Massacre (franchise)
Three slasher series linked by title and producer.
The Massacre Collection is a marketing banner used for DVD releases of three interconnected slasher film series executive-produced by Roger Corman: the Slumber Party Massacre series (1982–1990), the Sorority House Massacre series (1986–1990), and the Cheerleader Massacre series (2003–2011). Distributed by New World Pictures and New Concorde, the franchise does not include the standalone film Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre (2015), which is a separate Roger Corman production. The series is notable for its strong female creative presence, though it is not exclusively written and directed by women.
Quick Facts
- Distributor
- New Concorde / Syfy
- Runtime
- 392 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Massacre Collection originated as a marketing label for DVD releases by New Concorde, not used during theatrical or initial home video releases. The first six films were each produced by Roger Corman and marketed as an analogous series based on their related content and the inclusion of 'massacre' in their titles. The Slumber Party Massacre series holds the distinction of being the first horror film series in history whose films were exclusively written and directed by women, but this does not extend to the entire Massacre Collection, as the Sorority House Massacre series includes films directed by men.
Reader's Guide
The Massacre franchise represents a unique intersection of low-budget slasher filmmaking and feminist filmmaking, as the core series were helmed primarily by women directors. The Slumber Party Massacre series, in particular, is historically significant as the first horror series written and directed exclusively by women. The franchise's distribution history reflects shifts in home video: the original Slumber Party Massacre films and the first Sorority House Massacre received limited theatrical releases, while later entries went direct-to-video or aired on Syfy. The DVD releases under the Massacre Collection banner helped consolidate the films as a coherent franchise. Shout! Factory later released Blu-ray editions of the Slumber Party Massacre films, while Sorority House Massacre II and III remain unreleased on Blu-ray as of February 2025. An unreleased fourth Sorority House Massacre film, subtitled Final Exam, was completed in 2002 but never distributed. The franchise also includes a spin-off, Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre, and a planned television series based on Sorority House Massacre.
Did You Know?
- There is no widely known fourth Sorority House Massacre film; the third film is Sorority House Massacre III: Hard to Die (1990), and no fourth film was completed or officially announced.
- Cheerleader Massacre (2003) is a standalone film with no narrative connection to the Slumber Party Massacre series.
- The 2021 reboot of Slumber Party Massacre premiered on the Syfy network.
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