This 1988 horror film features 8 friends who decide to spend the night in a furniture store owned by one's father where they celebrate graduating high school and play a game of hide and seek, but a killer decides to change the rules. This starts off OK, but falls flat because the characters are unlikable, it's over a half hour until the killer strikes and most of the film is too dark. The film does have a creepy score and some gruesome deaths/kills. Fans of the genre may still want to view this at least once, but it's bland in my opinion.
59 Reviews
Too heavy at darkness, too light at gore!
johannes2000-127 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's exactly what you can expect of an 80's horror-flick with such a cringeworthy title: silly, bad-acted and poorly done where it should count the most: the thrills and gore. A little group of teens lock themselves in in a big furniture-store to spend a night of partying and making-out, but are surprised by a mysterious and relentless killer. After the first kills we see them scared out-off their wits (especially the girls are forever hysterically screaming, so maybe the title is not that bad!), running around the ware-house from floor to floor to try to escape (to no avail of course) or to bravely chase the killer. Unfortunately the director thought it necessary to let 95 % of the scenes take place in the dark, maybe to add some authenticity, but it's rather tiresome to constantly have to look at shadows and partly lit people. It's also not very helpful with the enjoyment of the killings and the gore, which are not very convincing to begin with (with the exception of one scene with the elevator, I grant them that!).
The acting is what you can expect of a B-film with a bunch of teens, amateurish but well-meant, at least they do their best. The villain on the other hand, when finally exposed, acts way over the top, and the script gives him by the way an unusual and curious motivation for his killing-spree. The very last shot is intended to give us the shivers, but I was in stitches, I just couldn't believe that they really came up with such a preposterous inconsistency. Well, laughing is not a bad thing, so 4 points for that!
The acting is what you can expect of a B-film with a bunch of teens, amateurish but well-meant, at least they do their best. The villain on the other hand, when finally exposed, acts way over the top, and the script gives him by the way an unusual and curious motivation for his killing-spree. The very last shot is intended to give us the shivers, but I was in stitches, I just couldn't believe that they really came up with such a preposterous inconsistency. Well, laughing is not a bad thing, so 4 points for that!
Exclusively for fans of the genre.
insomniac_rod28 June 2004
Warning: Spoilers
*SPOILERS* The film opens with a "dramatic" sequence where a tranvestie man is raped (or at least that seems) by another man. After the tragic event the opening credits roll, and you have a peculiar opening sequence for a slasher movie.
In the next scene eight friends plan to celebrate their high school graduation in a furniture store at night, owned by the father of one of these kids. Before the teens arrive, the owner of the furniture hires an ex con to take care of the store at night. Apparently, the ex con tries to start a new life and follow the right path. Unknown to him, the teens sneak into the store at night and start their party. As the night passes, one by one these teens are brutally murdered by an unknown killer that has a wicked concept of fun. After killing them, this killer wears their clothes. Yes, he even uses the women's clothes. The main suspicious is Fred (the ex con) but apparently he's not behind the murders. When the other 4 teens discover the dead body of their friends, they start a hunt in order to find the killer. From out of nowhere, Fred appears and asks them "what are they doing here?" only to be physically beaten down by one of the boys. They think they found the killer when suddenly, the real killer makes a frightening and weird introduction. Who will survive? What's the identity of the killer? and what's his relation with Fred?
I had the chance to watch this little known slasher for the first time two years ago on late night cable. After watching it, I thought that the premise was interesting (highly based on Chopping Mall from 1986). I thought that this was a recommended slasher, better than the average.
I've had the chance to watch "Hide and Go Shriek" 3 times in the past 2 years and my opinion has changed. This is an average slasher, it has the elements that made the genre popular, but clearly it's not one of the bests out there. There's decent gore (the decapitation is the best kill), and a creepy atmosphere (the mannequins added a touch of uncertainness and fright). O the bad side, the acting is terrible, the score is boring and repetitive, and the plot turns boring and tedious after the first 30 mins. Bunky Jones is hot! she's candy for the eye. The best about the film is the ending which is truly shocking, not because it's great or innovative, but it's something you don't expect. Disgusting. This is just a film for slasher fans, those who enjoy the greatness of this genre. Not for everyone!
Anyways, give this slasher a try only if you are a die hard fan of the genre. Watch it with low expectations. 5/10. I have warned you!
In the next scene eight friends plan to celebrate their high school graduation in a furniture store at night, owned by the father of one of these kids. Before the teens arrive, the owner of the furniture hires an ex con to take care of the store at night. Apparently, the ex con tries to start a new life and follow the right path. Unknown to him, the teens sneak into the store at night and start their party. As the night passes, one by one these teens are brutally murdered by an unknown killer that has a wicked concept of fun. After killing them, this killer wears their clothes. Yes, he even uses the women's clothes. The main suspicious is Fred (the ex con) but apparently he's not behind the murders. When the other 4 teens discover the dead body of their friends, they start a hunt in order to find the killer. From out of nowhere, Fred appears and asks them "what are they doing here?" only to be physically beaten down by one of the boys. They think they found the killer when suddenly, the real killer makes a frightening and weird introduction. Who will survive? What's the identity of the killer? and what's his relation with Fred?
I had the chance to watch this little known slasher for the first time two years ago on late night cable. After watching it, I thought that the premise was interesting (highly based on Chopping Mall from 1986). I thought that this was a recommended slasher, better than the average.
I've had the chance to watch "Hide and Go Shriek" 3 times in the past 2 years and my opinion has changed. This is an average slasher, it has the elements that made the genre popular, but clearly it's not one of the bests out there. There's decent gore (the decapitation is the best kill), and a creepy atmosphere (the mannequins added a touch of uncertainness and fright). O the bad side, the acting is terrible, the score is boring and repetitive, and the plot turns boring and tedious after the first 30 mins. Bunky Jones is hot! she's candy for the eye. The best about the film is the ending which is truly shocking, not because it's great or innovative, but it's something you don't expect. Disgusting. This is just a film for slasher fans, those who enjoy the greatness of this genre. Not for everyone!
Anyways, give this slasher a try only if you are a die hard fan of the genre. Watch it with low expectations. 5/10. I have warned you!
Great horror fun!
EA2JCWHO8 August 2000
I really liked Hide and Go Shriek... It was very entertaining and scary! See it if you are a horror fan! Slasher films around the late 80's were cheesy anyway...but this one stands out. The only thing that was weird was the killer...
A fairly inadequate slasher.
Hey_Sweden7 July 2017
A group of eight obnoxious teenagers decide to celebrate graduation by partying overnight in a furniture store. That night, they are hunted down and sometimes killed by a psycho.
I see that some people speak highly of this one, but frankly, I don't see the appeal. It's a very routine slasher that has barely anything interesting to offer. The cast & characters are monumentally annoying, spending a lot of their time lamely attempting to scare each other. The girls are sexy and there is some nudity; there's also decent gore by Screaming Mad George. "Hide and Go Shriek" can also boast the novelty of a killer who is often changing costume (shades of "Terror Train"), sometimes appearing in drag. Director Skip Schoolnik (one of the editors on "Halloween II" '81) gamely tries to create as much atmosphere as he can from the setting, and the movie does have some effective lighting courtesy of Eugene D. Shlugleit. But it's a fair amount of effort wasted on a mostly blah script.
At least in this one, our killer doesn't have a run of the mill motivation. It is amusing once it is revealed just who they are. But "Hide and Go Shriek" is rough going for a while, as it is boring and inane in equal measure.
If you're a devoted aficionado of all things slasher related, you'll want to see it for completions' sake, but don't get your hopes up high.
Four out of 10.
I see that some people speak highly of this one, but frankly, I don't see the appeal. It's a very routine slasher that has barely anything interesting to offer. The cast & characters are monumentally annoying, spending a lot of their time lamely attempting to scare each other. The girls are sexy and there is some nudity; there's also decent gore by Screaming Mad George. "Hide and Go Shriek" can also boast the novelty of a killer who is often changing costume (shades of "Terror Train"), sometimes appearing in drag. Director Skip Schoolnik (one of the editors on "Halloween II" '81) gamely tries to create as much atmosphere as he can from the setting, and the movie does have some effective lighting courtesy of Eugene D. Shlugleit. But it's a fair amount of effort wasted on a mostly blah script.
At least in this one, our killer doesn't have a run of the mill motivation. It is amusing once it is revealed just who they are. But "Hide and Go Shriek" is rough going for a while, as it is boring and inane in equal measure.
If you're a devoted aficionado of all things slasher related, you'll want to see it for completions' sake, but don't get your hopes up high.
Four out of 10.
80's slasher with a plot twist
brileyvandyke26 July 2021
Initially this appears to be the usual slasher formula of high schoolers sneaking into a furniture store to party throughout the night. Someone else is in the store killing the kids one by one. I won't give anything else away. There is a red herring, but this film is notable for giving a plot twist as we discover who the killer is and why they are doing what they are doing. All things considered I really enjoyed this film. It doesn't get remembered as much when 80's slashers are discussed. If you love horror films, go see this.
An interesting 80s slasher that gets a bit slow at times
Shattered_Wake1 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Looking for an uninterrupted sex romp, a gang of teens head to the furniture store owned by the father of one of their group. Once there, they begin a game of hide & seek. . . the game comes to an abrupt halt when a cross-dressing murderer begins to stalk them down one by one.
Overall, this was a pretty good 80s slasher, but it lacked much of what 80s slashers really need: good gore and/or violence. While there are a few kills, they're pretty tame (from drowning to an unseen stabbing with a mannequin's detached limb). There are some pacing issues as it moves from fun & fast to dull & slow without much transition. The acting isn't too bad, but the characters get annoying at times. The writing wasn't terrible either, just nothing impressive. The film isn't terribly original, but the idea for the killers was something fresh, and in the end, it turned out to be a slightly above-average teen slasher worthy of a look for fans of this subgenre.
If you're looking for an easy 80s slasher with a bit of a twist to it, give it a look. You could do worse.
Final verdict: 6/10.
-AP3-
Overall, this was a pretty good 80s slasher, but it lacked much of what 80s slashers really need: good gore and/or violence. While there are a few kills, they're pretty tame (from drowning to an unseen stabbing with a mannequin's detached limb). There are some pacing issues as it moves from fun & fast to dull & slow without much transition. The acting isn't too bad, but the characters get annoying at times. The writing wasn't terrible either, just nothing impressive. The film isn't terribly original, but the idea for the killers was something fresh, and in the end, it turned out to be a slightly above-average teen slasher worthy of a look for fans of this subgenre.
If you're looking for an easy 80s slasher with a bit of a twist to it, give it a look. You could do worse.
Final verdict: 6/10.
-AP3-
Some Decent Thrills
glenmatisse14 October 2020
Some friends spend the night in a furniture store one of their parents owns and are stalked and killed by a killer who likes to dress up as the victims they've just killed.
You have to admire a movie that features a killer with a flair for playing dress up. It's also nice that the characters in this movie aren't complete idiots. The minute they realize someone's killing their friends, they stick together and fight the killer together. It does lessen some of the suspense and leaves the body count a little low by slasher standards, but I liked the guts it took to stick by that choice.
You have to admire a movie that features a killer with a flair for playing dress up. It's also nice that the characters in this movie aren't complete idiots. The minute they realize someone's killing their friends, they stick together and fight the killer together. It does lessen some of the suspense and leaves the body count a little low by slasher standards, but I liked the guts it took to stick by that choice.
Stay out of furniture stores slasher kids
BandSAboutMovies24 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The poster for this says it all: In the tradition of Friday the 13th and Halloween...
Notice: It doesn't say from the makers of. Or from the people who brought you.
Also known as Close Your Eyes and Pray in the U.K., this movie is all about a bunch of teens having a graduation party in a furniture store before they're stalked and slashed by a cross-dressing killer. Obviously, the movie Chopping Mall doesn't exist in this universe, because I'd never celebrate in a furniture store after that one.
After the murder of a hooker, we get right into the story, as four couples all gather in the aforementioned furniture store without realizing that an ex-con is living in the basement.
A game of hide and go seek turns into two different sexual situations that are broken up by the cross-dressing killer, who uses a trident to kill the first two of many. And of course, despite those two being missing, the gang continues its carnal lock-in and just goes to sleep.
This is yet another continuation of the trope of sex equals death. There is, however, an amazing kill in this one where an elevator completely severs the heads of one of these teens.
It also has an amazing reveal at the end: the killer ends up being Fred's gay prison lover, who feels like the kids were coming between them. Yes, Fred was dating all of the kids. That makes sense, Zack. Yes, Zack is the killer's name. Have you ever heard of a frightening killer named Zack?
Director Skip Schoolnik also edited Halloween 2 - the original - so he should know a thing about a good slasher.
Notice: It doesn't say from the makers of. Or from the people who brought you.
Also known as Close Your Eyes and Pray in the U.K., this movie is all about a bunch of teens having a graduation party in a furniture store before they're stalked and slashed by a cross-dressing killer. Obviously, the movie Chopping Mall doesn't exist in this universe, because I'd never celebrate in a furniture store after that one.
After the murder of a hooker, we get right into the story, as four couples all gather in the aforementioned furniture store without realizing that an ex-con is living in the basement.
A game of hide and go seek turns into two different sexual situations that are broken up by the cross-dressing killer, who uses a trident to kill the first two of many. And of course, despite those two being missing, the gang continues its carnal lock-in and just goes to sleep.
This is yet another continuation of the trope of sex equals death. There is, however, an amazing kill in this one where an elevator completely severs the heads of one of these teens.
It also has an amazing reveal at the end: the killer ends up being Fred's gay prison lover, who feels like the kids were coming between them. Yes, Fred was dating all of the kids. That makes sense, Zack. Yes, Zack is the killer's name. Have you ever heard of a frightening killer named Zack?
Director Skip Schoolnik also edited Halloween 2 - the original - so he should know a thing about a good slasher.
It didn't make me hide and go shriek.🔪
jonflottorp7 April 2022
Hide and go shriek is an 80s slasher about some teen's having a sleepover in a furinture store.
I love the furniture store setting, i wish there were more horror movies set there.
The kills are good. And the acting is good.
There is some flawes as that it doesn't seem like they care about their friends dying, or how stupid the characters are, but that's a problem in most slashers.
So overall a suprisingly good slasher and i recommend watching it.
I love the furniture store setting, i wish there were more horror movies set there.
The kills are good. And the acting is good.
There is some flawes as that it doesn't seem like they care about their friends dying, or how stupid the characters are, but that's a problem in most slashers.
So overall a suprisingly good slasher and i recommend watching it.
Walk The Other Way!
Coventry21 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
BIG spoilers, but you shouldn't care... Skip Schoolnik's Hide and Go Shriek is a strong contender for the price of absolute WORST slasher-movie of the 80's. Simply every aspect of this is film is very wrong and downright pathetic, which makes it all the more surprising to see that all my fellow reviewers on this site are so mild in their opinions! This thing is hopeless right from the start, with the introduction of the most insufferable ensemble cast ever! These teenagers don't only look stupid; their personalities don't make the slightest bit of sense. First we see two males in a gym, weightlifting and driveling about graduation parties. Okay, they're standard high-school jocks that act tough and talk dirty, it seems, but instead they're total wimps! One of them constantly tells his virgin girlfriend that it's OK to wait with sex until she's ready and the other one is terrified to mess up his daddy's furniture warehouse. The next male that gets introduced is supposed to be the obligatory sex-addict, yet all he ever nags about is his 6$ haircut. The last male looks like a typical dork, and you expect the others to pick on him, but no, he's actually part of the team! The same goes for all the girls. Judging by their looks and exhibitionist-tendencies, you're expecting a troop of sluts and bimbos, right? Wrong again, because these ladies talk about how sacred marriage is and they're even giving away their own sexy lingerie to a chubbier girl so that she's more likely to have sex with the aforementioned dork. What kind of teenagers are they? The stupidity of these youngsters is made complete when it turns out they have their very own friendship dance-ritual to Aerosmith's "Walk this Way". The gang has finally finished high school and they plan a wild celebration in the furniture store owned by John's dad. Their idea of a graduation party is get this - to play hide & seek! How old are they, twelve?? After the game, and ignoring the fact some of them already vanished, they all have dinner together and go to bed early. I stand corrected; they're actually seven years old
Then, of course, there's the homicidal maniac who thank God consistently murders our teenagers one by one. The death sequences are the only redeeming moments and you should enjoy the elevator-decapitation scene as much as you possibly can because the denouement is totally retarded again. Naturally I'm not going to blab the killer's identity here, but you better prepare yourself for the most retarded
incompetent
implausible
ludicrous
craziest ending in low-budget horror EVER! One of the many reasons why 80's slashers are so popular is because you can participate in guessing who the killer is. You simply can't do that here and people who carefully paid attention to every small detail will feel cheated and furious. Total laugh-riot.
A refreshing attempt for an 80's slasher film.
FrightMeter8 March 2002
I really like this film. It is probably my most watched 80's slasher film in my extensive horror movie collection. I find it to be highly entertaining, original in it's attempts, and decently acted.
A group of teens decide to spend the night in a creepy old furniture store, which is owned by one of their fathers, to celebrate their graduation. Of course, a killer shows up, locks them in, and begins killing them off one by one during a game of Hide and Go Seek. While this film is far from a masterpiece, I think what I admire about it is that tries to be different from the other slashers pics that were released around the same time. It breaks the mold so to speak. So many slasher films released around this time stuck to the "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" formula of a looming, silent, indestructible killer and a final confrontation between him and the virginal sole-surviving heroine. This film strays away from that and provides us with a human killer who, despite is ridiculous motive, is both intelligent and vulnerable. The fact that more than just the "virginal heroine" survives is also unique and surprising. And though they may not all look like they are really teenagers, the characters all act like they are and engage of some very humorous, typical teenage conversations. Their acting is certainly above average for this type of film and I really thought Bunky Jones (Bonnie) gave a great performance, particularly in the final minutes of the film.
The setting of the film is foreboding and the film becomes pretty creepy during the final 10-15 minutes when the survivors are cautiously making their way through the dark corridors of the furniture store, only to bump into some randomly placed mannequins. The director builds suspense fairly well in key scenes and having a killer who dresses up in his victims clothing as a trap to lure his next victim, as this one does, is chilling even if it is executed kinda silly here. The death scenes are quite tame and underplayed for this type of film (particularly considering the time it was released), but they are still effective and the killer never uses the same method twice. Again, it is also surprising as to which characters live and die and how sympathetically the filmmaker obviously feels about his characters. They are a likable bunch of kids and it is really hard to root for any of them to die, so even though it will anger gore hounds and people searching for a high-body count, the result should be appreciated by those who sympathize with and like these characters.
Despite the many things I like about this film, there are also things that just don't work so well. The opening scene with the killer picking up a prostitute is the definition of cheese and really doesn't fit with the direction of the rest of the film and certainly cannot be explained once we discover the killer's identity and motive, which is the film's main problem. The killer is ridiculous once we discover the identity and completely unintimidatng. Even worse is his motive for the killings. It sort of came out of left field and I, as a viewer, felt cheated. The dialog at the end of the film between the killer and his main quest is cringe-worthy, and it doesn't help that both are pretty bad actors (luckily, neither are on screen that long). The film, for me, would have been almost a perfect slasher film, had the ending gone in a totally different direction with a different killer. There are certainly some other cheesy, WTF? scenes, including one where the virginal, good-girl character is able to launch into a striptease for her boyfriend that rivals anything done by Demi Moore in "Striptease."
Overall, though, this is a highly entertaining film which outshines many similar attempts of the 80's because of its subtleness and . If you are any sort of horror/slasher fan, I would highly recommend this film. It doesn't set out to by an all out slash and gore film (which will upset some), but tries to be different and presents us with a group of teenaged victims who we can actually care about and get to know.
FrightMeter Grade: B
A group of teens decide to spend the night in a creepy old furniture store, which is owned by one of their fathers, to celebrate their graduation. Of course, a killer shows up, locks them in, and begins killing them off one by one during a game of Hide and Go Seek. While this film is far from a masterpiece, I think what I admire about it is that tries to be different from the other slashers pics that were released around the same time. It breaks the mold so to speak. So many slasher films released around this time stuck to the "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" formula of a looming, silent, indestructible killer and a final confrontation between him and the virginal sole-surviving heroine. This film strays away from that and provides us with a human killer who, despite is ridiculous motive, is both intelligent and vulnerable. The fact that more than just the "virginal heroine" survives is also unique and surprising. And though they may not all look like they are really teenagers, the characters all act like they are and engage of some very humorous, typical teenage conversations. Their acting is certainly above average for this type of film and I really thought Bunky Jones (Bonnie) gave a great performance, particularly in the final minutes of the film.
The setting of the film is foreboding and the film becomes pretty creepy during the final 10-15 minutes when the survivors are cautiously making their way through the dark corridors of the furniture store, only to bump into some randomly placed mannequins. The director builds suspense fairly well in key scenes and having a killer who dresses up in his victims clothing as a trap to lure his next victim, as this one does, is chilling even if it is executed kinda silly here. The death scenes are quite tame and underplayed for this type of film (particularly considering the time it was released), but they are still effective and the killer never uses the same method twice. Again, it is also surprising as to which characters live and die and how sympathetically the filmmaker obviously feels about his characters. They are a likable bunch of kids and it is really hard to root for any of them to die, so even though it will anger gore hounds and people searching for a high-body count, the result should be appreciated by those who sympathize with and like these characters.
Despite the many things I like about this film, there are also things that just don't work so well. The opening scene with the killer picking up a prostitute is the definition of cheese and really doesn't fit with the direction of the rest of the film and certainly cannot be explained once we discover the killer's identity and motive, which is the film's main problem. The killer is ridiculous once we discover the identity and completely unintimidatng. Even worse is his motive for the killings. It sort of came out of left field and I, as a viewer, felt cheated. The dialog at the end of the film between the killer and his main quest is cringe-worthy, and it doesn't help that both are pretty bad actors (luckily, neither are on screen that long). The film, for me, would have been almost a perfect slasher film, had the ending gone in a totally different direction with a different killer. There are certainly some other cheesy, WTF? scenes, including one where the virginal, good-girl character is able to launch into a striptease for her boyfriend that rivals anything done by Demi Moore in "Striptease."
Overall, though, this is a highly entertaining film which outshines many similar attempts of the 80's because of its subtleness and . If you are any sort of horror/slasher fan, I would highly recommend this film. It doesn't set out to by an all out slash and gore film (which will upset some), but tries to be different and presents us with a group of teenaged victims who we can actually care about and get to know.
FrightMeter Grade: B
Oddball Slash Fest
amandagellar-310779 April 2019
Hide and Go Shriek had the unfortunate luck of coming at the end of the original 80's slasher cycle where these films were lucky to play in a theater or two before getting dumped onto video. As a film, it's not as bad as you'd think. There are a few creepy moments here and there (especially the killer's fetish for dressing up like the victims they've just killed so they can fool the next victims into thinking that they are one of their friends) and there's a pretty gnarly decapitation by elevator that's truly a work of art.
The real selling point here is the heavy dollop of late-80's cheese on display. Everyone's clothes, hair, and makeup couldn't be more late-80's if they tried, which gives the film a fun time capsule feel. You just know it's one of those movies that could have only been made at a very specific place and time.
The ending killer reveal is so bizarre and off the wall that it must be seen to be believed.
The real selling point here is the heavy dollop of late-80's cheese on display. Everyone's clothes, hair, and makeup couldn't be more late-80's if they tried, which gives the film a fun time capsule feel. You just know it's one of those movies that could have only been made at a very specific place and time.
The ending killer reveal is so bizarre and off the wall that it must be seen to be believed.
Creepy killer kills dull teens
Stevieboy66628 April 2019
Eight teens spend the night in a large furniture store, owned by one of the boy's father, but a cross dressing psycho picks them off one by one.
Firstly the good: the killer is pretty creepy, he likes to dress up in his victim's clothes, be they male or female. Mannequins in the store are used to good effect, they certainly add spooky atmosphere. Plenty of nudity, both male and female (I believe in equality!), though no full frontal. Some of the kills are quite inventive.
The bad: the acting. We have eight teens (one of the boys looks more like 12, and no doubt some of them are older too), not a particularly attractive bunch and who really can't act. This is quite rather painful to watch at times and I just wanted them to hurry up and get bumped off. The clothes and hair styles are pretty horrific too, but back in the 1980's mullets were the rage. The most memorable death involves decapitation by elevator, sadly the paper mache head looks like it was made by a ten year old in primary school, not Screaming Mad George's best effect! Incidentally this kill is slightly cut on DVD, but this is due to the original source material was too poor in quality to use, not censorship.
Hide and Go Shriek is a great title and good to see that some film makers were still making slasher movies after the Golden Age of such movies. However, it is average at best, better characters/acting would have been an improvement. Still worth checking out though.
Actually delivered more than I expected...
BillyBC27 May 2003
(**1/2 out of *****)
A group of horny young teenagers (aren't they all?) break into a furniture warehouse for a night of frivolous games and serious sex (or is it serious games and frivolous sex?) But, wouldn't you know it, a wet-blanket serial killer/madman has to start butchering everyone and spoiling all the fun. This looks even more low-budget than most 80s slashers, but I actually enjoyed it, once things got going. For one thing, the setting is great -- with an old, open elevator and multiple, dark floors full of mannequins and beds, so that the characters never know where the killer is, not to mention each other -- and the survivors are not necessarily the ones you'd expect (you never know who's gonna get it next.) There's the expected nudity and violence, but the mood and suspense place this one slightly above other teens-locked-in-a-building-with-a-psychopath slashers of its kind.
HIGHLIGHT: One girl waits for her boyfriend to come back to bed, unaware that the killer has messily disposed of him and put on his clothes, setting up a very scary scene of mistaken identity.
A group of horny young teenagers (aren't they all?) break into a furniture warehouse for a night of frivolous games and serious sex (or is it serious games and frivolous sex?) But, wouldn't you know it, a wet-blanket serial killer/madman has to start butchering everyone and spoiling all the fun. This looks even more low-budget than most 80s slashers, but I actually enjoyed it, once things got going. For one thing, the setting is great -- with an old, open elevator and multiple, dark floors full of mannequins and beds, so that the characters never know where the killer is, not to mention each other -- and the survivors are not necessarily the ones you'd expect (you never know who's gonna get it next.) There's the expected nudity and violence, but the mood and suspense place this one slightly above other teens-locked-in-a-building-with-a-psychopath slashers of its kind.
HIGHLIGHT: One girl waits for her boyfriend to come back to bed, unaware that the killer has messily disposed of him and put on his clothes, setting up a very scary scene of mistaken identity.
CHOPPING MALL part 2
Maciste_Brother8 April 2004
Warning: Spoilers
If you saw CHOPPING MALL, you'll don't have to watch HIDE AND GO SHRIEK (HAGS). It's basically the same thing: horny teens sneak in a large furniture department store and stay there for the night, having sex on the many beds on display. Instead of killer robots, HAGS has a killer transvestite. The killer's storyline is not to be believed. It's basically about an ex-con and his prison bitch, the latter killing the teens because he thinks they'll get in the way of their love. Yep, major eye rolling!!!
The acting is bad. One of the characters, played by Bunky Jones I believe, has a nervous breakdown when the killings start. Someone should have killed her right on the spot instead. The cinematography is horrendous. Everything is the dark so you don't see what's going on half of the time. Everyone is nude or undresses at one point during the entire movie. This usually doesn't bother me but I definitely didn't want to see that 14 year old boy in his underwear. Yikes. The music was terrible. Zero atmosphere or style. Good title though.
The only reason I watched this is because I'm a horror film completist. If you're not then you definitely do not have to watch this boring movie. Watch CHOPPING MALL.
The acting is bad. One of the characters, played by Bunky Jones I believe, has a nervous breakdown when the killings start. Someone should have killed her right on the spot instead. The cinematography is horrendous. Everything is the dark so you don't see what's going on half of the time. Everyone is nude or undresses at one point during the entire movie. This usually doesn't bother me but I definitely didn't want to see that 14 year old boy in his underwear. Yikes. The music was terrible. Zero atmosphere or style. Good title though.
The only reason I watched this is because I'm a horror film completist. If you're not then you definitely do not have to watch this boring movie. Watch CHOPPING MALL.
A queer hidden gem
rivertam2619 July 2020
Without a doubt one of the queerest horror flicks I've ever seen. And I say that in the most positive way. As a gay man and an uber fan of the horror genre it's hard to see myself in most of my favorite horror delights. So I am eternally scavaging the genre for films that appeal to my more colorful side. This late 80s slasher is about a group of friends who decide to spend the night in a furniture warehouse. They wanna party, have sex and play hide and go seek. What starts off as an innocent game soon turns to horror as they discover someone's knocking them off one by one. Besides the main twist the movie is overly homoerotic. The boys are always shirtless talking to close and fawning over eachother. It's almost as if the females are a side note. On a slasher level the movie works. It's fun with some great kills and a solid atmosphere of suspense. And it's the type of movie where the victims are smart enough to band together and fight back. I'm not saying this is high art but for what it is its damn entertaining. It's a trashy little retro slasher that's a criminally underseen hidden gem.
7/10
7/10
Ready or not, here I come.
Skutter-28 August 2007
Hide and Go Shriek is probably a slightly better than average slasher movie. Kind of damning with faint praise really but it does what one would want from a slasher movie and doesn't really excel or stand out in any particularly negative or positive way. The plot revolves around a group of eight teenagers, four couples, who decide to have a post-graduation party in the furniture store, which is owned by the father of one them, one night. Unfortunately for them there is a killer in the building along with a scary looking ex-con who is an employee of the store and living there temporarily who might have some connection with the killer. Naturally they get up to the usual slasher teen hijinks and are picked off one by one.
It would kind of redundant to go into a detailed plot description of Hide and Go Shriek as it follows the standard formula or the slasher pic with little straying from the formulas. It begins with a pre-credits sequence in which we see the killer, a dude in cruddy tenement slum putting on a suit and liberally applying makeup to his face, although we don't actually see a proper shot his face, before picking a prostitute and knifing mid-coitus. I initially thought that there would be some kind of twist revealing the identity of the gender confused killer given they make such a point of not giving us a good look at his face but nothing like that happens. After this we are introduced to our leads before they move quickly to the slaughter point, were they are to be locked in for the night and are slaughtered. There're a fairly unremarkable bunch, complete with eighties big hair and styles, all quite bland and whitebread- there are no token dorks or ethnic minorities and are conceivably a group of individuals who might actually hang out together. I will give the director credit for casting a slightly hotter than average group of actresses and for getting three out of the four naked during the movie, with the fourth coming close. I think he should have, purely for the completion's sake.... no other reasons, honest.
For the first two thirds of the movie the plot seems to revolve around reason for the group of characters to split up. Playing hide and seek (Twice- once would have seemed a strange thing for a group of supposedly seventeen year olds to be doing but twice, even stranger), splitting off to have sex and looking for the missing members of the group once the killer finally starts to pick off some of their number. It actually takes a while and the kills are fairly thin on the ground as the killer spends a lot of time hanging around and acting creepy and menacing in the shadows watching the teens. The setting is actually quite good but the building seems like an odd choice for a furniture store- multiple stories, a seemingly labyrinthine layout, a clunky service life. The cat and mouse stuff is kind of fun. The killer has a penchant for disguise, namely dressing in the clothing of his victims in order to lure the others to their deaths. He particularly favours the woman's clothing, making use of the wigs from the store manikins, and at one point puts on the lacy black lingerie one of the girls had brought to surprise her boyfriend. Needless to say he is surprised. Just another thing you will never see Jason or Michael ever doing. For the most part he keeps to the shadows and when we do get a good look at him in the climax he is again wearing a lot of makeup and in S&M getup. He is certainly one of the more memorable killers from a generic eighties slasher.
To the films credit once it hits the fan and the teens realise what is happening they act in a reasonable manner for this kind of movie. They actually stay as a group and don't split up, even the more panicky ones don't completely spaz out and run off on their own at any point, and try to get out of the building. Despite a few bad decisions they do behave in a fairly rational manner for characters in this kind of dreck. The conclusion is over a bit too quickly and there is a very predictable 'twist'.
On the whole Hide and Go Shriek is an amusing runaround if you're in the mood for a cheesy and derivative eighties slasher. It has all the components you could ask for- gore, cheesy synth music (Reminded me of the works of John Carpenter), bad acting, gratuitous nudity, eighties fashion victims and a memorable and hammy bad guy.
It would kind of redundant to go into a detailed plot description of Hide and Go Shriek as it follows the standard formula or the slasher pic with little straying from the formulas. It begins with a pre-credits sequence in which we see the killer, a dude in cruddy tenement slum putting on a suit and liberally applying makeup to his face, although we don't actually see a proper shot his face, before picking a prostitute and knifing mid-coitus. I initially thought that there would be some kind of twist revealing the identity of the gender confused killer given they make such a point of not giving us a good look at his face but nothing like that happens. After this we are introduced to our leads before they move quickly to the slaughter point, were they are to be locked in for the night and are slaughtered. There're a fairly unremarkable bunch, complete with eighties big hair and styles, all quite bland and whitebread- there are no token dorks or ethnic minorities and are conceivably a group of individuals who might actually hang out together. I will give the director credit for casting a slightly hotter than average group of actresses and for getting three out of the four naked during the movie, with the fourth coming close. I think he should have, purely for the completion's sake.... no other reasons, honest.
For the first two thirds of the movie the plot seems to revolve around reason for the group of characters to split up. Playing hide and seek (Twice- once would have seemed a strange thing for a group of supposedly seventeen year olds to be doing but twice, even stranger), splitting off to have sex and looking for the missing members of the group once the killer finally starts to pick off some of their number. It actually takes a while and the kills are fairly thin on the ground as the killer spends a lot of time hanging around and acting creepy and menacing in the shadows watching the teens. The setting is actually quite good but the building seems like an odd choice for a furniture store- multiple stories, a seemingly labyrinthine layout, a clunky service life. The cat and mouse stuff is kind of fun. The killer has a penchant for disguise, namely dressing in the clothing of his victims in order to lure the others to their deaths. He particularly favours the woman's clothing, making use of the wigs from the store manikins, and at one point puts on the lacy black lingerie one of the girls had brought to surprise her boyfriend. Needless to say he is surprised. Just another thing you will never see Jason or Michael ever doing. For the most part he keeps to the shadows and when we do get a good look at him in the climax he is again wearing a lot of makeup and in S&M getup. He is certainly one of the more memorable killers from a generic eighties slasher.
To the films credit once it hits the fan and the teens realise what is happening they act in a reasonable manner for this kind of movie. They actually stay as a group and don't split up, even the more panicky ones don't completely spaz out and run off on their own at any point, and try to get out of the building. Despite a few bad decisions they do behave in a fairly rational manner for characters in this kind of dreck. The conclusion is over a bit too quickly and there is a very predictable 'twist'.
On the whole Hide and Go Shriek is an amusing runaround if you're in the mood for a cheesy and derivative eighties slasher. It has all the components you could ask for- gore, cheesy synth music (Reminded me of the works of John Carpenter), bad acting, gratuitous nudity, eighties fashion victims and a memorable and hammy bad guy.
Middle of the Road Slasher
kevinfbarker21 October 2020
Kids sneak into the furniture store one of their parents owns and are targeted by a killer who likes to play dress up after killing their victims. There's enough camp here with the kid's fashions and bad hairstyles if that's what you watch 80's slasher films for and the killer's monologue and reveal has to be one of the most bizarre you're likely to see in a film like this. There's a really nasty decapitation scene, too, which did boggle my mind when I first saw it. I'm still not sure how they did that.
Interesting killer but illogical plot holes (SPOILERS)
edeighton15 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was filmed in three weeks on a very small budget and it shows. An easy way to save money is to film the movie in the dark, so naturally the plot calls for the store's lights to be off the whole time. But, even with that explanation, this film is extremely dark. This film is so dark that much of the action is nearly impossible to make out (this likely served to save money on special effects). But, every 1980s slasher movie needs nudity, so there is magically adequate lighting whenever the actresses take their clothes off. Next, the film saves money by generating a lot of jump scares by having the kids try and scare each other and by throwing in some mannequins to throw the audience off. The female mannequins are particularly intimidating in this movie as the killer likes to dress up in woman's clothing.
This 1980s slasher is notable because of its smaller body count and that there are a full four survivors from the original group of eight kids instead of the genre-typical sole female survivor. The Director, Skip Schoolnik, is very familiar with this slasher-film cliché (single female survivor) as he edited Halloween II in 1981. Skip Schoolnik does a decent job of building suspense by having the killer dress up in his victims' clothing as a trap to lure his next victim,. The killer makes use of the wigs from the store mannequins, and at one point puts on the lacy black lingerie one of the girls had brought to surprise her boyfriend. Oh he is surprised! Most of the scenes in which the killer darts past another character while obscured by shadows are scary, and the Killer's high pitched squeals of laughter makes things even creepier. There is also a tense scene of the kids banging on the glass store display window trying to get someone's attention and help.
John Ross' score is interesting and is reminiscent of the haunting score from The Terminator, pulsating and futuristic.
One of the problems with this movie is that the kids don't seem to have any individual personalities or motivations. Randy's whole personality is is buzz cut haircut. Craig and John are your typical meat-head jocks and Shawn' is a nerdy virgin. Kim and Bonnie are young foxes. Melissa and Judy (the chunky virgin) are supposed to be the two less attractive girls, yet most of the budget for this film seems to have been spent on all four girls' hair and make-up. I thought the kids in this film were smarter than their slasher-film contemporaries: (1) once they determined that there was a killer in the store with them they stayed together as a group; (2) rather than hide they gathered weapons and realized they outnumbered the killer and hunted him; and, (3) they tried to bring help into the store.
I heard that this film had a twist ending. I am here to tell you though that M Night Shyamalan has nothing to fear from this film's writer, Michael Kelly. The twist was not all that shocking and it certainly did not make sense. The kids think that Fred, the ex-con who works and lives in the basement of the store, is the killer. The kids even beat Fred's ass and tie him up because they think he is the killer. But "shockingly" the real killer ends up being Fred's gay prison lover, Zack, whose motivation for killing the kids is....he thinks that the kids will come between him and Fred?!?!? Yes, the kids who are only staying in the store overnight and trying to couple up and have sex are somehow a rival for Fred's affection in Zack, the Killer's, mind. So why did the homosexual killer, Zack, open the movie by picking up a female prostitute, have sex with her in an alley and then killing her? She could not have possibly been a rival for Fred's affection.
There is a lot of homo eroticism in this movie. The Killer, Zack, wears drag and bondage gear and is gay. There is a scene where one of the young couples is lying in bed naked and the killer comes into the room dressed as the young nerdy boy he just killed. The killer gives the naked couple the middle finger and then bends over and exposes his naked male buttocks. So, naturally, the supposedly heterosexual young jock leaves his hot naked girlfriend behind in bed and chases after the naked male ass of what he thinks is the young nerdy guy. Early in the film, this same jock is lifting weights with his muscular friend and then tells his friend to meet him in the showers, and then takes a seductive bite of his banana. These two are not at school or a gym but rather in the backyard of a single family home....so the "showers" are going to be a real tight squeeze. Then there is the climax where Fred and Zack fight to the death and as the innocent Fred lies dying he tells his boss, the kid's dad who owns the store, "I tried to be straight. I'm sorry, Mr. Robbins." Did he mean he tried to go straight, with a legitimate job? Or did he mean he tried not to have sex with guys?
This 1980s slasher is notable because of its smaller body count and that there are a full four survivors from the original group of eight kids instead of the genre-typical sole female survivor. The Director, Skip Schoolnik, is very familiar with this slasher-film cliché (single female survivor) as he edited Halloween II in 1981. Skip Schoolnik does a decent job of building suspense by having the killer dress up in his victims' clothing as a trap to lure his next victim,. The killer makes use of the wigs from the store mannequins, and at one point puts on the lacy black lingerie one of the girls had brought to surprise her boyfriend. Oh he is surprised! Most of the scenes in which the killer darts past another character while obscured by shadows are scary, and the Killer's high pitched squeals of laughter makes things even creepier. There is also a tense scene of the kids banging on the glass store display window trying to get someone's attention and help.
John Ross' score is interesting and is reminiscent of the haunting score from The Terminator, pulsating and futuristic.
One of the problems with this movie is that the kids don't seem to have any individual personalities or motivations. Randy's whole personality is is buzz cut haircut. Craig and John are your typical meat-head jocks and Shawn' is a nerdy virgin. Kim and Bonnie are young foxes. Melissa and Judy (the chunky virgin) are supposed to be the two less attractive girls, yet most of the budget for this film seems to have been spent on all four girls' hair and make-up. I thought the kids in this film were smarter than their slasher-film contemporaries: (1) once they determined that there was a killer in the store with them they stayed together as a group; (2) rather than hide they gathered weapons and realized they outnumbered the killer and hunted him; and, (3) they tried to bring help into the store.
I heard that this film had a twist ending. I am here to tell you though that M Night Shyamalan has nothing to fear from this film's writer, Michael Kelly. The twist was not all that shocking and it certainly did not make sense. The kids think that Fred, the ex-con who works and lives in the basement of the store, is the killer. The kids even beat Fred's ass and tie him up because they think he is the killer. But "shockingly" the real killer ends up being Fred's gay prison lover, Zack, whose motivation for killing the kids is....he thinks that the kids will come between him and Fred?!?!? Yes, the kids who are only staying in the store overnight and trying to couple up and have sex are somehow a rival for Fred's affection in Zack, the Killer's, mind. So why did the homosexual killer, Zack, open the movie by picking up a female prostitute, have sex with her in an alley and then killing her? She could not have possibly been a rival for Fred's affection.
There is a lot of homo eroticism in this movie. The Killer, Zack, wears drag and bondage gear and is gay. There is a scene where one of the young couples is lying in bed naked and the killer comes into the room dressed as the young nerdy boy he just killed. The killer gives the naked couple the middle finger and then bends over and exposes his naked male buttocks. So, naturally, the supposedly heterosexual young jock leaves his hot naked girlfriend behind in bed and chases after the naked male ass of what he thinks is the young nerdy guy. Early in the film, this same jock is lifting weights with his muscular friend and then tells his friend to meet him in the showers, and then takes a seductive bite of his banana. These two are not at school or a gym but rather in the backyard of a single family home....so the "showers" are going to be a real tight squeeze. Then there is the climax where Fred and Zack fight to the death and as the innocent Fred lies dying he tells his boss, the kid's dad who owns the store, "I tried to be straight. I'm sorry, Mr. Robbins." Did he mean he tried to go straight, with a legitimate job? Or did he mean he tried not to have sex with guys?
Okay slasher flick.
HumanoidOfFlesh13 June 2005
A handful of teenagers sneaks into a furniture store owned by the father of one of the teenagers.An ex-convict,just recently released,has been hired to realize a variety of manual tasks.Because he hasn't had the time to find anywhere to live,he is temporarily living in the building.The teenagers believe they are alone to eat,drink and have sex.However,someone is spying on them from the darkness.As to not be noticed,they leave the lights out.When they understand that somebody is watching them,it is too late:heads start to roll and blood starts to flow.After each murder,the killer steals his victim's clothes and fools the next teenager by making them believe he is one of them."Hide and Go Shriek" is a pretty good slasher.The killer wears his victims' clothing,whether they are men or women and the plastic mannequins look creepy.There is a good amount of violence and gore including memorable death scene where a teenager is attached on the roof of an elevator and the ceiling tears off her head when the elevator changes floors.So if you like slasher films give this one a look.7 out of 10.
Who's Your Daddy?
JoeytheBrit1 October 2005
Pert boobs abound in this typical low-budget slasher fare from the fag end of the original genre cycle. A cast of unknowns (both then and now) play a bunch of horny teenagers who hit on the idea of spending a night in the huge furniture store owned by the father of one of the boys. The store has beds on every floor and, uncaring of any nasty stains they might leave for prospective buyers, the kids make good use of them. However, while they're busy getting their jollies and playing hide-and-seek, a deranged killer is finding grisly if relatively unimaginative ways of knocking them off.
It's obvious the makers of this film were working with a budget tinier than the brains of its teenage characters, so Hide and Go Shriek earns some plaudits for holding its own in an overcrowded genre. There's nothing new or unusual here, but at least the acting is mostly acceptable and director Skip Schoolnik (who would go on to work on the Buffy and Angel TV series) manages to engineer a couple of suspenseful moments after a noticeably slow start which is presumably intended to develop some viewer identification with the characters but which fails badly. I did like the way none of the kids really acts stupidly once they realise that they're being stalked by a crazed killer, though, even though some of the guys were so annoying you're almost looking forward to seeing them get offed. They stick together, arm themselves with mannequin limbs strangely, there are a *lot* of mannequins in this furniture store and decide to fight their corner. The film is shot almost exclusively in darkness, which both belies the low budget and makes it difficult to see what's going on at times. The version I watched on the Horror Channel is a bowdlerised version, I think, as one of the scenes immediately following the murder of the store-owner's son makes no sense at all, and the gore factor is pretty low. The killer's 'demise' is horribly weak and rushed, as if the makers used all their imagination devising the deaths of the teenagers and had nothing left for the killer, and optimistically sets itself up for a sequel that never arrived.
Really good stalk-and-slash horror films are pretty rare, largely because the genre is one in which large returns are regularly recognised from a minimum outlay of finance. There's little incentive for innovation, and anything new is done to death within a couple of years. Hide and Go Shriek will probably entertain those undemanding fans who like their horror cheap and dark and regularly interrupted by naked teenage girls; anyone else will probably lose patience with both the one-dimensional characters and the film long before the killer is unmasked.
It's obvious the makers of this film were working with a budget tinier than the brains of its teenage characters, so Hide and Go Shriek earns some plaudits for holding its own in an overcrowded genre. There's nothing new or unusual here, but at least the acting is mostly acceptable and director Skip Schoolnik (who would go on to work on the Buffy and Angel TV series) manages to engineer a couple of suspenseful moments after a noticeably slow start which is presumably intended to develop some viewer identification with the characters but which fails badly. I did like the way none of the kids really acts stupidly once they realise that they're being stalked by a crazed killer, though, even though some of the guys were so annoying you're almost looking forward to seeing them get offed. They stick together, arm themselves with mannequin limbs strangely, there are a *lot* of mannequins in this furniture store and decide to fight their corner. The film is shot almost exclusively in darkness, which both belies the low budget and makes it difficult to see what's going on at times. The version I watched on the Horror Channel is a bowdlerised version, I think, as one of the scenes immediately following the murder of the store-owner's son makes no sense at all, and the gore factor is pretty low. The killer's 'demise' is horribly weak and rushed, as if the makers used all their imagination devising the deaths of the teenagers and had nothing left for the killer, and optimistically sets itself up for a sequel that never arrived.
Really good stalk-and-slash horror films are pretty rare, largely because the genre is one in which large returns are regularly recognised from a minimum outlay of finance. There's little incentive for innovation, and anything new is done to death within a couple of years. Hide and Go Shriek will probably entertain those undemanding fans who like their horror cheap and dark and regularly interrupted by naked teenage girls; anyone else will probably lose patience with both the one-dimensional characters and the film long before the killer is unmasked.
Not too bad for a late-in-the-game slasher pic
carolinephillips-4742713 March 2017
A creepy, darkened furniture store sets the stage for this better than usual slasher flick. The characters are fairly interesting and the set pieces aren't too bad. There's a crazy nasty decapitation in the unrated version of the film (the Code Red Blu-Ray includes this as an extra feature) that will truly boggle your mind. It might be one of the best effects I've ever seen.
Hide and Go Shriek has a lot in common with other 80's body count films like Chopping Mall and The Initiation, so if you enjoyed those, you might get a kick out of this. It's worth a look for 80's slasher fans.
Hide and Go Shriek has a lot in common with other 80's body count films like Chopping Mall and The Initiation, so if you enjoyed those, you might get a kick out of this. It's worth a look for 80's slasher fans.
Better than you would expect
drownsoda9029 December 2016
"Hide and Go Shriek" follows a group of high-schoolers who have just graduated. Naturally, to celebrate their adulthood, they decide to spend the evening throwing a small party in one of the kids' father's furniture store after hours. But a cross-dressing killer has arrived to crash their party game of hide and go seek.
Drawing on pre-established slasher traditions that were honed by many films in the early–mid-eighties, "Hide and Go Shriek" doesn't really get any points for originality. The setup is predictable, and the furniture store setting is reminiscent of the shopping mall backdrop in "The Initiation" or even "Chopping Mall." Kids have sex, they are effectually murdered, and a jarring synth score punctuates the deaths. What the film does have that distinguishes it a bit is the gender-bending killer, which, save a few rare instances, does mean the film was a bit ahead of its time. Director Skip Schoolnik plays with the killer's image effectively, providing eerie fleeting shots of a masculine figure in a negligee running through the store; the prologue of the film shows the killer being raped, which sets the stage. At other times, the killer appears in men's clothing, donning a blonde wig stolen from store mannequins. Each of the images are well composed and eerily rendered.
The acting is a mixed bag, and some less-than-stellar dialogue doesn't exactly help matters, but by eighties slasher standards, the performances here are far from the worst. In true slasher fashion, the gore is ramped up here, with some brutal and inventive death scenes. As is the case with the majority of the film, the last act isn't particularly fresh or interesting, but the reveal at the end is definitely unorthodox in the slasher world.
Overall, "Hide and Go Shriek" is not bad as far as eighties slasher films go, especially those from the latter half of the decade, a time when the well seemed to have run dry. The film doesn't offer much in way of surprises, but it is an entertaining and mostly well made film. The scuzzy, gender-bending villain who shifts from guise to guise is what really makes the film stand out, and is where most all of its tension and intrigue is generated from. 7/10.
Drawing on pre-established slasher traditions that were honed by many films in the early–mid-eighties, "Hide and Go Shriek" doesn't really get any points for originality. The setup is predictable, and the furniture store setting is reminiscent of the shopping mall backdrop in "The Initiation" or even "Chopping Mall." Kids have sex, they are effectually murdered, and a jarring synth score punctuates the deaths. What the film does have that distinguishes it a bit is the gender-bending killer, which, save a few rare instances, does mean the film was a bit ahead of its time. Director Skip Schoolnik plays with the killer's image effectively, providing eerie fleeting shots of a masculine figure in a negligee running through the store; the prologue of the film shows the killer being raped, which sets the stage. At other times, the killer appears in men's clothing, donning a blonde wig stolen from store mannequins. Each of the images are well composed and eerily rendered.
The acting is a mixed bag, and some less-than-stellar dialogue doesn't exactly help matters, but by eighties slasher standards, the performances here are far from the worst. In true slasher fashion, the gore is ramped up here, with some brutal and inventive death scenes. As is the case with the majority of the film, the last act isn't particularly fresh or interesting, but the reveal at the end is definitely unorthodox in the slasher world.
Overall, "Hide and Go Shriek" is not bad as far as eighties slasher films go, especially those from the latter half of the decade, a time when the well seemed to have run dry. The film doesn't offer much in way of surprises, but it is an entertaining and mostly well made film. The scuzzy, gender-bending villain who shifts from guise to guise is what really makes the film stand out, and is where most all of its tension and intrigue is generated from. 7/10.
No peeking.
lost-in-limbo8 July 2008
Ready or not. Here I come. Should you turn a blind eye, and pass this one as if you didn't notice it. Well, I didn't mind it, so why not take a chance. It's a passable, unassuming late low-cost 80s teen slasher of the same-old cheesy hijinks. Boozing, sex, party games (hide and seek on this occasion), topless nudity and a killer on the loose. You get the picture. It's got everything down-pat. The story sets the situation one night in a furniture store that one of the teen's fathers owns after the complex has shut for business. Unknowingly to them their playful attitude turns to survival when they realise they're being preyed upon in the locked-up building by a (well-dressed) killer that likes to wear the clothing of his victims (and doesn't like people who don't have a shopping agenda). Even with its slack pacing (plenty of aimless clock-punching to open), puerile script, dim lighting (which could create few eerie moods) and cheap FX. It manages to build up an ominous atmosphere (thanks to a brooding rock score and murkily vast setting) and install a real nasty side (some vicious and creative attacks caught by the leering camera) that all but evaporates in its spontaneously fruity climax and sudden conclusion. It's beyond silly and insipid! That'll hold up in court. Every now and again the director (quite clunky, flat and rough handling) tries to make you jump, but with less than flattering results. The performances from the young cast are hysterically over-dramatic, but do entertain with their boneheaded characters. They're not entirely likable though. Rancid, but mildly enjoyable slasher clone.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
