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Horror Cult Classic

Blood runs hot when a haunted health club's high-tech workout turns into a supernatural slaughterhouse.

DEATH SPA

You’ll sweat blood!

1989 · 1h 28m · R · Horror · IMDB TMDB

Gruesome deaths begin to occur at a hip Los Angeles health club.

Quick Answer

What is Death Spa about?

Death Spa is a 1989 American horror film directed by Michael Fischa about gruesome deaths that begin to occur at a hip Los Angeles health club with a sinister past.

Programmer's Pick

Where Jane Fonda meets Poltergeist, Death Spa blends slasher carnage with supernatural sabotage in a health club awash with neon and blood. The computerized gym equipment isn’t the only thing with killer instincts, and the body count rises faster than your heart rate in spin class.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

After hours at the Starbody Health Spa in Los Angeles, Laura Danvers is trapped in a sauna that fills with chlorine gas, leaving her seriously injured. Her boyfriend, club owner Michael Evans, rushes to her side, still haunted by the recent suicide of his wife Catherine. The spa boasts a state-of-the-art computer system managed by David, Catherine’s twin brother, who oversees the club’s high-tech workout equipment. Detectives from the LAPD arrive to investigate Laura’s bizarre accident, just as further mishaps threaten the safety of the club’s patrons. Set in a world of neon-lit aerobics, digital control rooms, and unresolved personal tragedies, "Death Spa" sets the stage for a uniquely lethal take on late-80s fitness culture.

Details & Specs

Director
Michael Fischa
Writers
Mitch Paradise, James Bartruff
Release
1989
Runtime
1h 28m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Horror
Also Known As
Witch Bitch

Why This Matters

Death Spa features Merritt Butrick in his final film role and marks the feature film debut of Karyn Parsons, while also being released internationally under the alternative title Witch Bitch.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

View all →
Director: Michael Fischa Writers: Mitch Paradise +1 more

Explore More

Why Cult

Killer Gym Equipment

The club’s computer-controlled machines turn deadly, pushing workout safety warnings to the extreme.

Supernatural Slasher Blend

Expect classic slasher mayhem with a tech-horror twist, as a vengeful presence haunts the spa’s high-tech halls.

Late-'80s Aerobics Vibes

Neon spandex, electronic music, and communal showers—this is the fitness craze at its most lethal.

Camp and Dark Humor

Tongue-in-cheek splatter comedy and sexual humor lighten the carnage without skimping on the gore.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Spa’s computer system tampered with

Threat

Supernatural killer haunting the club

Effect

Gruesome deaths and injuries among patrons

Setting

High-tech Los Angeles health club

Questions from the Vault

When was Death Spa released? +

Death Spa was released in 1989.

Who directed Death Spa? +

Death Spa was directed by Michael Fischa.

How long is Death Spa? +

Death Spa has a runtime of 88 minutes.

What genre is Death Spa? +

Death Spa is a horror film.

Trailers & Clips