Watch Pledge Night

Pledge Night is a 1988 horror movie that follows the story of a group of college students being hazed by a fraternity. The movie opens with a group of fraternity pledges, including college student and lead character Randy (Todd Eastland), being led to their dorm room by fraternity members after being hazed in a cemetery. Randy starts to experience strange visions, foreshadowing the horror that is about to unfold.

As pledge night approaches, the fraternity members inform the pledges that they must spend the night in a haunted house known as Garth Manor to complete their initiation. The Garth Manor is the site of an infamous murder that took place twenty years ago, and the spirits of the murdered victims are believed to haunt the place to this day.

With the fraternity members nowhere in sight, the pledges quickly become aware that they have been set up when the doors suddenly lock them in. They soon start to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences that lead to one of the pledges getting possessed by the spirit of the murderer. As the night progresses, the remaining pledges must find a way out of the house before they meet the same fate as the previous victims.

Pledge Night was released during the height of the slasher and horror genre’s popularity in the late 1980s. It draws its inspiration from classic horror movies like Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What sets Pledge Night apart is its ability to create a unique atmosphere that is both eerie and unsettling. The movie is balanced with teen stereotypes and 80s campiness while also providing the audience with the gruesome horror elements.

The movie is credited with some truly memorable moments, including the performance of actor Craig Derrick, who plays the role of Peter, a fraternity member and the only one who remains to keep an eye on the pledge’s progress. Derrick’s facial expressions and line delivery give a sense of unease to the viewers, making them wary of his intentions.

Todd Eastland, who portrays the lead character Randy, delivers a nuanced performance demonstrating the fear and confusion he feels as he tries to survive the night. Randy’s character is put into morally questionable circumstances, and Eastland effectively shows Randy’s transition from scared pledge to the character’s more confident version.

Dennis Sullivan, who plays the evil professor and the murderer who haunts Garth Manor, is suitably as eerie as the role requires. Despite being mostly absent during the first half of the movie, when he does appear, he raises the suspense and heightens the brutalness of the movie.

The movie’s lighting and cinematography are excellent, as the filmmakers use techniques like shadow effects and jump scares to create a sense of anticipation that enhances the horror aspects. The soundtrack is also memorable, using 80s rock music to emphasise the scenes’ various moods.

At its heart, Pledge Night is a fun horror movie, one that relies on tried and true horror movie tropes, and delivers many moments of violence and gore while keeping a menacing tone. It approaches college hazing and horror movies with balanced consideration and imaginative surprises to provide the viewers with an enjoyable film.

Pledge Night has received mixed reviews since its release, with some critics praising the suspenseful scenes and 80s charm, while others criticise the film’s stereotypical portrayal of college life, and weak character development. Nevertheless, Pledge Night remains a must-watch movie for die-hard horror fans or anyone looking for a nostalgic horror flick.

Overall, Pledge Night’s ability to deliver a suspenseful atmosphere, over the top gore, and amusing darkness makes it a classic example of 80s horror movies.

Pledge Night is a 1989 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.