Top Rated Horror Comics Overlooked, High Quality Art

Written by Robert Scucci | Published 7 seconds ago

The only thing worse than being invited to a party where all the other guests plan to kill you is being invited to a place where the brains about your imminent death are artful bullies who often throw words like “banal” and “jejune” around in casual conversation. These people don’t paint yellow, they paint chartreuse. Their hypocrisy is on full display in 2007 The Killing Partya movie just like it sounds.

A perfect low budget but high quality horror comedy, The Killing Party has a critical 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which is impressive considering its reported budget of $230,000. The Popcornmeter tells a different story, sitting at 58 percent over more than 2,500 ratings. My learning is simple. The Killing Party caters to a very specific audience. You’ll celebrate it because of the crazy, over-the-top violence, even if it’s just not your cup of tea.

Given my media preferences, I’m firmly in the former camp. The Killing Party it is the best form of blood washing. And I have an art degree, so I have to suspend disbelief very little when it comes to the lunacy featured here.

Christopher Wanted A Good Night

Lonely, bored, and idle on Halloween, Chris finds a flyer for a so-called “Killing Party” on his way home from work, and a matching cardboard and tape knight costume. Coming off like a Monty Python slow motion, you quickly realize that the theme is meant to be taken literally, and that you’ve walked into a trap.

You are greeted by the most annoying and arrogant art students imaginable, all dressed in ridiculous costumes. Lexi (Stacy Rock) is listed as Pris from Blade Runner. Sky (Skei Saulnier) appears as a zombie singer. Paul (Paul Goldblatt) is a vampire. Macon (Macon Blair) is a werewolf. Bill (William Lacey) dressed as the Baseball Fury appears Heroeshe can no longer look at his phone.

The only person missing is Alex (Sandy Barnett), a benefactor they hope to impress with their murder. The program is simple. Kill Chris, present it as art, and get a government grant for unedited projects.

Chris is tied to a chair while everyone waits for Alex, who eventually arrives with his drug dealer, Zycho (Bill Tangradi), and his dog, Hellhammer. While they wait for the witching hour where they will commit an act of violence, each member sets their preferred method of killing, while using a large number of drugs. As you would expect in this type of setting, compositional differences emerge quickly.

They pass the time by taking Sodium Pentothal and playing a game of truth or dare, while Chris, understandably nervous, just wants to go home to his cat, Sir Lancelot, and eat candy. He may be in danger of death, but he has enough insight to see that musicians are fickle and young people. If he survives the evening, their plans may sort themselves out.

A Very Satisfying Bloodbath

to me, The Killing Party you gain valuable points by successfully deceiving a student of the art of impersonation. The group walks around with an air of self-importance, as if they are doing God’s work, when in reality they are insufferable gas bags with a constant supply of party drugs. Chances are their parents are paying their tuition bills, as none of them seem to have real jobs in the pursuit of artistic excellence.

As the film progresses, it becomes more violent and absurd. Chaos is best because artists like Paul are more concerned about someone walking into their photos than one of their friends accidentally setting themselves on fire out of frame. Witnessing a group of selfish, aggressive people, Chris can’t believe he might be killed for one of their half-baked art projects.

Roger that The Killing Party it is not for everyone. But if you’ve ever been dragged to a friend’s gallery opening and forced to rub elbows with a bunch of self-important fake geniuses who might end up doing graphic design for some fly-by-night, low-paying ad company, this is a bloody good time.

Always ready to make fun of this kind of personality, The Killing Party currently streaming for free on Tubi.