User reviews

An up and coming rock band (one of its members is played by Corey Haim!) gets together on a back lot one night to shoot their first video. But somebody is stalking and killing off the cast and crew. Could it be the psycho band member they fired 6 months earlier?

This movie definetely has its moments--Priscilla Barnes is quite good and funny as a bitchy agent, there's a few good in jokes for horror fans (like me) and some of the murders are good and bloody. But that's about it.

Most of the murders are not shown or bloodless and dull; I wasn't scared once; the acting (except for Barnes) is horrible (Brian Gaskell is the worst offender--I don't care how cute he is!); there's sick, homophobic jokes; cheap, needless nudity and an endless stalking sequence at the end. Really not worth seeing.

If you do see it, there are some funny outtakes during the closing credits.

What ever happened to corey haim, the thrills famously sung, i'll tell you what happened, he seemed to go for any script thrown at him, this film included, I've always been facinated with Haims career and to be fair to him I and many others strongly feel that in any movie he can light up the screen, fever lake for example, minus haim that film would surly have not been rented, the guy is actually more talented than people realise. But this film is still weak, its got no direction really, maybe the budget was low , although haim as the guitar player made me chuckle, its funny because ironically had the lost boys been filmed in present day it would be haim who probably would have been cast in kiefer sutherlands role, to summerise this , give the film a miss, unless like me you are a die hard haimster fan.

It's not scary, it's not funny, it's not entertaining but it sure makes you bored while listening to absurd dialogues and some beautiful girls.

You can certainly do worse but it would take a lot of effort.

Low budget, overacted rubbish is the first impression this film gives. And it lives down to its expectations.

A rock band (so-called) get a break in the form of the girlfriend of one of their number whose father is a big shot in the industry. They are contracted to (or wrangle) a music video on a set once used by Steven Spielberg.

The first victim is a special effects technician who is dispatched with one blow of an axe. His co-worker follows in quick succession, impaled on a piece of wood. And on it goes.

The one redeeming feature of this truly awful film is Charles Fleischer who excels as the temperamental Director. Him and maybe the classic line at about 37 minutes on the reality of female power.

If you think you've seen "The Backlot Murders" before, it's because you have, it's a remake of "Friday 13th" or "A Nightmare On Elm Street" but without even the semblance of a plot, evidently someone else realised this because the two films are referenced in one of the weightier moments of this shapeless monstrosity. The other cultural references are equally forgettable.

There is a bit of a twist towards the end, but a glass of water with a twist of lemon is still basically a glass of water, and rubbish with a twist is still rubbish.

The plot is a good one, a production company decides to shoot a rock video on the old Hollywood "back lots"(hence the title) before they're torn down. Things start off nicely with some good killings but once we get into the main characters, we're dealt a very bad hand. This group is filled with annoying and/or paper-thin characters that are so interchangeable that we never even figure out their names.

The cast includes "stars" like Charles Fleischer and Priscilla Barnes. It also includes Corey Haim, it's sad to see how far this very good actor (if you don't believe me, rent Lucas) has fallen. Maybe he thought this would get him back into the movies, but he made an awful choice. Don't worry, he only has 10 lines or so, then the good old hack'n'slash gets him. The script is wretched, the performances are paper-thin. Props go out to Haim, Fleischer and Jaime Anstead for rising above the material to at least make me smile a few times. The movie's biggest flaw is that it takes itself much too seriously. They should have made a campy, spoof of slashers, or a spoof of Hollywood, anything but a serious study into the mind of a psycho because it just didn't fly…

As for the genre staples, boobs and blood, Backlot Murders boasts them both, but never have they been so disappointing. The breasts are all fake, and if we ever run out of silicone, blame the "actresses" who make up this cast. The gore is hit or miss. They obviously had a budget but they wimped out on some of the better kills and didn't show as much as they needed to make this a film worth recommending. The only thing I did like was the mask on the killer, very unique…

If you're a fan of fake boobs and dry humor, you'd really have to see the movie to understand, then maybe you'll enjoy The Backlot Murders. Otherwise, spend your money on something else. I hear Corey Haim's selling his underwear on eBay...

First let me say I am writing this with no agenda in mind, except perhaps to cut this movie some slack from the 'pros' who think they have to dump on something in order to review it. You know before you rent it or buy it that it is a b movie. As such, it is a very good movie. Priscilla Barnes, absolutely nailed every line. She did a great job in this movie. Carrie Stevens and Angela Little always do a great job, as they did in this movie. They had very small roles, as eye candy sometimes does, but as usual, they did their best, and did very well. This isn't Shakespeare, but most of the time even a movies aren't Shakespeare. They are just more expensive with more effects. There isn't enough eye candy for my taste, but at least it was high quality eye candy. You can certainly do much worse than this movie.

God, this thing is bad. The acting is terrible, which is fitting as the lack of a plot or any writing is obvious. For the life of me, I can't imagine actors actually being paid to 'perform' in this incredible dog.

Pass this one up in favor of <insert anything else here>.

I was at the premiere for "The Back Lot Murders", at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills. Unlike the two sadly amateurish reviewers above, a crowd of over 1,000 people "got it" to the point they were laughing throughout and cheering at the end. Maybe if the reviewers read the description on the packaging, they'd understand that a send up of shallow Hollywood types would inevitably include venal stupidity and bimbos with fake breasts. Oh well, one can't expect people always to understand the written word; the vexing part is that the unqualified ought to keep quiet.

As for "The Back Lot Murders", for the comical stylings of Charles Fleischer alone, this movie is well worth the 4 dollars. Playing gay video director (how's that for progressive?) Henry, Fleisher is a riot as he's forced to deal with one moron after another. The scene where he critiques the band for lackadaisical effort during a play along sequence is comic genius, and was rewarded at the the Goldwyn premiere with wild, spontaneous applause. Meanwhile, Priscilla Barnes, cast in a role most opposite the Terry chick from 3s Company, displayed an easy chemistry and perfect timing with even some of the first timers hired to appear. All the band members were perfect playing dumb asses, and the girls are gorgeous. Newcomer Jamie Anstead deserves special plaudits for displaying not just a perfect body, but some excellent comedic touches, with fleischer, Barnes and even vet soaper Tom Hallick.

As for the "stupid plot" contention, well, even a film hobbyist ought to see how much better the plot is when compared to drek that gets released in theatres. For one thing, it makes total sense. How often does that happen in a splatter movie? Secondly, the third act is riveting, with unpredictable twists. Finally, there is a kill towards the end which the special effects company said was completely original, as in, never before seen in any splatter movie, despite it being one of the most notorious murder techniques ever reported on real life crime pages. It's disgusting in a way which ought to clue a viewer into the fact the the producers and writers are in complete control of the material.

As one of the creative principals, I have seen Back Lot many times. Over repeated viewings of any project, one can become numb to its charms and virtues. But, that night last fall in Beverly Hills, (which, incidentally raised over $100,000 for Animals Anonymous) when the 1,000 plus attendees cheered wildly at its conclusion, we all knew that something good had happened. Something certainly worth 4 dollars.

The movie was really just laughable. The only good part of it was the adorable Brian Gaskill, playing a bad boy (Dez), which is something he never does. If you like cheesy horror flicks with a lot of T&A, though, watch it. You'll enjoy it.

Call me crazy because I know my summary doesn't make any sense to you but it does to me.What I mean by this is the movie had awful acting,terrible dialog,no plot and stupid big breasted bimbos who were rather pretty.(Heaven forbid they cast a flat-chested ugly girl.)This is the kind of movie(for reasons unknown)I enjoy watching.The killers mask was rather original.This is one of those movies I do not recommend to everybody,just to people who enjoy watching cheesy cardboard characters running from a serial killer.This is solely amateur night.

P.s. Pricsilla Barnes acting was not very good,so don't watch it just because shes in it.

Months after a meltdown, members in a fledgling rock act meet up with a director to shoot a new music video, but as time goes on and nothing is accomplished, they start to realize that a maniacal killer is loose and killing everyone they come across forcing them to stop the killer before it's too late.

This here is a pretty good slasher entry. One of the biggest assets is the rather impressive nature of this one providing the kind of solid setup for a simple-minded slasher it's trying to be. Focusing on the behind-the-scenes nature of the crew trying to keep the band happy while trying to work within the bounds of the tyrannical agent trying to micro-manage everything to the point of breaking everyone past their tolerance is a great idea to get this one going. Not only does this allow the film to get their personalities together with the inside nature of shooting a video in this kind of condition but there's also a lot to like about the setting itself. The use of actual sets from previous movies, which are actually used in the film, are mined to great effect, and there's some really great moves inside. This allows the film to generate some really great stalking scenes, as anything in the backlot shown is solid. The initial attack on the carpenters is quite chilling in places, while the constant attempts by the stoner-happy couple to find the perfect spot to get to business takes them through numerous locations drenched in plenty of fog. Even individual scenes, as the killer appearing and disappearing before a couple who are high on drugs and forcing them to think about what's going on, or the chasing of the model in their underwear or of the killer strolling down a fog-lined street in all its glory give this one some much needed suspense. There's even a great sense of humor from this, as it tries to provide jokes in with the slaughter. They work wonderfully, as this manages to include some really hysterical work at times. Coupled with a really frantic, never dull pace, fine nudity and a real sense of fun, this is a top-notch slasher as there isn't a whole lot really wrong with this one. The biggest issue with this one is that there's really no blood in this one. None of the deaths in here get really graphic or showcase a ton of blood in them, which is a pretty big disappointment. The kills would require some pretty bloody thrills, yet this one doesn't have a whole lot of that involved. Had there been some more involved, it would've helped this one out considerably. The only other flaw with the film is that the killer is way too obvious and easy to guess so it's not too surprising of a reveal when it occurs to know it's been right from the start. As there's also way too cheesy an atmosphere here, with the fact that the choice of costume to the location to the mild sleaze found inside, these are the film's real problems.

Rated R: Graphic Language, Nudity, Graphic Violence and drug use.

The cast and crew of a movie are being killed off by a masked killer. It directly lifts it's plot from Scream 2 & 3, but this time around it seems to be playing up to it's cliched artifical elements. They have gotten the girls with the biggest breasts possible and stripped them as much as possible and forced them to run around in their underwear as much as possible. The have also gotten some rather hunky cast members who are as dumb and stupid as possible. And then there is the veteran cast members who chew as much scenery as possible. As a result of this, the film certainly does entertain, but that doesn't make it any good!

Rated R; Nudity, Sexual Situations, Profanity and Violence.

What can I say about this film? I got it in a bin at Albertson's with a previously viewed tag on it marking it for $3.99. I didn't expect anything good from this film at all, but yeah I laughed a lot. There was this one part where one of the big breasted females is shocked when she sees the murderer and tries to run away but finds a wall to be blocking her from running away. Good thing she has the strength to knock the wall down with her palms. This movie was entertaining and I enjoyed it. Just don't have any high expectations while watching this film.

it was really good and the killers mask was pretty cool and the boobs were nice i hope they make another one that doesnt tell you who it is and make a series like halloween and Friday the 13th good luck Back Lot Murders all in all the movie was really good pretty good acting and cool killings check out this movie

I found this film in a DVD bargain bin at a Walgreens of all places. Seeing that Priscilla Barnes was in it, I decided to give it a whirl...it was to be a decision I would regret for some time to come.

First, the good points. Barnes is EXCELLENT in an over-the-top performance. What made her characterization of Stephanie so appealing is that she was the only performer in the film to not take this mess seriously. It's obvious she's having fun, and that she knows what a stinker this film really is. I can't go into much detail on her role without giving the, uh, plot away so I'll move on.

This film plays out like a nightmare version of Baywatch. Big-breasted women and only moderately attractive fellows run around and scream. Okay, we've seen that before.

The funniest part, however, is in the doco included on the DVD where the director calls this a "thinking man's slasher film." Actually, the direction is just fine, he's just let down by his actors. I've enjoyed the director's other work and will not hesitate to see more of it...providing he is given a bigger budget for better talent. The idea was great, the sets amazing, but something just misses in the execution.

Good job Priscilla Barnes, shame on you everyone else.

...and I LOVE this sort of thing.

Once again, the IMDb page is filled with people who reviewed this, not even being a fan of this type of film. Personally, I am absolutely ecstatic that films like this still exists at all. This movie is more like the horror films of the 80's, never taking itself too seriously. Yes, this still has the self-referential bug that has bitten almost every horror film since Scream. I cringe whenever I hear a character go, "FREDDY KREUGER! WHAT A GREAT DRESSER!" Even though, in this case, that line was mutterred by a gay guy. So, it was all good.

This is a movie about a rock band going to Hollywood and filming their music video. At the beginning of the film, they have a fight and kick out their old drummer. During the night of the video shoot, the production crew and band mates and their girlfriends get killed in exceedingly bloody ways.

Really, what's not to like here? You have an extremely attractive female cast, a fast pace, a high body count, actual interesting (though two-dimensional) characters, good humor, good lighting, good writing, good directing, etc. If you're into B-Movies, this is gold. This movie is noteworthy in my mind for two major reasons: It's the first Colombian necktie I've ever seen performed in a film. Also, the killer's mask is of a Satanic Elvis. Great great great.

Deifnitely worth checking out.

I love horror movies. View some of my comments and you'll see that. HOWEVER, this movie stunk. A constantly revamp of an old plot line that doesn't work any longer. You think writers would learn huh? The movie's "Actors" and "Actresses" seem more like people out a porno movie. As a matter of fact one of the tells them that on screen Really retarded. There's a guy who is gay but also seems to be very attatched to his dog (that was the only scary thing about this movie) A psycho killer who is... well psycho and stupid because he's being manipulated by a cold and very poorly acted older woman. (and the actress was in a few movies I like. Tremors 2 for one) Corey Haim who was once the pinnacle of teenage actors everywhere has a minor part as a band member who can't play guitar. that's about it. Ladies and Gentlemen this movie makes 80's slasher movies like Slumber Party Massacre and Sleep Away camp three into the A list of horror films.

**/10

I just saw this movie on a movie network tonite. I would have never rented it but I am a huge Corey Haim fan and watched it for the sole purpose that he was in it. On the info it said that he was a main character and that wasn't true he had maybe about 4 lines. I started watching the movie about 15 min in and maybe about ten later I knew who the killer was. This movie was ridiculous. It almost hurt to watch it. I mean whoever the main girl was Janey, I am SUPER surpised that she never did anything else after this movie. I mean her acting brought me to tears but not in the moving emotion sense but in the embarrassed for her to be on camera sense. This movie with the exception of the two leads the manager lady and the director and the 4 lines that Corey had there isn't a don't even have a word. Whoever was the casting director for this movie (no doubt a male) probaly is flipping burgers right now after casting everyone in that movie. Other than that I recommend it, if you are a corey haim fan.

I love low budget B horror movies ..this one takes the cake. Campy, predictable and funny. What more could you want in a B movie? You even had Elvis... I thought Nikki (Played by Playboy model Nancy O'Brien) was super hot. The scene when she took her red bra off was awesome..only to see her boyfriend get speared to death. When is the last time you saw a serial murderer kill someone with a spear?...awesome.

I saw this movie over the weekend. I was in the mood for a Low-budget horror film and didn't expect anything more. The problems with the movie are primarily in the story and it's execution. There are strange cuts to people dying or spying on overweight girls in trailers that make no sense. Who are these people and why are they in the movie? Charles Fliescher and Pricilla Barnes both over-acted horribly. A shame because I used to like them. The pleasent surprise came from an actress I had not seen before. The lead female in the movie, Janey Colfax played by Jaime Anstead, was beautiful and very good. I would have liked to see more of her. Over all, the guys were pretty plain, most of the other female talent was lacking unless having a good body is talent these days, the horror mask of the killer was stupid and not scary, the story was un-original, the direction and production value were poor... But it was just what I was in the mood for - Thanks to pretty girls with big chests, lots of blood, a good performance (Anstead) and my expectations of a cheap B-Horror movie..