the audience applauded

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I was in the mood for some good 80 schlock horror, and I stumbled onto this gem Amazon Prime. Somehow, I'd never seen it before, but I wasn't disappointed. It doesn't get any schlockier or anymore 80s than this.Spandex? Check Gratuitous nudity? Check Aerobics? Check Pastels? Check Smoke machines? Check Melting faces? Check Exploding heads? Check Incredibly lame special effects? CheckSeriously, it's got it all. It looks like they had three distinct ideas for how things would play out, and decided to go with all three at the same time, so they all kind of mash together. It's a confusing mess, but who cares. If you're looking for a plot, you're looking in the wrong place.Just relax and enjoy it.

DEATH SPA is an ultra-cheesy slasher movie of the late 1980s notable for featuring a series of gory deaths at a health spa, of all places, bringing back some of the cheesy memories from AEROBICIDE. This film also contains a sequence of gory special effects which may not be quite as gruesome as you've heard, but which still pack a punch, so kudos to the FX guys for working hard.The story is about the owner of a health spa plagued by mysterious accidents and deaths. His gorgeous girlfriend, played by cult favourite Brenda Bakke, gets nude and blinded in the film's arresting opening sequence. The owner soon suspects the ghost of his dead ex-girlfriend is the one responsible and eventually the mystery is solved, but only after lots of badly-acting extraneous characters are bumped off by bizarre methods. It's certainly a cheesy, dated, and low budget film, but it also has an endearing quality to it I rather liked.

A pleasant surprise! It felt like Dario Argento was asked to direct an episode of Columbo... without Columbo (although there is a sort-of investigator coming along at some point, as there are a couple of cops, but you can't compare any of them to the great Columbo). Okay, sure, Argento has done quite a few films which are a lot better than this, but with all the gore, that twist, the recurring nightmare, the bad acting and some terrific shots, this was pretty damn enjoyable. The setting of a spa was a new one for me, I think, and to keep the audience guessing about it (the computer system of the spa, that is) having a mind of its own or not, worked pretty good, though in its core this is just a rather silly horror flick. Then add some fun dialogue (intended or not) and there you are: almost 90 minutes of good trashy fun is served...(a not too big) 8 out of 10.

Ah, a lot of trash was released in the eighties, and this is a good example of that. I say 'good example' because, as eighties trash goes; Death Spa actually is quite good! I saw this film under the more appealing title, 'Witch Bitch'; but given the plot, 'Death Spa' seems to make more sense. The film is tongue in cheek throughout, and it's always obvious that things aren't meant to be taken seriously; although that being said, this film is rather gory and that is sure to delight anyone with an inclination to see it! As the title suggests, the film is about several 'accidents' that occur at a local health spa. All of manner of things, from people being ripped apart on a weight lifter to people being scalded alive in a sauna feature, and despite the fact that it's all a little bit silly - the daft plot actually works quite well. Technophobia features in the film too, as it appears that the spa's unique selling point - a computer that runs all the various devices in the building is to blame for the murders. However, the owner of the spa had a girlfriend who apparently committed suicide...For a cheapo eighties flick, the production values aren't bad at all. The central location is well used, and director Michael Fischa delights the audience with a load of shots showing plenty of female flesh. The special effects look cheap, but they're imaginatively used, and the scene where the weight-lifter dies is surprisingly realistic, and actually quite painful to watch. The plot lacks credibility, especially as the health spa continues taking customers after several people have been brutally killed. The acting is rather rubbish overall, and William Bumiller doesn't impress in the lead role. It is nice to see Dawn of the Dead star Ken Foree get a role, however, as the charismatic actor tends to elevate any silly film he stars in. The music is typically eighties, much like the rest of the film and serves only in making the film feel trashier. Death Spa is not as lurid as its alternate title 'Witch Bitch' suggests it is, and there's very little in the way of credibility anywhere in the film. Still, it's a fun time and although I certainly won't be seeing this again; I'm sure eighties horror fans will be pleased.