The Silent Scream (1980)

Obscured Slasher film is a good little shocker, but one that relies on the traditional genre formula in order to create the carnage on-screen. What we have here is a film that is entertaining, but doesn't break new ground and it is predictable. Diehard Slasher fans will certainly love this one, especially if you enjoy obscured, forgotten horror films, Silent Scream is for you. The kills are well done, and there is a steady build up to the first murders, which gives the film a tense atmosphere. Even if it's not a perfect film, this is a must see for genre fans, and it works as mindless entertainment. While relying on the traditional genre elements, Silent Scream is still one of those obscured gems that will delight fans even if it's predictable. The performances are decent at best, but the strength of the film lies in its kill sequences which are well thought out and will certainly put you on the edge of your seat. If you love films like this, give this one a shot, but it does leave room for improvement and it is a film clearly has its limitations, but manages to be an entertaining Slasher yarn due to the fact that the film has good sequences of murder and a few tense moments. As a whole, it's not the worst in the genre, but is not the best either. As obscured Slashers are concerned, this one delivers, but it could have been rewritten to expand on its interesting ideas that the director tried to convey. Silent Scream is a must for genre fans but if you're keen on low budget shockers, then this one is not for you. Still for all its imperfections, it's an entertaining ride from start to finish and I had fun watching the film. I simply wish that the script could have be revised and its ideas refined to make this one truly standout.

"Silent Scream" is a great atmospheric 1980 slasher film released the same great summer as "The Shining", "Friday the 13th" and "The Empire Strikes Back", which is probably why it became so forgotten. Apparently it was released on VHS for a limited time, but it took me 27 years to finally find a copy to view. This needs a DVD release. The opening credits still felt very 70's with a police car driving towards the camera, and officers rushing into an old house to find a series of bodies. It doesn't make much sense until the end of the movie, when we can say "duh" to the movie makers for revealing essentially nothing significant. A cool premise: a group of college kids move to an Oceanside old mansion on a cliff, owned by a mysterious old lady and her peculiar son. There is also something creepy and murderous lurking deep within the walls of the house, watching them. I liked when the killer is watching one of the girls through a ceiling vent in her bedroom. One by one, the youth would meet up with their doom. The killings, though few, are quite shocking and blood-soaked. Most of the characters were likeable. The one annoying guy didn't last very long. The movie drops a notch halfway through when the killer's identity is revealed and shown onscreen too much. There were a few nice twists in the final act which were a lot of fun. The movie has a really good musical score, with screeching instruments and suspense building cues. There's a great scene where one of the vicious killings is viewed through the slats of the wall boards. Another good scene has a victim hiding herself in a bedroom closet while the killer repeatedly thrusts a sharp knife through the door frame. It's got that great 80's slasher feel.