The Majorettes

Tagline

• Sis, Boom, Blood. You're Dead!

Main Details

• Released in 1986
• Color
• Running Time: 92 Min.

Cast and Crew

• Directed by S. William Hinzman
• Written by John A. Russo
• Starring Kevin Kindlin, Terrie Godfrey, Mark V. Jevicky, Sueanne Seamens, Denise Huot, Carl Hetrick, Mary Jo Limpert
• Produced by J.C. Ross, John A. Russo
• Original Music by Paul McCollough
• Cinematography by Paul McCollough
• Film Editing by S. William Hinzman, Paul McCollough

Film Review

This has to be one of the most obscure slasher films, possibly because it was released (in 1986) long after the sub-genre had gone out of vogue. The irony here is that both those issues now work strongly in its favor. This is because THE MAJORETTES is no ordinary slasher film.

The key figure responsible for this movie is John Russo, co-writer of Night of the Living Dead and writer/director of MIDNIGHT, another horror obscurity that starred the late Lawrence Tierney. THE MAJORETTES, as with MIDNIGHT, was adapted from Russo's own novels of the same name. The fact it comes from literary material may explain why there's more depth to both its characters and the plot than is common in these kinds of movies.

The set-up itself is pretty standard issue: A masked psycho is killing off members of a high school cheerleading team. Sheriff Braden (Mark V. Jevicky) is investigating the murders while begrudgingly allowing Federal Agent Roland Martell (Carl Hetrick) to offer his assistance. There are more than enough suspects to go around, from the slow-witted school janitor Harry (Harold K. Keller) to biker gang leader Mace (Tom E. Desrocher), father to the last victim's unborn child, to any one of the members of his criminal posse. Meanwhile, despite being reassured by her boyfriend Jeff (Kevin Kindlin), team captain Vicky (Terrie Godfrey) worries that she'll be the next victim. Little does she realize that residing under her own roof is an entirely different kind of evil...

THE MAJORETTES has all the elements of a bad movie -- Stilted dialogue, weak acting and enough cheesiness to put Wisconsin out of business. Its painfully dated, 1980s origin is revealed within the first few minutes, courtesy of the clunky animated opening credits. Thanks to this, it easily falls into the so-bad-its-good category. At least until...The twist.

Roughly halfway through THE MAJORETTES, a twist occurs that completely shifts gears and sends the film in an entirely different direction (not to mention genre.) It'd be a shame to say much more since it is the ace up its sleeve. The opening half drops enough hints to know something else is going on below the surface but not enough to know what it is. Its from this point that the storyline smartens up a bit. All the previously mentioned flaws are still there but you're willing to cut it a little more slack for the intriguing chances that its now taking with both plot and characters. There are those who will dislike the major twist because it is schizophrenic enough to make THE MAJORETTES feel like like two different movies, albeit with an equally nihilistic tone. Its that sensibility that leads to a grimly appropriate final scene.

Reviewed by Angel Orona