Why so much hype?

Expected more

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This movie was part of a Down Under horror mini-boom that took place for some reason in late 1970's and early 1980's and included some pretty decent if low-watt films like "The Survivor", "Thirst", and "Razorback". It was kind of a little late therefore in getting into the whole satanic cult craze that started with "Rosemary's Baby" in the late 1960's. The cult in this movie though is not technically a satanic cult, but a Druid cult relocated from the British Isles, and they aren't trying to pass the devil's seed into an oblivious virgin, but some kind of ancient centuries-old spirit.The movie starts with a Ouija board session, involving "Alison" the teenage protagonist, that goes horribly awry. One of Alison's friends starts speaking in her dead father's voice. She/he warns "Alison" not to "go with them" on her nineteenth birthday. Then a bookcase falls on the possessed friend, killing her. You would think she would heed this very compelling warning several years later on her nineteenth birthday when her creepy "uncle and aunt" invite her out to their country estate for a party, but then we wouldn't have much of a movie, would we? Once there "Alison", who is not the sharpest tool in the garage, is remarkably unperturbed to see that her relatives have a miniature of Stonehenge on their property. And what's up with her dessicated 104-year-old great grandmother?Her slightly smarter friends eventually find the truth and ride to her rescue, and they turn out to be every bit as effective as Scatman Crothers in "The Shining". The ending is great and ALMOST redeems the occasional absurdities and periodic lulls of the earlier parts of the movie. Still, all in all, this isn't a bad little horror flick from the land of Oz.

A sixteen-year-old named Alison and two friends play "ask the glass," a variation on Ouija, played here on a glass table, using square tiles featuring numbers and the alphabet arranged in a circle, and two titles for yes and no in the middle, and an upturned glass as a planchette. A warning is spelled out for Alison from her deceased father, who is then pushed out by some other power. The girl he briefly possessed snatches a circular amulet from Alison's neck, then is crushed by a bookcase.Close to Alison's nineteenth birthday, she goes to visit her aunt and uncle. Her boyfriend tries to continue visiting her, but the family tries to keep him away. Alison discovers a miniature (though still large) stonehenge in a secret garden, has nightmares, and gets hypnotized. The boyfriend tries to do some research about the name Mirne, which the warning mentioned, and also Alison's real family.The stonehenge is neat, and I liked that a character takes the time to do research. However, the movie on the whole is on the boring side. The picture quality on the video is not terribly good either. The VidAmerica videobox is sort of a warning: the cover features a drawing, and the back has no pictures from the movie.

I haven't seen this one in years, however it does stick out my mind as one of the most bizarre movies I have ever seen. I saw it when I was 12 and can't remember most of it. The part at the end with the old lady freaked me out though.

And cheap is right! Just what I expected! Another movie that tries its darndest to be normal and serious, but it all ends up in the gutter when taken too cheaply. Here in ALISON'S BIRTHDAY, the word "cheap" is proven true. If you're still craving over more bad movies but haven't had the chance to see this title, then I'd say you've come to the right place! I only wished it wasn't THIS bad, as it is pretty much obscure for an Aussie import. It would even be so bizarre to find this kind of movie being made from the land down under! The story sounds campy, unfortunately, but I'll admit that ANY one soul can crack open a Bud and enjoy the bumpy ride. It starts off with three girls playing an Ouija-style game until Alison learns that a new fate awaits her when she turns nineteen. The rest of the story is up to you. Since this has to do with Satanic rituals and witchcraft, you may be wondering why no blood is present throughout the whole thing. In other words, this is extremely tame for a movie like this when you can compare to those notoriously gory British imports. Everything goes screwy with the plot, and what gives? You're expecting a "family" movie a lot more than any cult classic that would sustain a loyal fan base. The ending? Save it for the movie when you get a chance to see it! Although it's no worse than the worst I've seen out of bad moviedom, still try putting this title on your crowded shelf of huge clamshell boxes. How paranoid can you get?