is pretty forgettable, save for one or two brutal murders. But the movie is really made better by its surprisingly intense climax (in an atmospheric setting) and one fairly bold, unconventional conclusion.
The cast is lackluster for the most part. Stephen Sachs is the best of the lot as he does a pretty nice turn in character. Also look for a young Daphne Zuniga as an ill-fated student.
Over all this is a pretty standard B slasher effort, but the finale is well worth savoring and for this viewer saved the movie from being a complete ho-hum.
** out of ****
The Dorm That Dripped Blood (aka Pranks) is a bit of a mixed bag for slasher fans. The movies production values are pretty low and the story for the most part is pretty routine, there's even a creepy bum hanging around for a red herring. In fact much of the story's build-up is pretty forgettable, save for one or two brutal murders. But the movie is really made better by its surprisingly intense climax (in an atmospheric setting) and one fairly bold, unconventional conclusion.
The cast is lackluster for the most part. Stephen Sachs is the best of the lot as he does a pretty nice turn in character. Also look for a young Daphne Zuniga as an ill-fated student.
Over all this is a pretty standard B slasher effort, but the finale is well worth savoring and for this viewer saved the movie from being a complete ho-hum.
** out of ****
It's Ok
janeannafoote18 October 2020
The Dorm That Dripped Blood has never been mentioned in many "best horror films of all time" lists and it probably never will be, but if grisly gore is your thing, there are worse ways to spend your 90 minutes. It at least has an admirable mean streak that runs throughout where you feel that no one is safe and that's a good thing to feel in a horror movie. A lot of the college kids look like they might be old enough to have children in college themselves, but that's part of the fun of these cheap horror movies, isn't it?
Pranks, not really that nasty
Stevieboy66617 February 2019
Bunch of college kids stopping on at a dorm just before the Xmas holidays are stalked and slashed by an unknown killer. Released as Pranks in the UK it found itself deemed to be a Video Nasty and subsequently got banned, despite being the cut R version. A few year later it was granted an 18 certificate by the BBFC, but with 10 seconds of cuts.
As for the film itself I found it to be a pretty routine slasher. To it's credits it has a good, creepy musical score (obviously inspired by Psycho), there are some brutal deaths (sadly cut on all but the relatively recent director's cut) and it has that all important feel to it, that of the Golden Age of the slasher movie. It's 81 minutes running time never drags either. And considering the film's obvious low budget overall the makers did a decent enough job. On the downside the actors playing the students look older than the parts that they are playing (not unusual, to be fair), some of the acting is wooden and, despite a red herring as to the identity of the killer, it is predictable.
Quite why Pranks got banned in the UK I just don't know, but thankfully times have changed for the better. It won't challenge the grey matter, Pranks is best watched with a few beers!
Not A Fairy Tale Ending
brileyvandyke12 March 2021
Must give Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow credit for having the guts to go against established slasher formulas to create something different. There's definitely an attempt to set atmosphere over numerous scenes of gore. There is attempt to develop the characters. The ending is what makes the film memorable. Maybe the motivations for the killings isn't original, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes in life bad people win. It sucks. It's infuriating, but sometimes that's how it goes. I applaud the writers and directors for going against the grain with this one.
Darker Than Usual Slasher
molemandavid29 March 2019
The Dorm That Dripped Blood has a chip on its shoulder. A big one! If you're looking for your run of the mill "tits and blood" slasher, this might not be the one for you. It's darkly lit, creepy, and the film stock is grainy, making it feel more like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Last House on the Left than a Friday the 13th sequel.
The story is nothing special. A group of college students (some of whom look a bit too long in the tooth to be college kids) stay over a holiday break to take inventory in an old dorm and are stalked and killed by someone who will be revealed during the shocking climax.
The cast is decent if a bit dull, but they do a decent enough job and there's not a lot of suspense or scares, but The Dorm That Dripped Blood stands out from the pack by the sheer mean spiritedness of its death scenes and unpredictable kill order. It doesn't play nice or by the rules and there's something sort of exciting about that. The ending is an especially shocking downer.
It's also the feature film debut of Daphne Zuniga, so that's kinda neat. She doesn't have much screen time, but she does a decent job and is featured in one of the wildest and most mean spirited moments of the film.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood might not be a genius work of art, but it has enough interesting moments to make it worth a watch.
The story is nothing special. A group of college students (some of whom look a bit too long in the tooth to be college kids) stay over a holiday break to take inventory in an old dorm and are stalked and killed by someone who will be revealed during the shocking climax.
The cast is decent if a bit dull, but they do a decent enough job and there's not a lot of suspense or scares, but The Dorm That Dripped Blood stands out from the pack by the sheer mean spiritedness of its death scenes and unpredictable kill order. It doesn't play nice or by the rules and there's something sort of exciting about that. The ending is an especially shocking downer.
It's also the feature film debut of Daphne Zuniga, so that's kinda neat. She doesn't have much screen time, but she does a decent job and is featured in one of the wildest and most mean spirited moments of the film.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood might not be a genius work of art, but it has enough interesting moments to make it worth a watch.
Incentive To Live Off Campus
Lebowskidoo9 February 2017
College students are stalked and murdered by a crazed killer. So original for an 80's horror movie, I know! Watched this recently, wasn't expecting much. Some of the acting was not great, but this movie was some kind of UCLA film project that became a legit movie.
The only recognizable face was Daphne Zuniga, who went on to fame in The Fly II, The Sure Thing and Spaceballs. Apparently this was her film debut.
It's your usual slasher on the loose movie, but there is an evil twist near the end that I appreciated, took it to another level and didn't just do the expected. Horror fans will enjoy it more than the average movie fan. Worth checking out!
The only recognizable face was Daphne Zuniga, who went on to fame in The Fly II, The Sure Thing and Spaceballs. Apparently this was her film debut.
It's your usual slasher on the loose movie, but there is an evil twist near the end that I appreciated, took it to another level and didn't just do the expected. Horror fans will enjoy it more than the average movie fan. Worth checking out!
Cheap And Sleazy (But That's Not A Bad Thing)
markdecarlo-9832117 February 2021
As story goes, The Dorm That Dripped Blood might not be anything memorable, but there's a rag tag low budget energy that radiates from every frame and it really makes you root for this little movie that could. None of the acting is that great, some of the lighting is impossibly dark, but the death scenes are all very brutal and crackle with a certain intensity that's very unnerving.
A fair campus slasher.
Hey_Sweden25 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Five co-eds are left to their own devices on a mostly deserted college campus. Their job is to clear out a dormitory that's been targeted for demolition. They never do get around to doing very much work, and things are thrown further asunder when a mad sadistic killer is shown to be running around the campus and coming up with nasty ways to murder people.
"The Dorm That Dripped Blood" wasn't really all that bad for this viewer. It doesn't do much to rise above most of the entries in this genre, but it *does* have good atmosphere, and suspense. It won't be sleazy enough or gory enough to suit the whims of some fans of the genre, but Matthew Mungle does devise some decent enough gore. The drill to the back of the head is a mild highlight. And there are some breasts bared in one sequence.
The scenario is dependent upon some of the expected clichés, such as characters splitting up so they make better victims, and the red herring utilized is pretty obvious. One of the best components, which helps to raise the rating a bit, is the music score by the talented Christopher Young ("Hellraiser"), his first for a horror film. Methods of murder range from the expected hacking and slashing to being boiled alive and being run over by a car.
The cast is a little more "normal" looking than what we get in some of these films; there are no supermodel types here. The actors do a passable job with the material they've got. Laurie Lapinski is the requisite "final girl" type, Woody Roll the aforementioned red herring. Lovely Daphne Zuniga, who received an "introducing" credit for the subsequent slasher "The Initiation", actually made her film debut here.
At least "The Dorm That Dripped Blood" ends in an atypical fashion, which helps to make it more than just routine.
Six out of 10.
"The Dorm That Dripped Blood" wasn't really all that bad for this viewer. It doesn't do much to rise above most of the entries in this genre, but it *does* have good atmosphere, and suspense. It won't be sleazy enough or gory enough to suit the whims of some fans of the genre, but Matthew Mungle does devise some decent enough gore. The drill to the back of the head is a mild highlight. And there are some breasts bared in one sequence.
The scenario is dependent upon some of the expected clichés, such as characters splitting up so they make better victims, and the red herring utilized is pretty obvious. One of the best components, which helps to raise the rating a bit, is the music score by the talented Christopher Young ("Hellraiser"), his first for a horror film. Methods of murder range from the expected hacking and slashing to being boiled alive and being run over by a car.
The cast is a little more "normal" looking than what we get in some of these films; there are no supermodel types here. The actors do a passable job with the material they've got. Laurie Lapinski is the requisite "final girl" type, Woody Roll the aforementioned red herring. Lovely Daphne Zuniga, who received an "introducing" credit for the subsequent slasher "The Initiation", actually made her film debut here.
At least "The Dorm That Dripped Blood" ends in an atypical fashion, which helps to make it more than just routine.
Six out of 10.
An amusingly awful early 80's collegiate slasher hoot
Woodyanders6 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Your average garden variety psychotic nutcase (deliciously essayed with unhinged glee by Stephen Sachs) knocks off various dim-witted young "adults" (to use the term very loosely) in Dayton Hall University, which is being closed down for demolition. Featuring dreadful acting by the entire cast (Daphne Zuniga makes her ignominious and inauspicious film debut here as Debbie, a bimbo who has her head crushed by a car!), a hefty corpse tally of 10, okay make-up f/x by Matthew Mungle, a few bloody murders (baseball bat bludgeoning, chicken wire strangulation, your standard drill through the head bit, that sort of gruesome thing), a downbeat surprise twist ending which was later copied in "Intruder," a creepy score by Christopher ("Hellraiser") Young, a slight smidgen of gratuitous female nudity, and endearingly incompetent direction by Jeffrey Obrow and Steve Carpenter (who also blessed us with "The Power" and "The Kindred"), this entertainingly abysmal slice'n'dice atrocity sizes up as a good deal of delectably dopey and drecky low-grade fun.
Underrated, even if certainly not perfect.
punishmentpark13 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I'm surprised at how unappreciated this vicious slasher is. Maybe it helped that before this, I saw the truly inferior slasher 'Drive-in massacre' and was happy to be able to see what was actually going here, but I'll try to explain why I liked this one even beyond that.
The characters are all slasher-worthy; American (post-)teens with their typical problems, played by enthusiastic amateurs (as far as I know and can tell). Laurie Lapinski's lead character won me over in a second, and it was especially nice to see Daphne Zuniga, as well. To say anything about one particular other actor, I would have to get into the plot, which I do not want to do, other than have you know that how 'Death dorm' unfolds is pretty awesome (even if storywise, this is no brilliant feat - at all). Then there's a good load of gore, which must be considered one of the key ingredients for slashers. Another one of those ingredients, gratuitous nudity, is rather poorly represented, but still, it's there.
The film is nicely shot, which always helps. This one wins by surplus of perfect slasher elements, rather than being a perfect slasher. A good 7 out of 10.
The characters are all slasher-worthy; American (post-)teens with their typical problems, played by enthusiastic amateurs (as far as I know and can tell). Laurie Lapinski's lead character won me over in a second, and it was especially nice to see Daphne Zuniga, as well. To say anything about one particular other actor, I would have to get into the plot, which I do not want to do, other than have you know that how 'Death dorm' unfolds is pretty awesome (even if storywise, this is no brilliant feat - at all). Then there's a good load of gore, which must be considered one of the key ingredients for slashers. Another one of those ingredients, gratuitous nudity, is rather poorly represented, but still, it's there.
The film is nicely shot, which always helps. This one wins by surplus of perfect slasher elements, rather than being a perfect slasher. A good 7 out of 10.
Downbeat and Depressing Dorm Slasher
joymontgomery-0474416 July 2019
A handful of college students stay during Christmas break to clean up an old abandoned dorm and find themselves stalked and killed by an unseen killer. Could they be avenging some past transgression? Or are they just some random crazy person?
The Dorm That Dripped Blood isn't exactly fine art, but it knows what it wants to accomplish and it, more or less, gets the job done (even if it's done in a workman-like fashion). There's not a lot of style or extra frills, but some of the special makeup effects are convincing and the film has an admirable mean streak (just wait until you see what happens to poor Daphne Zuniga!)
The finale manages to scrounge up some suspense and it ends on what is, perhaps, the most downbeat note ever played in a slasher film. I'd say most mainstream audiences will be up in the air about this one, but slasher completeists should enjoy it.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood isn't exactly fine art, but it knows what it wants to accomplish and it, more or less, gets the job done (even if it's done in a workman-like fashion). There's not a lot of style or extra frills, but some of the special makeup effects are convincing and the film has an admirable mean streak (just wait until you see what happens to poor Daphne Zuniga!)
The finale manages to scrounge up some suspense and it ends on what is, perhaps, the most downbeat note ever played in a slasher film. I'd say most mainstream audiences will be up in the air about this one, but slasher completeists should enjoy it.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood
Toronto852 August 2013
A deranged killer attacks a group of students in 'The Dorm That Dripped Blood'. Five university students volunteer over the Christmas break to close up the dorm, clean up things around campus. PRetty soon we see that some maniac has the intention of killing them. He or she knocks off a couple of students (violently), and then starts playing pranks on our main group left at the campus. The psychopath destroys a huge dinner they make, cuts the phone lines, fixes the lights to shut off, etc. Very soon, the murderer starts attacking our main group leading to the identity being revealed in an interesting little ending.
I thought 'The Dorm That Dripped Blood' was a good addition to 80's slashers, but didn't have the same flash that some of the other films at that time had. Production values seemed low in this one, so a lot of the film is poorly lit. The acting isn't the best ever, Laurie Lapinski was okay as the lead heroine. Daphne Zuniga, who is probably the most famous in the cast, puts in a good performance. Nothing spectacular, but nothing that took away from the film in a negative way. The scares are well done, the location of the dark dorm/campus helps in that! We get some stalking scenes with the killer and the characters which were creepy. The killer's identity is weak, but doesn't make this a bad film at all.
I highly recommend 'The Dorm That Dripped Blood' to all horror fans. It is a relatively unknown slasher film that I don't believe has ever had a proper DVD release in North America. Check it out if you can!
7/10
I thought 'The Dorm That Dripped Blood' was a good addition to 80's slashers, but didn't have the same flash that some of the other films at that time had. Production values seemed low in this one, so a lot of the film is poorly lit. The acting isn't the best ever, Laurie Lapinski was okay as the lead heroine. Daphne Zuniga, who is probably the most famous in the cast, puts in a good performance. Nothing spectacular, but nothing that took away from the film in a negative way. The scares are well done, the location of the dark dorm/campus helps in that! We get some stalking scenes with the killer and the characters which were creepy. The killer's identity is weak, but doesn't make this a bad film at all.
I highly recommend 'The Dorm That Dripped Blood' to all horror fans. It is a relatively unknown slasher film that I don't believe has ever had a proper DVD release in North America. Check it out if you can!
7/10
Routine stalking horror opus
lor_7 February 2023
My review was written after watching the movie on Media Home Entertainment video cassette.
"The Dorm That Dripped Blood" is a low-budget, low-interest version of the familiar (especially since "Friday the 13th"'s success) horror formula of a mysterious killer sequentially picking off the lead players in an isolated location. Picture was made in 1981 under the title "Death Dorm" (which is retained in the end credits) and was renamed "Pranks" before its present monike; it was released theatrically in 1983 with no N. Y. playdates and is reviewed here as it gains exposure in the home video and cable-tv media.
Minimal storyline has Joanne (Laurie Lapinski) and several helpers staying behind at college to clean out the equipment and furnishings of dorm Dayton Hall, due for renovation. While everyone goes on vacation. They're sitting targets for a mad killer who builds up an impressive body count before Joanne and her friends even begin to suspect something's wrong halfway through the picture.
As usual, a weird-looking simpleton John Hemmit (Woody Roll) is suspected but turns out to be a good guy. As with most pictures of this type, film suffers from the fact that it is not about anything, i.e., there is no interesting story material to distract or captivate the viewer apart from the necessary filler of murders and wandering around footage between murder scenes. "Dorm" also proves that the familiar wish to go against the grain and avoid the genre's obligatory "save the heroine, punish the monster" ending is not so appealing when put into effect. Nihilistic twist finale comes off as just as corny as obeying the format cliche would be.
Claustrophobic production features a forgettable cast and variable gore effects. Same production team later made another horror pic, "The Power", also an unambitious formula effort.
"The Dorm That Dripped Blood" is a low-budget, low-interest version of the familiar (especially since "Friday the 13th"'s success) horror formula of a mysterious killer sequentially picking off the lead players in an isolated location. Picture was made in 1981 under the title "Death Dorm" (which is retained in the end credits) and was renamed "Pranks" before its present monike; it was released theatrically in 1983 with no N. Y. playdates and is reviewed here as it gains exposure in the home video and cable-tv media.
Minimal storyline has Joanne (Laurie Lapinski) and several helpers staying behind at college to clean out the equipment and furnishings of dorm Dayton Hall, due for renovation. While everyone goes on vacation. They're sitting targets for a mad killer who builds up an impressive body count before Joanne and her friends even begin to suspect something's wrong halfway through the picture.
As usual, a weird-looking simpleton John Hemmit (Woody Roll) is suspected but turns out to be a good guy. As with most pictures of this type, film suffers from the fact that it is not about anything, i.e., there is no interesting story material to distract or captivate the viewer apart from the necessary filler of murders and wandering around footage between murder scenes. "Dorm" also proves that the familiar wish to go against the grain and avoid the genre's obligatory "save the heroine, punish the monster" ending is not so appealing when put into effect. Nihilistic twist finale comes off as just as corny as obeying the format cliche would be.
Claustrophobic production features a forgettable cast and variable gore effects. Same production team later made another horror pic, "The Power", also an unambitious formula effort.
Great dorm slasher...
Bub_the_zombie27 August 2006
This is probably one of the least known of the early 80's hay day hack n slash family - consisting of a slue of cousins which themselves have gathered dust, triumphantly sitting with legs crossed> on videostore shelves through half a generation. - that is, until DVD finally unearthed some lesser knowns for a second chance.
(I have the old Media VHS version, btw) (The UK DVD release is known as 'PRANKS)
A killer lurks on a college campus - through the closterphobic corridors of Meadows Hall, killing working coeds in some very creative ways. A baseball bat with barbed-wire around it. A girl is ran over.(Not too creative, but has to be seen within its context, consisting of three murders within thirty seconds.) A girl is shoved in a pressure cooker and is cooked to death. A janitor gets a drilling headache. A woman gets incinerated - you name it.
While the film is quiet amateurish, it delivers on most all levels that simply make up a good slasher film. I could take away merit by assigning scoff at the quality of the production - the dark-shoddy look of the film, etc; - but I won't. - A solid slasher film in all respects, with one hell of a twist ending.
(I have the old Media VHS version, btw) (The UK DVD release is known as 'PRANKS)
A killer lurks on a college campus - through the closterphobic corridors of Meadows Hall, killing working coeds in some very creative ways. A baseball bat with barbed-wire around it. A girl is ran over.(Not too creative, but has to be seen within its context, consisting of three murders within thirty seconds.) A girl is shoved in a pressure cooker and is cooked to death. A janitor gets a drilling headache. A woman gets incinerated - you name it.
While the film is quiet amateurish, it delivers on most all levels that simply make up a good slasher film. I could take away merit by assigning scoff at the quality of the production - the dark-shoddy look of the film, etc; - but I won't. - A solid slasher film in all respects, with one hell of a twist ending.
Not A Must See
deborahrighetti30 October 2020
A nasty and gritty slasher film that looks like it was shot during a weekend with some college friends. In some ways, that's part of its charm, but the film falters whenever it's not focusing on the killing since none of the actors are very good at selling the dialogue. The ending is memorably depressing and cruel.
Slow dripping
kosmasp5 June 2020
The movie is another attempt at a horror movie that kills off "teenagers" with a mysterious killer on the loose. So another slasher with a "surprise" twist. There are some decent effects here (if you consider the budget and the time frame this was made), but overall there is not that much nastiness going.
The acting is below average. But I guess it is sufficient for what it is supposed to be. While it isn't too long, it does dabble in scenes that are quite unnecessary. Then again, you have to make a movie about 90 minutes long so ... I've seen worse, but apart from the great title and cover art (American Blu Ray), there is not much this actually can offer
The acting is below average. But I guess it is sufficient for what it is supposed to be. While it isn't too long, it does dabble in scenes that are quite unnecessary. Then again, you have to make a movie about 90 minutes long so ... I've seen worse, but apart from the great title and cover art (American Blu Ray), there is not much this actually can offer
Great title, OK movie
BandSAboutMovies7 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Inspired by Friday the 13th, Stephen Carpenter and Stacey Giachino wrote the script for this film while students at UCLA under the title The Third Night, which later became Death Dorm.
We start with a man running from someone, then hiding in the bushes, before he's attacked from behind and murdered. Yep - get ready to meet one of the more downbeat slashers you'll find. To quote Jim Morrison, "Nobody gets out alive."
Laurie Lapinski - in her one and only role - plays Joanne, a college student staying behind over the holidays to clean up Morgan Meadows Hall before its demolished.
Of her friends, only Daphne Zuniga, in her very first role, may be the only one you'd recognize. She plays Debbie, whose parents show up only to be murdered with a spiked baseball bat and strangled (not at the same time, mind you). Then, as if that wasn't enough, the killer drives their car over poor Debbie's head.
This movie sets up more red herrings than a giallo, with drifters and traveling salesmen fingered as the manic. Along the way, a drill and a pressure cooker get used as the real killer uses the confusion to continually kill more innocent people.
So what was the motive? Love. Well, the kind of love incels have for women that we didn't understand all the way back in 1982. Of course she should be happy he killed all of these people for her!
I won't tell you who the killer is, but I will say that you have to like a movie willing to end on the down note of its final girl shoved into an incinerator and leaving behind foul-smelling smoke. You also have to love a movie that completely apes its title from The House That Dripped Blood.
This movie was released in the UK as Pranks, where it was placed on the category 2 video nasty list. It must have been all the nail-covered baseball bats. UK censors are particularly squeamish about weapons that kids can easily get their hands on.
We start with a man running from someone, then hiding in the bushes, before he's attacked from behind and murdered. Yep - get ready to meet one of the more downbeat slashers you'll find. To quote Jim Morrison, "Nobody gets out alive."
Laurie Lapinski - in her one and only role - plays Joanne, a college student staying behind over the holidays to clean up Morgan Meadows Hall before its demolished.
Of her friends, only Daphne Zuniga, in her very first role, may be the only one you'd recognize. She plays Debbie, whose parents show up only to be murdered with a spiked baseball bat and strangled (not at the same time, mind you). Then, as if that wasn't enough, the killer drives their car over poor Debbie's head.
This movie sets up more red herrings than a giallo, with drifters and traveling salesmen fingered as the manic. Along the way, a drill and a pressure cooker get used as the real killer uses the confusion to continually kill more innocent people.
So what was the motive? Love. Well, the kind of love incels have for women that we didn't understand all the way back in 1982. Of course she should be happy he killed all of these people for her!
I won't tell you who the killer is, but I will say that you have to like a movie willing to end on the down note of its final girl shoved into an incinerator and leaving behind foul-smelling smoke. You also have to love a movie that completely apes its title from The House That Dripped Blood.
This movie was released in the UK as Pranks, where it was placed on the category 2 video nasty list. It must have been all the nail-covered baseball bats. UK censors are particularly squeamish about weapons that kids can easily get their hands on.
COLLEGIATE SLASHING
kirbylee70-599-5261796 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
If nothing else for horror fans the term slasher took on a whole new meaning in the eighties. Launched by films like HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH in the last part of the seventies, the next decade saw tons of follow up movies and genre rip offs hit the screens not just at drive-ins but theaters as well. Almost all of these movies made money and cost little to produce. And some even made a reputation for themselves as much as for what wasn't seen as what was. THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD is a case in point.
The story follows four students who remain behind over Christmas break to help close down a dorm that's been scheduled for demolition. Led by Joanne (Laura Lapinski) their job is to clear out the old furniture, clean out what they can and get things ready over the next two weeks. While doing so they'll be staying in the dorm and taking care of themselves there.
The group was supposed to have five students but Debbie (Daphne Zuniga) received a call from her parents saying they were taking her with them on vacation. While looking for an inventory list she misplaced her parents show. Impatient while waiting, her father goes looking for her only to confront a mysterious figure we saw kill someone in the opening of the film who then smashes his head in with a spike loaded baseball bat. The same killer disposes of Debbie's mother and when Debbie finds her father's body does the same with her.
The four remaining members have no clue what has happened. The next day they see a derelict named John Hemmit going through the dumpster. He creeps out the girls so the guys threaten him to get out of the area. Could it be he is the mysterious figure?
Also helping the students out is maintenance man Bill who complains when his drill is taken from his tool kit. Of course this is foreshadowing and we know that Bill will eventually be disposed of by the killer using said drill. This takes place onscreen and we see the drill enter the back of Bill's skull.
Another potential suspect is added to the list in the form of Bobby Lee Tremble, a local salesman who is buying the used desks. He flirts with Joanne and later on leaves his girlfriend at home to go back and try once more. Or is that what he intends?
The body count continues to rack up, false scares are added to keep the movie going forward at various times and the eventual revelation as to who the killer is should not be too surprising for most gorehounds. But that doesn't prevent the film from being a fun time for fans of the genre. The kills are there, there is less sex than usually found in the film and the clues are presented to all to decipher who the killer is.
The film was made by two UCLA students, Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow, who made a trailer for the film in order to get financing. Their use of unknown actors and locations at UCLA helped make the film seem more realistic than most. What is most surprising is that the cast does a fantastic job here never coming off as amateurs or non-professionals. I was surprised to learn that this was the only film Lapinski ever made as she was the most convincing of the cast.
When released the film gained a certain amount of notoriety. Originally hitting screens under the title PRANKS rather than the director's title DEATH DORM it didn't fare well at first. It was later changed to the current THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and fared much better at the box office. In England it was released as PRANKS as well before being placed on the list of "video nasties" in that country, an official ban on the film based on the violence found in the film. While made in 1982 it wasn't until 1992 that the film was released in that country.
Critics have not been kind to the film but they miss the point. This movie wasn't made to offer something new and original to the fans of the genre but to fulfill their need to see the movies they wanted. It also provided a jumping off point for the directing team involved. The cut on display here from Synapse is the original DEATH DORM with all of the original gore they were forced to trim to satisfy the MPAA censors placed back in. With additional scenes, more gore sequences and an alternate sound mix the film was restored from an existing 35mm answer print thought lost for over 30 years. Now fans can see the film as it was intended from the start.
If that weren't enough to heap praise on Synapse they've also compiled some extras to keep fans happy and occupied. They include an audio commentary track with directors Obrow and Carpenter, interviews with composer Christopher Young who scored the film and Matthew Mungle who did the make-up effects, an isolated music score, the original theatrical trailers and a reversible cover with alternate artwork. Not bad for a little known slasher flick made in the eighties.
Horror fans now have the chance to not only see the film as originally intended but to own it as well. It's a solid little slasher flick that doesn't bring a lot new to the table but that provides exactly what fans of the genre are looking for. And with the fact that Synapse has done this much to make it appear that much better as well as complete, I'd suggest making sure you pick up a copy.
The story follows four students who remain behind over Christmas break to help close down a dorm that's been scheduled for demolition. Led by Joanne (Laura Lapinski) their job is to clear out the old furniture, clean out what they can and get things ready over the next two weeks. While doing so they'll be staying in the dorm and taking care of themselves there.
The group was supposed to have five students but Debbie (Daphne Zuniga) received a call from her parents saying they were taking her with them on vacation. While looking for an inventory list she misplaced her parents show. Impatient while waiting, her father goes looking for her only to confront a mysterious figure we saw kill someone in the opening of the film who then smashes his head in with a spike loaded baseball bat. The same killer disposes of Debbie's mother and when Debbie finds her father's body does the same with her.
The four remaining members have no clue what has happened. The next day they see a derelict named John Hemmit going through the dumpster. He creeps out the girls so the guys threaten him to get out of the area. Could it be he is the mysterious figure?
Also helping the students out is maintenance man Bill who complains when his drill is taken from his tool kit. Of course this is foreshadowing and we know that Bill will eventually be disposed of by the killer using said drill. This takes place onscreen and we see the drill enter the back of Bill's skull.
Another potential suspect is added to the list in the form of Bobby Lee Tremble, a local salesman who is buying the used desks. He flirts with Joanne and later on leaves his girlfriend at home to go back and try once more. Or is that what he intends?
The body count continues to rack up, false scares are added to keep the movie going forward at various times and the eventual revelation as to who the killer is should not be too surprising for most gorehounds. But that doesn't prevent the film from being a fun time for fans of the genre. The kills are there, there is less sex than usually found in the film and the clues are presented to all to decipher who the killer is.
The film was made by two UCLA students, Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow, who made a trailer for the film in order to get financing. Their use of unknown actors and locations at UCLA helped make the film seem more realistic than most. What is most surprising is that the cast does a fantastic job here never coming off as amateurs or non-professionals. I was surprised to learn that this was the only film Lapinski ever made as she was the most convincing of the cast.
When released the film gained a certain amount of notoriety. Originally hitting screens under the title PRANKS rather than the director's title DEATH DORM it didn't fare well at first. It was later changed to the current THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and fared much better at the box office. In England it was released as PRANKS as well before being placed on the list of "video nasties" in that country, an official ban on the film based on the violence found in the film. While made in 1982 it wasn't until 1992 that the film was released in that country.
Critics have not been kind to the film but they miss the point. This movie wasn't made to offer something new and original to the fans of the genre but to fulfill their need to see the movies they wanted. It also provided a jumping off point for the directing team involved. The cut on display here from Synapse is the original DEATH DORM with all of the original gore they were forced to trim to satisfy the MPAA censors placed back in. With additional scenes, more gore sequences and an alternate sound mix the film was restored from an existing 35mm answer print thought lost for over 30 years. Now fans can see the film as it was intended from the start.
If that weren't enough to heap praise on Synapse they've also compiled some extras to keep fans happy and occupied. They include an audio commentary track with directors Obrow and Carpenter, interviews with composer Christopher Young who scored the film and Matthew Mungle who did the make-up effects, an isolated music score, the original theatrical trailers and a reversible cover with alternate artwork. Not bad for a little known slasher flick made in the eighties.
Horror fans now have the chance to not only see the film as originally intended but to own it as well. It's a solid little slasher flick that doesn't bring a lot new to the table but that provides exactly what fans of the genre are looking for. And with the fact that Synapse has done this much to make it appear that much better as well as complete, I'd suggest making sure you pick up a copy.
Almost there, but not Quite
TwistedContent10 December 2022
I love me some slashers, but the more obscure ones rarely score with me, for the bare minimum to make a slasher is very ...minimum, and loads of these got made back in the peak days of this genre. "The Dorm that Dripped Blood" a.k.a. "Death Dorm" is one of them, although not entirely without any charms. Picked it up purely because of the plot being set during the Christmas holidays, for 'tis the season.
With the estimated finances of under 100 thousand, "The Dorm that Dripped Blood" does what it can with what it has, and what it has are a few things. For the expenses, the kills are decent and low-key gnarly, the cast is sort of alright, the scream queen of "Death Dorm" played by Laurie Lapinski offers up a decent performance, the locations, and the eerie ambience commit to an offbeat atmosphere, and, I don't know how to put it, but it feels like a film about students made by students, therefore the whole thing acquires sort of extra authenticity. It does feel somewhat obscure, if you're scanning for such kind of oldie horrors. I will never understand why was this considered a "video nasty" and banned in the UK, it's quite tame, and not near the most extreme even in the old days.
Now, however, all those charms are fighting a prolonged losing battle against the void of the plot (it's there, even with a twist, but it's stretched supremely thin over the runtime), increasingly sluggish pacing culminating in a very lengthy chase sequence, and the atmosphere gradually wearing thin and flat as the runtime goes. I rarely experience movies that make me tired, and this one did.
The yuletide horror value too, unfortunately, is very little, and this goes out as a recommendation only to the hardcore fans of low-budget slashers, intriguing "video nasties", and enjoyers of obscure, forgotten 80's horror flicks.
With the estimated finances of under 100 thousand, "The Dorm that Dripped Blood" does what it can with what it has, and what it has are a few things. For the expenses, the kills are decent and low-key gnarly, the cast is sort of alright, the scream queen of "Death Dorm" played by Laurie Lapinski offers up a decent performance, the locations, and the eerie ambience commit to an offbeat atmosphere, and, I don't know how to put it, but it feels like a film about students made by students, therefore the whole thing acquires sort of extra authenticity. It does feel somewhat obscure, if you're scanning for such kind of oldie horrors. I will never understand why was this considered a "video nasty" and banned in the UK, it's quite tame, and not near the most extreme even in the old days.
Now, however, all those charms are fighting a prolonged losing battle against the void of the plot (it's there, even with a twist, but it's stretched supremely thin over the runtime), increasingly sluggish pacing culminating in a very lengthy chase sequence, and the atmosphere gradually wearing thin and flat as the runtime goes. I rarely experience movies that make me tired, and this one did.
The yuletide horror value too, unfortunately, is very little, and this goes out as a recommendation only to the hardcore fans of low-budget slashers, intriguing "video nasties", and enjoyers of obscure, forgotten 80's horror flicks.
How to waste 87min. of your life
Coventry25 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
What the ........... is this ? This must, without a doubt, be the biggest waste of film, settings and camera ever. I know you can't set your expectations for an 80's slasher high, but this is too stupid to be true. I bought this film for 0.89$ and I still feel the urge to go claim my money back. Can you imagine who hard it STINKS ?
Who is the violent killer in this film and what are his motivations??? Well actually, you couldn't possible care less. And why should you? The makers of this piece of garbage sure didn't care. They didn't try to create a tiny bit of tension. The director ( Stephen Carpenter -- I guess it's much easier to find money with a name like that ) also made the Kindred (1986) which was rather enjoyable and recently he did Soul Survivors. Complete crap as well, but at least that one had Eliza Dushku. This junk has the debut of Daphne Zuniga !!! ( Who ?? ) Yeah that's right, the Melrose Place chick. Her very memorable character dies about 15 min. after the opening credits. She's the second person to die. The first victim dies directly in the first minute, but nobody seems to mention or miss him afterwards so who cares ? The rest of the actors...they don't deserve the term actors actually, are completely uninteresting. You're hoping they die a quick and painful death...and not only their characters
Who is the violent killer in this film and what are his motivations??? Well actually, you couldn't possible care less. And why should you? The makers of this piece of garbage sure didn't care. They didn't try to create a tiny bit of tension. The director ( Stephen Carpenter -- I guess it's much easier to find money with a name like that ) also made the Kindred (1986) which was rather enjoyable and recently he did Soul Survivors. Complete crap as well, but at least that one had Eliza Dushku. This junk has the debut of Daphne Zuniga !!! ( Who ?? ) Yeah that's right, the Melrose Place chick. Her very memorable character dies about 15 min. after the opening credits. She's the second person to die. The first victim dies directly in the first minute, but nobody seems to mention or miss him afterwards so who cares ? The rest of the actors...they don't deserve the term actors actually, are completely uninteresting. You're hoping they die a quick and painful death...and not only their characters
They don't make em like this anymore
loralynnlove3 November 2021
A blast from the past! Awesome 80's horror for real horror fans. No digital, no green screen, just good old fashioned practical blood and effects. The setting of this movie is super creepy. Sure, the sound and some of the lighting could have been better, but it is a great film that is watchable from start to finish. A great flick to watch with friends.
* * out of 4.
brandonsites19811 June 2002
Routine slasher about college kids working on boarding up a college dorm that is about to be demolished and being killed by an unknown, hiding in the shadows killer. Made on a budget of only $90,000 and featuring an unknown Daphne Zuniga at the time this is a lot better then I expected. Sure it is inept at times, but this film manages to be exciting, creepy and scary throughout. That's more then you can say about a lot of the other films in this genre.
Rated R; Extreme Violence & Profanity.
Rated R; Extreme Violence & Profanity.
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