The House on Sorority Row (1983)

Director:

Mark Rosman

Writers:

Mark Rosman (written by)
Bobby Fine (additional dialogue)

Release Date:

21 January 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

When the Nightmare ends . . . the Terror begins

Plot:

After a seemingly innocent prank goes horribly wrong, a group of sorority sisters are stalked and murdered one by one in their sorority house while throwing a party to celebrate their graduation.

Plot Keywords:

House | Sorority | Prank | Sorority House | Graduation

Cast

Kate McNeil	...	Katherine (as Kathryn McNeil)
Eileen Davidson	...	Vicki
Janis Ward	...	Liz (as Janis Zido)
Robin Meloy	...	Jeanie
Harley Jane Kozak	...	Diane (as Harley Kozak)
Jodi Draigie	...	Morgan
Ellen Dorsher	...	Stevie
Lois Kelso Hunt	...	Mrs. Slater
Christopher Lawrence	...	Dr. Beck
Michael Kuhn	...	Peter
Michael Sergio	...	Rick
Ruth Walsh	...	Mother
Ed Heath	...	Policeman
Jean Schertler	...	Nurse
Larry Singer	...	Photographer
Carlos Sério	...	Eric (as Charles Serio)
4 Out of 5 Doctors	...	The Band
Peter McClung	...	Peterson
Brian T. Small	...	Pig
Alan Treadwell	...	Gottfried
Kenny Myers	...	Murdered Guest (as Ken Myers)
Ruth Moss	...	Freshman Girl #1
Hilary Crowson	...	Freshman Girl #2
Nanna Ingvarsson	...	Freshman Girl #3
Arthur Crockett	...	Fraternity Guy #1
Tom Bothwell	...	Fraternity Guy #2
Van Saantvord	...	Beta (as Van Santvoord)
Kathryn Davidov	...	Girl at Party
Celeste Poirier	...	Sorority Girl #1
Patti Chambers	...	Sorority Girl #2
Eric Smith	...	Guy at Pool #1
Karl B. Bromwell	...	Guy at Pool #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Barkanic	...	Guy at Party (uncredited)
Barbara Harris	...	Mrs. Dorothy Slater (voice) (uncredited)
Mark Rosman	...	Party Guest Playing the Piano (uncredited)
Steve Stec	...	Guy at Party (uncredited)
Bobert Thompson	...	Guy Eating Sandwich (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Rosman

Writing credits
Mark Rosman		(written by)
Bobby Fine		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Ed Beyer	....	co-producer
John G. Clark	....	producer
Robert Maier	....	line producer
Thomas W. McMahon	....	executive producer (as W. Thomas McMahon)
John Ponchock	....	executive producer
Alec Rabinowitz	....	associate producer
Mark Rosman	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Band		(as Richard H. Band)

Cinematography by
Tim Suhrstedt		(director of photography) (as Timothy Suhrstedt)

Film Editing by
Paul Trejo		(co-editor)
Jean-Marc Vasseur

Casting by
René Eram		(as Rene Eram)
Richard Steir

Art Direction by
Vincent Peranio

Costume Design by
Susan Perez Prichard

Makeup Department
Diana Mona	....	hair artist
Diana Mona	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Maier	....	production manager
Alan Treadwell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
René Eram	....	second unit director (as Rene Eram)
Paul Schiff	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ana Victoria Aenlle	....	second assistant art director
Delores Delux	....	scenic artist (as Delores Deluxe)
Tim Ford	....	sets assistant
Betsy Klompus	....	scenic artist
Stephen B. Walker	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Sandy Berman	....	sound effects
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
George Fitzgerald	....	dialogue editor (as George Fitzgerald III)
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Steven J. Rogers	....	location sound mixer (as Steve Rogers)
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Sandy Berman	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Delores Gamba	....	assistant effects makeup
Rob E. Holland	....	special effects designer
Rob E. Holland	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Apicella	....	video operator
Robert W. Dorsey	....	key grip (as Robert Dorsey)
Arthur Eng	....	assistant camera
Arthur Gardner	....	gaffer
Susan C. Ingram	....	second assistant camera (as Susan Ingram)
Kenny Klompus	....	video operator
Robert Kreitzer	....	dolly grip
Thomas Loizeaux	....	photographer: second unit (as Tom Loizeaux)
Tom Nichols	....	grip
Felix Rivera	....	best boy
Larry Singer	....	still photographer: production stills

Editorial Department
Jim Finn	....	negative matcher
Annie Kocur	....	post-production assistant
Lawrence Mischel	....	negative matcher
Rita Stern	....	assistant editor
Rachel Talalay	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Richard Band	....	composer: source music (as Richard H. Band)
Richard Band	....	conductor (as Richard H. Band)
Joel Goldsmith	....	composer: source music
London Philharmonic Orchestra	....	music performer (as The London Philharmonic Orchestra)
Randy Nicklaus	....	music engineer: Los Angeles
John Richards	....	music engineer: London

Other crew
Catheryn Casey	....	production chef
Judy Coster	....	production chef
René Eram	....	production associate (as Rene Eram)
Arthur Rabinowitz	....	production assistant
Nina Sadek	....	special consultant
Alan Shapiro	....	creative advisor
Rachel Talalay	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Lynne Himelstein	....	special thanks
Phil Himelstein	....	special thanks
Philip L. Parslow	....	special thanks (as Philip Parslow)
David Rosman	....	special thanks
Donald Rosman	....	special thanks
Goldie Rosman	....	special thanks
Lily Rosman	....	special thanks
David Simon	....	special thanks
Helen Simon	....	special thanks
Earl Watson	....	special thanks (as Earl E. Watson Jr.)
Patrick Winters	....	special thanks (as Pat Winters)

Production Companies

• VAE Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Artists Releasing Corporation (ARC) (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (through FVI)
• Film Ventures International (FVI) (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (through)
• Citadel Films (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Duravision (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Liberation Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Scorpion Releasing (2012) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• United Artists Video (UAV) (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• VCL Comunications (1985) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories (special effects design) (as Make-up Effects Labs)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories (special effects supervision) (as Make-up Effects Labs)

Other Companies

• Axis Video  video operations (as Axis Video Inc.)
• Warren Sound West  post-production services
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals (as Cinema Research Corp.)
• Ryder Sound Services  sound re-recording
• C.T.S. Studios  music recording (as C.T.S. London)
• Nemperor Records  courtesy of: 4 Out of 5 Doctors appearance (as Nemperor Records, Inc.)
• CBS Records  courtesy of: 4 Out of 5 Doctors appearance (as CBS Inc.)
• Woodward and Lothrop  wardrobe
• Technicolor  color
• TVC Laboratories  prints (as TVC Lab)
• La Grange Post  authoring services: 2009 Liberation Entertainment DVD

Also Known As:

"House of Evil" - Belgium (English title) (video box title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:M | Norway:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

VAE Productions

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Mark Rosman]Party guest playing the piano.

Goofs:

Continuity: Diane locks the kitchen door and remains next to it. In the next shot, she's leaning against a counter. In addition, later, Katie runs out of the kitchen, without anyone unlocking the door.

Quotes:

Pig:I'm a sea pig...

Movie Connections:

References Diabolique (1955)

Soundtrack:

Dawn Patrol

One of the better sorority slashers

House on Sorority Row is not just some of the some ol', same ol' as we've seen before with sorority slasher movies.

The movie is based on a group of seven sorority sisters who are all just about to graduate college and they come up with the idea of throwing an illicit party at the sorority house. If the girls just could have gotten the blessing from their sorority mother, who is Mrs. Slater, this party would have worked out. Instead, Mrs. Slater won't allow any such party under her roof. Mrs. Slater wants the house to be vacant during that weekend- and you'll find out why later.

The girls decide to rebel against Mrs. Slater's wishes, particularly Vikki, who is played by Eileen Davidson. By doing so they all participate in a prank targeting Mrs. Slater. However, this prank takes a turn for the worst. Soon thereafter, these college babes come up missing. It then turns into a tale of whodunit. Solid direction, which is done with such finesse by Mark Rosman.

I liked the idea of the killer in this one, who uses a sharp cane for the weapon of choice. Some memorable death scenes are a decapitated head found in a toilet bowl and various stabbings with that cane that I had just mentioned.

There are plenty of genre flicks that deal with this same topic. Those that I am referring to are: PROM NIGHT, SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE and THE INITIATION. The House On Sorority Row isn't anything groudbreaking, but it does still satisfy us bloodhounds out there. The script is original, the suspense scenes are built up with the proper tension and there is a satisfactory amount of blood; however there could of been more. In addition, I thought that the cast did a better then decent job on the acting duties.

The budget DVD is worth getting. The uncut version is now available for the first time in the U.S., which does include the extra cinema shots of Vikki getting stabbed to death. Previously, this was unattainable in the U.S.

I give it 7/10