Aaron Lipstadt, born in the 1950s in the United States, made his mark in the cult film scene as an actor in The Slumber Party Massacre (1982). This film, a quintessential entry in the slasher genre, showcases Lipstadt's ability to navigate the tension and camp that define the era. While he later transitioned to directing and producing, his role in The Slumber Party Massacre remains a notable contribution to the exploitation cinema landscape, reflecting the playful yet brutal nature of 1980s horror.
The Slumber Party Massacre
In Venice, Los Angeles, Trish Deveraux, an 18-year-old high school senior, decides to throw a slumber party while her parents are away. Their neighbor, Mr. David Contant, is given the job of checking on the girls. She awakes and gets dressed shortly before going to school. Meanwhile, Russ Thorn, an escaped mass murderer, kills a telephone repair woman and steals her van. Trish meets up with her friends Kim, Jackie, and Diane. She invites the new girl, Valerie, to the party but she declines the offer. After school, one of their classmates, Linda, goes back into the school to retrieve a book but gets locked inside. She is attacked and presumably killed by Russ, armed with a power drill. As the party begins that night, the girls smoke marijuana and drink alcohol, while Valerie babysits her younger sister, Courtney across the street. Two boys from school, Jeff and Neil, arrive and spy on the girls while they change clothes. Russ kills Mr. Contant outside with his power drill. Diane asks Trish permission to go with her boyfriend, and goes to his car to find him decapitated and is murdered as well. The girls order pizza and, while on the phone with their coach, Rachel Jana, the girls answer the door and find the pizza delivery man with his eyes drilled out. The teens arm themselves with knives as Jeff and Neil run for help, but both boys are killed. Russ gains entry to the house and murders Jackie. Trish and Kim barricade themselves in Trish's bedroom, but Russ enters through a window and kills Kim as Trish flees. Valerie and Courtney enter the house to find Kim dead, and hide from Russ. Coach Jana, having grown concerned over the phone call earlier, arrives, and is confronted by Russ, who disembowels her with the drill. Valerie chases Russ with a machete, eventually severing his hand before slicing his stomach open. Russ emerges and attacks them once more, but Valerie finally kills him with the machete. Valerie and Trish break down in tears as Courtney looks on in shock.
