The Majorettes
The Majorettes (released in the United Kingdom as One by One) is a 1986 American slasher film directed by S. William Hinzman,[4] written and produced by John A. Russo, which he adapted from his own novel.[5] Its plot follows a string of serial killings centered on the majorette squad of a small-town high school.
| The Majorettes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Bill Hinzman |
| Produced by | John A. Russo |
| Screenplay by | John A. Russo |
| Based on | The Majorettes by John A. Russo |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Paul McCullough |
| Cinematography | Paul McCullough |
| Edited by |
|
Production company | Major Films[1] |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $85,000[3] |
Plot
The movie is about a murderer who has been mysteriously killing the members of the school's majorette squad. The local sheriff and a federal agent investigate the killings.
The Majorettes is relatively noteworthy for its midway plot shift from a mystery/horror/slasher film to that of a vigilante/action film during which the protagonist, Jeff Halloway (Kevin Kindlin) arms himself with an assault rifle and besieges a biker gang (metaphorically "going Rambo" on them) to avenge crimes that they, not the slasher, committed. Such a twist is atypical of slasher films, which tend to follow a strict plot pattern.
Production
The Majorettes was filmed between October and November 1985, with principal photography occurring at Cornell High School in the Pittsburgh suburb of Coraopolis, with additional filming at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club.[3] Its production budget was estimated at $85,000.[3] The football coach was played by then head-coach of the Cornell Raiders, Wilbert Roncone (billed as "Wilbur Roncone").[3]
Release
The film was released theatrically in Europe in March 1987 under the title One by One, though as of February 1987, the film had not secured a theatrical distributor in the United States; at the time, Russo and Hinzman were in negotiation for a home video distribution deal with Vestron Video.[6] Vestron released the film on VHS on August 17, 1988.[7]
Critical response
Critic Jim Harper wrote of the film: "About halfway through... the film stops being a slasher movie and swings into action-thriller territory, with chase sequences explosions and gunfights. Not that it makes the film more interesting. The kills are mostly bloodless and the suspense non-existent. Bill Hinzman (the first zombie in Night of the Living Dead) handles the direction pretty well but the script is pretty dumb."[8]
References
- Willis 1997, p. 306.
- Harper 2004, p. 124.
- Tiech 2012, p. 51.
- Dyess-Nugent, Phil (February 7, 2012). "R.I.P. Bill Hinzman, Night Of The Living Deads original zombie". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
- Kane 2010, p. 159.
- Blank, Ed (February 7, 1987). "Ghoul-masters ponder the living dead". Vidette-Messenger of Porter County. Valparaiso, Indiana. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- The Majorettes [VHS]. Amazon. ASIN 6301049888.
- Harper 2004, pp. 124–125.
Works cited
- Harper, Jim (2004). Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies. Manchester: Critical Vision. ISBN 978-1-900-48639-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Kane, Joe (2010). Night of the Living Dead: Behind the Scenes of the Most Terrifying Zombie Movie Ever. New York: Citadel Press. ISBN 978-0-806-53331-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Tiech, John (2012). Pittsburgh Film History: On Set in the Steel City. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-6142-3589-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Willis, Donald C. (1997). Horror and Science Fiction Films. IV. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-810-83055-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)