Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama is a cult film that fuses the genre conventions of horror and teen comedy produced in 1988. With an unlikely blend of schlocky horror tropes and comedic undertones, the film converges the frisky humor and lighthearted mischief of 80s frat-house comedy with outrageous supernatural horror. Directed by David Decoteau, the film features an ensemble cast, including Andras Jones, Linnea Quigley, and Robin Stille.

The movie propels itself with an oddly captivating storyline that entails college pranks, sororities, nerds, and a mystical creature, a devilish yet comedic mix of absurdity and fright. It starts with three anti-conventional 'nerd' figures - Calvin, Jimmie, and Keith. They are three college students often overlooked and underappreciated by their university peers. On a dull evening, they decide to spy on the initiation ritual of a popular campus sorority, the beautiful-but-bitchy Tri-Delta Sorority.

Meanwhile, the sorority's initiation itself is the epitome of 80s high school antics, what with the obligatorily mean queen bee Babs (Robin Rochelle) and her accomplices Rhonda (Michelle Bauer) and Frankie (Carla Baron) hazing three new pledges, Lisa (Robin Stille), Taffy (Brinke Stevens), and Rita (Kathi O'Brecht). As part of their initiation challenge, the new pledges are instructed to break into a popular local Bowling Alley - The Bowl-O-Rama, to steal a trophy.

In juxtaposing storylines, the boys' spying stunt backfires, leaving them caught by the sorority. Adding a twist to their punishment, they are forced to accompany the pledging trio to the bowling alley instead of taking the usual humdrum retribution. Once inside the bowling alley, the group unintentionally unleashes the malevolent imp, a wisecracking, demonic creature (voiced by Dukey Flyswatter) encased within a trophy.

This imp, blending comedic timing with sinister intentions, has the power to grant individual wishes but also manifests an infernal reality by turning others into monstrous entities. The bowling alley, up until now an unassuming tale backdrop, virtually transforms into a nightmarish playground with the imp wreaking havoc.

Andras Jones takes on the role of Calvin, one of the luckless nerds, while Robin Stille and Linnea Quigley portray the parts of Lisa and Spider respectively. As the film progresses, they constitute the neutral grounds amidst the chaos, trying to keep the group alive and combat the malevolent creature they unintentionally unleashed. Quigley's Spider, in particular, is a noteworthy departure from the typical teenage trope, given her drifter-gone-biker persona with an edgy charm and unexpected heroism.

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama has several quintessential moments that exemplify the late '80s B-movie trend. It exploits these clichéd tropes with uniquely satirical commentaries, blending elements of comedy, horror, and teenage high school drama.

The movie showcases iconic cheesy dialogues and over-the-top performances that encapsulate the spirit of '80s B-horror/bar-comedy. Aided with a relatively low-budget aesthetic, it encompasses elements like cheeky humor, outrageous plotlines, and a distinct blend of psychedelic and atmospheric cinematography. Being a camp classic, it does not shy away from integrating scenes of nudity and grotesqueries, in line with the less-constrained standards of '80s comedy horror.

All of these, combined with a complementing synthesizer-heavy score, give the film an uncanny vibe of comic horror. The film also indulges in the trope of experiential life-lessons, where characters develop and learn from the outlandish circumstances they find themselves in.

Director David DeCoteau is renowned for his often eccentric cinematic offerings, and Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama certainly reflects his signature aesthetic style. The film may not appeal to everyone, but for those with a penchant for '80s nostalgia, off-beat horror, and some tongue-in-cheek humor, it offers an entertaining, if bizarre, cinematic experience.