The Initiation (1984)

Best movie of this year hands down!

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Over X-Mas 2017 I got a list from a family friend on films that he was after. Finding easily that Arrow had put this title out,me and this friend were disappointed the dual format version to remain pricey. Recently going on Amazon UK for other items,I stumbled on a cheap DVD only version Arrow had put out,which led to both of us finally taking part in the initiation.View on the film:Getting his lone shot in film after original director Peter Crane got booted for falling behind schedule and going over budget to turn the flick into a more arty Euro Horror, director Larry Stewart & cinematographer George Tirl take a streamline approach, with the Slasher set-pieces springing candle wax red gore,and a stylish use of shadows to give the killings a suggestive visceral edge. Using some of the footage Crane shot, Stewart and editor Ronald LaVine bring out a psychological chill to the psycho-thriller by linking the killings to scrambled glimpses of Fairchild's repressed memory.Reuniting later with the final girl as a writer/director/ producer on Melrose Place, the screenplay by Charles Pratt Jr appears more interested off-beat in the psycho-analyse of Fairchild,than the traditional Slasher body count. Referencing Jung and Freud, Pratt powers the unmasking of the killer with nightmare/ repressed memories of Fairchild that take the killings to the family home,and leads to a fittingly wacky reveal. Whilst the rest of the cast, (including Hunter Tylo making her debut) play sexy, but flat, Daphne Zuniga stands out by making the twist work thanks to a glint in the eye of madness,and by placing the vulnerabilities shown in the repressed memories of Fairchild into her unease of being the final girl of the initiation.

THE INITIATION is a middling slasher of the 1980s with a few elements to recommend it but which mainly has a jaded, seen-it-all-before feel. The story is about a group of sorority house sisters who decide to spend the night in an old building in order to scare each other to death, but they didn't reckon on the presence of a psychotic killer in the vicinity who works his or her way through the cast, one by one. It's not a particularly gory slasher, although it has its moments, and it's not particularly frightening either. The setting is atmospheric but the characters tend to be annoying more than appealing, with the exception of Daphne Zuniga (SPACEBALLS, THE FLY II) who is very good in the lead role. Vera Miles and Clu Gulager show up playing her parents.

Kelly Fairchild (Daphne Zuniga) is a member of the Delta Ro Kai sorority with a haunted past. She has a recurring dream about a man sleeping with her father, and burning. She meets a professor who tries to help her uncover the mystery of her dream, but her mother (Vera Miles) doesn't want her to see him. For the initiation, the girls are forced to spend a night in her stepfather's department store. How can people ignore this underrated gem? It's not that original, but it's very entertaining, and far better than many of the 80's slashers that were coming out left and right at this juncture. The 80's were the golden age of slashers. This tends to be shoved aside with many other slashers, and I think it's highly unfair. It's really solid from a psychological standpoint. It makes sure to build up the suspense (That scene at the mental institution *Brrr*) the characters, and most importantly, the story. There was some thought put into this slasher, and it wasn't just thrown together to make a quick buck. The Fairfield department story was a nice choice for an ominous setting. It's very eerie, and easy to get scared. This was back when sororities were a thing, but this is set up a lot better than the norm. I felt Daphne Zuniga was an excellent heroine. Since her character is written so well, with a strong background, I was able to be fully involved in her plight. She's a natural scream queen, and a cutie to boot. Her character is also refreshingly unpredictable. I was never fully sure where her character was heading. Vera Miles is very good as the drunken mother. Her character alternates between unlikable and sympathetic. James Read is fitfully effective as the concerned professor. Clu Gulager doesn't have a whole lot to do, but his character plays a key part. The gorgeous Hunter Tylo makes her acting debut as well. She is most famous for The Bold and the Beautiful. It's not a gore fest, but we do get some blood. Bloody stabbings, object in the throat, decapitation (off screen) Axe in the head, arrow in the back, and more. It was pretty average. Before I give my final thoughts on this movie, I have to mention the shocking twist ending. It knocked me silly. I actually yelled out "Holy @###" When you've seen tons of slashers like I have, you tend to see most twists coming. I can honestly tell you I didn't expect this one. It's one of the best endings in the history of slasher films in my opinionFinal Thoughts: I enjoyed this movie a lot. It has a lot going for it. It's highly suspenseful, scary, and well made. It's one of those gems that sneak up on you when you least expect it. If you can find it, and you're a big horror movie fan like I am, it's well worth seeing7.4/10

It's a hit or miss moment when you're about to experience a viewing of another '80s Slasher. Will it be but a mere rip-off of its predecessors or offer a new take on the formula? Sometimes, the film's conclusion will leave you stranded between both schools of thought.Kelly Fairchild is a bright college student and new initiate of Delta Ro Kai sorority. She has a troubled past and due to a traumatic incident in her youth she suffered from amnesia and cannot remember anything before the age of 9. She's also plagued by a reoccurring nightmare of a burning man and a few other hazy details that are interpreted by her professor, Peter Adams, who is working on a doctoral thesis in parapsychology. The plot also focuses on the escape of several mental patients of a psychiatric clinic hundreds of miles away – in particular, a man on the loose who spends his free time dispatching his victims with a garden rake. Is there a connection? And what's in store for prank night when the Delta Kai girls are trapped inside of a mall complex?With a few years separating this title from the well-known classics, it's a shame that Initiation wasn't released earlier. It did, however, mark the film debut of Hunter Tylo, a young and attractive model; Daphne Zuniga also plays a memorable role featured as the female lead with 1982's The Dorm That Dripped Blood securely stashed away in her horror repertoire. These two girls, along with a young cast of characters, offer the viewing audience a fun little performance. The mall complex that sets the stage for murder later on in the film was an excellent choice; constructed with vast ceilings and an intimately laden store configuration. The death scenes won't shock or disgust – instead, opting to epitomize the Slasher medium that features ill- advised decisions that lead to treachery. As a result, we're treated to characters that follow the guidelines of your standard horror movie. You won't find something "new" to talk about – just more of the same, but outputted more crispy and coherently than usual. The pacing is slow during the first half of the story but remarkably enough, I wasn't bothered by it. A film of this caliber would not be complete without your typical twist- ending; a trademark of Slasher films throughout the '80s and Initiation receives equal treatment. This big secret that patiently waits in the wings isn't too common of a device so you may be somewhat surprised by the conclusion. With a bit of cheese and that 80s flair, Initiation should be placed into the upper echelon of the Hack-'n-Slashers of days gone by – and while I can't necessarily deem it as a "classic" it's far better than the mop and schlop low-budgeters that overwhelmed audiences 3 decades ago.