Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama

Last updated

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama
Sororbabesbowl.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed by David DeCoteau
Written bySergei Hasenecz
Produced byJohn Schouweiler
Starring Linnea Quigley
Michelle Bauer
Andras Jones
Hal Havins
Robin Rochelle
CinematographyStephen A. Blake
Scott Ressler
Edited byThomas Meshelski
Barry Zetlin
Music by Guy Moon
Distributed byUrban Classics
Release date
  • January 29, 1988 (1988-01-29)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budgetest. $90,000 [1]

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (also known as The Imp) is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by David DeCoteau, loosely based on the classic short story "The Monkey's Paw". [2] Notable for scream queens Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, and Michelle Bauer appearing together, its plot follows an imp accidentally released and causing havoc among a group of teenagers inside a mall.

Contents

Filmed in 1987 and produced by Charles Band's Urban Classics, the film had a limited release in January 1988 and was later released to home video. In later years, it gained recognition as a "so-bad-it's-good" cult film.

Plot

Three nerdy frat boys, Calvin, Jimmie, and Keith, follow and spy on the Tri-Delta sorority group, which is holding an initiation ceremony. Sorority members Babs, Rhonda, and Frankie prepare for the ritual while newcomers Taffy and Lisa wait. Observed by the frat boys outside their house, the two initiates get spanked by a paddle and are sprayed with whipped cream during the initiation. While the girls clean themselves, the boys enter the house; the girls catch them there. The boys are then sent, with the pledges, on a mission to steal a trophy from a nearby bowling alley. Unbeknownst to them, Babs' father runs the mall where the bowling alley is located and watches the group through security cameras.

The group enters the bowling alley and encounters Spider, a stoic biker burgling the alley with a crowbar. With her help, they break into the trophy room and, upon accidentally dropping the bowling trophy, unleash an imp named Uncle Impie who offers each of them one wish for freeing him. Jimmie is granted his wish of gold stacks, Taffy her wish of being the Prom Queen, and Keith his wish of having sex with Lisa. Lisa does not get a wish as Uncle Impie casts a spell on her that transforms her into a sex vixen. Suspicious of the imp, Spider and Calvin decline his offer.

Uncle Impie then attacks the sorority trio from the camera; Frankie is turned into the Bride of Frankenstein; and Rhonda is turned into a demon minion; Babs flees. After Babs is rendered unconscious from touching the mall's doors (which Uncle Impie has electrified to keep the group from leaving), the group finds out that the wishes requested were not really granted, with Jimmie's gold made out of wood and Taffy's dress disappearing.

The minions kill Jimmie and use his head as a bowling ball, and an enchanted and insatiable Lisa continues to pursue Keith even after they've had sex. Spider and Calvin hide from Rhonda in a closet, where they find a pistol; they shoot Rhonda, then flee. After Keith escapes Lisa, Rhonda kills him by shoving his face into a stove, and the minions pull Taffy apart. Babs awakes and fights Rhonda, shoving her into the alley where she is seemingly killed by Spider, with a bowling ball. With Rhonda dead, Babs is possessed and turned into a demon minion.

Spider and Calvin find the janitor, who reveals that the Imp was summoned to help a lousy bowler become a champion, and the Imp was trapped for 30 years due to the creature killing people (the bowler was blamed and executed for the deaths). Meanwhile, a confused Lisa comes out of Impie's spell and is promptly killed by Babs with a paddle. Babs is then burned to death with a Molotov cocktail tossed by Calvin. After Spider and Calvin find the janitor dead, they are chased by Frankie with an axe. Spider gains the upper hand and decapitates her, and the severed head knocks the doors open. While Calvin starts up a car and is attacked by Rhonda from the backseat, Spider successfully traps Uncle Impie in a box. Calvin struggles to control the car, and ends up crashing upside down. Spider cries out for Calvin and runs to his aid. Calvin survives while Rhonda is killed from the crash.

As day breaks, Spider drives Calvin to her house on her motorcycle while Uncle Impie is seen trapped in the box at the curb asking for someone, including members of the audience of the film, to let him out.

Cast

Production

Production for the film began and ended within 12 days in September 1987, in the state of California. Filming locations included the Plaza Camino Real and Eagle One Bowl. Due to the low budget, the movie had to be filmed in the bowling alley at night when it was closed, until 9 a.m., when it opened. [3]

The director, David DeCoteau, was referenced in the story as David McCabe, and his film Creepozoids can be seen on Calvin's television in the beginning.

Early trailers for the film featured a high-pitched voice for the Imp; the final film used a lower-pitched voice. The bowling trophy from which Uncle Impie is released is made out of balsa wood. [4]

After production ended, DeCoteau reused the same cast and crew in Nightmare Sisters . [5] [6]

Release

The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by the Charles Band-funded Urban Classics in January 1988. [7]

The film was titled The Imp for its home video release in the United Kingdom, and also aired on USA Up All Night in the early 1990s.

Cult Video, a subsidiary of Full Moon Entertainment, released the film on DVD in the United States in 1999.

Reception

From contemporary reviews, the film was reviewed by a critic credited as "Lor." in Variety who reviewed the film on January 30, 1988. [8] "Lor." stated the film begins like a wornout genre of nerds/peeping toms looming over attractive young women but that the "story takes a more interesting turn with the involvement of the imp. [8] "Lor." continued that the creature was "an okay creation" and praised Michelle Bauer and Linnea Quigley in their respective roles. [8]

JoBlo.com and Cinema Crazed both wrote favorable reviews of the movie, [9] the latter writing, "It's trash, there's no arguing that, but in the end it's entertaining trash". [10] Daily Grindhouse had a similar opinion, stating, "If you watch it with a sense that what you’re basically doing the visual equivalent of eating an entire box of BooBerry cereal, you can take these matters with a grain of salt, and enjoy it for its ridiculousness, and for the funny Imp puppet." [11] AllMovie panned the film and gave it one star. [12] Michael Jausonis of the Providence Journal declared it "half a star, but the title deserves five stars".

Static-X Usage

The American Industrial Metal band, Static-X used a snippet of audio between Andras Jones' character, Calvin talking to Linnea Quigley's character, Spider, in their song "I'm With Stupid" off of their 1999 studio album Wisconsin Death Trip .

Sequel

Full Moon Features released Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama 2 on December 2, 2022. The film was directed by Brinke Stevens. Stevens and Michelle Bauer, her co-star from the original film, have cameos. They are joined in the cast by Kelli Maroney, Glory Rodriguez, and Audrey Neal. [13]

In April 2019, Full Moon Features announced a sequel to the film as part of their Deadly Ten promotion. The planned film promises the return of the stars of the original film - Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, and Michelle Bauer - along with original director David DeCoteau, who will co-direct with Stevens. [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Big Lebowski</i> 1998 film by Joel and Ethan Coen

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 independent crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken identity, then learns that a millionaire, also named Jeffrey Lebowski, was the intended victim. The millionaire Lebowski's trophy wife is supposedly kidnapped, and millionaire Lebowski commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release. The plan goes awry when the Dude's friend, Walter Sobchak, schemes to keep the ransom money for the Dude and himself. Sam Elliott, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Jon Polito, and Ben Gazzara also appear in supporting roles.

<i>Grease 2</i> 1982 film by Patricia Birch

Grease 2 is a 1982 American musical romantic comedy film and the sequel to the 1978 film Grease, adapted from the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Originally titled More Grease, the film was produced by Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood, and directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch, who choreographed the original stage production and prior film. The plot returns to Rydell High School two years after the original film's graduation, with a largely new cast, led by Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer in her first starring role.

<i>Wisconsin Death Trip</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Static-X

Wisconsin Death Trip is the debut studio album by American industrial metal band Static-X, released on March 23, 1999, by Warner Bros. Records. The band was formed after lead singer Wayne Static and drummer Ken Jay met at a Virgin Records store in Chicago. After being introduced by the Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan, the two decided to head out west to California to enlist a lead guitarist and bassist. Once in California, Koichi Fukuda became guitarist, and not long after, they discovered Californian Tony Campos to complete the lineup as their bassist. Warner Bros. Records discovered the band in California and signed them in February 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Bauer</span> American actress

Michelle Bauer is an American actress, model, and B-movie scream queen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linnea Quigley</span> American actress, film producer, model, singer, and author (b. 1958)

Barbara Linnea Quigley is an American actress, film producer, model, singer, and author. She is best known as a B-movie actress, and is often referred to as a "scream queen" due to her frequent appearances in low-budget horror films during the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Davenport, Iowa, Quigley first pursued her career in the late 1970s, shortly after moving to Los Angeles. While working at Jack LaLanne's health spa, she was encouraged by her friends to try modeling, and also began taking acting and guitar-playing classes. After appearing as an extra in various films, Quigley got her first acting role in the Charles Band-produced film Fairy Tales (1978). She continued receiving small parts, mostly in B movies. Her first bigger part was in the 1981 slasher film Graduation Day. Quigley followed with more films such as Savage Streets (1984) and Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).

"Life on the Fast Lane", also known as "Jacques to Be Wild" in the UK, is the ninth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 18, 1990. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by David Silverman. Albert Brooks guest starred as Jacques, a French bowling instructor, with him being credited as "A. Brooks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Band</span> American film director

Charles Robert Band is an American film producer and director, known for his work on horror comedy movies.

A spanking paddle is an implement used to strike a person on the buttocks. The act of spanking a person with a paddle is known as "paddling". A paddling may be for punishment, or as an initiation or hazing ritual.

Empire International Pictures was an American small-scale theatrical distribution company. Charles Band formed Empire in 1983, prompted by his dissatisfaction with distributors' handling of films made by his previous business, Charles Band International Productions. Empire produced and distributed a number of low-budget horror and fantasy feature films, including Re-Animator, Troll, Ghoulies, Trancers, and From Beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brinke Stevens</span> American actress (born 1954)

Brinke Stevens is an American actress. A native of San Diego, Stevens initially pursued a career as a marine biologist prior to becoming an actress, earning an undergraduate degree in biology from San Diego State University before studying marine biology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Unable to find employment in the field of biology, Stevens began modeling in Los Angeles in 1980, and she worked as a film extra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm with Stupid (Static-X song)</span> 2000 single by Static-X

"I'm with Stupid" (released as a single under the name of "I'm with Stupid (He's a Loser)") is the second single from Static-X's debut album, Wisconsin Death Trip. The song starts off with singer Wayne Static screaming out the words of the chorus, "He’s a loser, she said" and quickly moving on to the main guitar riff that is repeated throughout the song. The outro, a sample of dialogue from actress Linnea Quigley, comes from the 1988 film Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Stille</span> American actress (1961–1996)

Robin Rochelle Stille was an American actress best known for her role in the 1982 slasher film The Slumber Party Massacre as Valerie "Val" Bates. She was sometimes credited as Robin Rochelle.

<i>Grizzly Rage</i> 2007 television film by David DeCoteau

Grizzly Rage is a 2007 Canadian television horror film produced by RHI Entertainment that premiered in Canada on the video-on-demand channel Movie Central On Demand on June 7, 2007. It aired in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel on September 16, 2007. Filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the film is the 2nd title in the Maneater Series produced under an agreement with Syfy. Featuring a cast of four, the film focuses on a group of teenagers who struggle to survive in a restricted forest while an enraged grizzly bear hunts them relentlessly seeking retribution for killing its cub.

<i>Nightmare Sisters</i> 0000 American film

Nightmare Sisters is a 1988 direct-to-video, low-budget, horror comedy. It is notable as one of only two films in which 1980s scream queens Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, and Michelle Bauer appear together, excluding later reunion films such as 1313:Cougar Cult.

Sean Tiedeman is an American film director, producer, musician, and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haunted Garage</span> Horror punk/metal band from Los Angeles

Haunted Garage was a horror punk and heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1985. Fronted by singer and B-movie actor Dukey Flyswatter, the band were recognized for their campy horror and science fiction-inspired songs and outrageous shock rock live shows featuring macabre props and costumes, go-go dancers and copious amounts of stage blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dukey Flyswatter</span> American actor

Michael David Sonye, best known by his stage and screen name Dukey Flyswatter, is an American actor, screenwriter, and musician, recognized for his work on numerous low-budget B movies and as singer for the Los Angeles horror punk band Haunted Garage.

Andras Jones is an American television and film actor, author, and musician. He has participated in the bands The Previous and Mr. Jones and The Previous, as well as under his own name. Jones is the creator and host of Radio8Ball, a musical divination show in which participants' questions are answered by picking songs at random and interpreting the randomly chosen songs as the answer to the question. In 1989 Jones was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture for his role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, but lost to Lukas Haas's performance in Lady in White.

Hal Havins is an American actor known for his roles in horror films such as Night of the Demons and Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama.

References

  1. "Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama". imdb.com. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  2. Conklin, John E. (October 15, 2008). Campus Life in the Movies: A Critical Survey from the Silent Era to the Present. McFarland. pp. 129, 133. ISBN   9780786452354.
  3. "IMDb Trivia". IMDb . Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  4. "IMDb Trivia". IMDb . Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  5. David DeCoteau, John Schouweiler. (2003). Audio Commentary (DVD). Retromedia.
  6. J.R. Bookwalter, Attack of the B-Movie Makers, Cinema Home Video Productions, Hollywood, California, 1991.
  7. "Company Credits for Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama". IMDb . Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 Lor. 1991.
  9. "Awfully Good: Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama + Mortal Kombat 2". JoBlo.com. May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  10. "Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988) (review)". Cinema Crazed. October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  11. "LITTLE MISS RISK'S DUNGEON!: SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA (1988)". Daily Grindhouse. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  12. "Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1987) - David DeCoteau". AllMovie. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  13. "ESorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama 2 trailer: Full Moon sequel gets December release date". JoBlo. November 23, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  14. "Exclusive: Full Moon Features to Live-Stream the Production of 10 Horror Movies with 'Deadly Ten'". Collider. April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.

Sources