I was about 35 minutes into watching Girls Nite Out for this week’s post before I realised I had already seen this movie. Everyone movie is special and unique in its own way…I just forget that. Apparently.

Having to reset and start over again, I wanted something quick. When I spied Blood Theatre‘s 75-minute running time, I knew I had struck gold. Mary Woronov starring and Hobgoblin director Rick Sloane behind the camera were only the cherries on top.

Blood Theatre is like a bloodless version of many cinema-set slashers such as Popcorn, The Last Matinee and Demons. There are kids at the theatre, they get killed at the theatre. Only Sloane manages to make this so unwatchable that it comes back around on itself and becomes watchable again.

Years after a massacre at a theatre, the owner of the Spotlite multiplexes, Dean Murdock, buys it. Get it to successfully open, and he gets a $75,000 reward. He bribes three of his young co-workers to open it for him. A $1,000 bonus is their dangling carrot.

But when the three kids get to the theatre, things generally go a bit wrong. As they remain aware, their classmates arrive at the theatre, only to get killed off by a lurking man. Some get stabbed, and others get blown up (?) in a magical popcorn machine. Some just get…blown at by some wind?

There’s not too much more to this basic plot. Nor is there much character development. However, the bonkers editing, hammy performances and ridiculous outfits save this. I mean, the outfits look like what people wear when they buy 1980s costumes from the Halloween store. The posters on the wall for featured films are clearly just hand-drawn. Most of all: at no point is the killer really explained. (Is he a ghost? Is he just really old? Does this old guy have powers??)

Make no mistake: this is a really bad movie. But somehow, I was pretty charmed by it. I can’t help but admire indie filmmakers, even if things turn out…less-than-successful. If you enjoyed Hobgoblins, you need to see Blood Theatre. Any member of the “so bad it’s good” club will get a kick out of this movie.

Also, if you love Mary Woronove: run, don’t walk. She plays a harassed, tough-as-nails, chain-smoking secretary and is a star. As always.