Reviewed by Chris Wright, MoreHorror.com
“Bloody Birthday” (1981)
Directed By: Ed Hunt
Written By: Ed Hunt & Barry Pearson
Starring: Lori Lethin (Joyce Russel), Melinda Cordell (Mrs. Brody), Julie Brown (Beverly Brody), Joe Penny (Mr. Harding), Bert Kramer (Sheriff Brody), K.C. Martel (Timmy Russel), Elizabeth Hoy (Debbie Brody), Billy Jayne (Curtis Taylor), Andrew Freeman (Steven Seton), Susan Strasberg (Viola Davis), Jose Ferrer (Doctor), Ben Marley (Duke), Erica Hope (Annie), Ellen Geer (Madge)
“Bloody Birthday” certainly offers a fun early 80s movie for slasher enthusiasts. The twist this time around is there is no Jason Voorhees or Michael Michaels but 10 year old kids! It was certainly up my ally as I like slasher movies that try something different aside from the typical formula used in these movies.
The plot is three-ten-year old kids begin a mass killing spree due to in part to the fact that they were born during an eclipse, which removed their consciences. While I initially thought this was going to be an overly cheese slasher with kids doing dumb things, I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong! The only real portion of the plot that doesn’t make sense is how an eclipse removes souls as that was not explained at all.
The kids committing all these killing antics are well acted and accomplish their goal of being wicked and removed from having a soul. The three child actors here are surprisingly good acting in this one. Whenever I see child actors I typically am ready to cringe at the bad acting but not this one. My favorite scene is where one of the kids is trying to literally run somebody over in a trash recycling facility because I thought it was skillfully done even if he didn’t accomplish their goal! Lori Lethin (as Joyce) is the gem of this movie as the heroine against these murderous children. She had already appeared in 80s slasher flicks such as “Return to Horror High.”
Viewers looking for a blood bath will surely be disappointed with “Bloody Birthday.” The title may give the impression that there is a lot of gore in this one but far from it. I guess they focused on the billing of children doing the killing as the draw for this movie. Even today, you don’t really see children in horror movie as the primary ones killing people. I guess the taboo still exists. One of the kids even keeps a scrap book of newspaper clippings of all their killings, which certainly shows how warped they are.
“Bloody Birthday” certainly deserves more views than it has gotten over the years. Sure, it is not the most bloody of movies during this time but it is a great flick to sit down on a rainy night to watch for fun. I give this movie 4 Bloody Hatchets out of 5. It has a 5.5/10 on IMDB.