The Initiation

The Initiation is a horror film from 1984, directed by Larry Stewart and Peter Crane, starring Vera Miles, Clu Gulager, and a young Daphne Zuniga in one of her earliest roles. The film represents the classic aspects of the 80s horror genre, with elements of a slasher flick and a psychological thriller. From ominous secrets, mysterious pasts, to a faceless antagonist, The Initiation has every ingredient to make your heart race and your palms sweat.

At the center of The Initiation is Kelly Fairchild, played by Daphne Zuniga, a sorority pledging college student haunted by a recurring nightmare involving a darkly ominous family secret. Despite its unnerving aspects, this dream also sparks Kelly's curiosity about her past, a past that her parents, played by Vera Miles and Clu Gulager, have kept carefully hidden from her. As the story progresses, Kelly's drive to uncover the truth about her disturbing dreams and obscured past progressively intensifies.

Kelly is a young woman studying psychology, and she decides to make use of her academic resources to decipher the nature of her nightmares. But the more she digs, the more unsettling revelations emerge, which appear to be connected directly with her family history. All of this happens while she is also undergoing the rough initiation ritual of her sorority, making for a complex narrative and heightening tension.

The plot eloquently captures the line between dreams and reality, slumber and waking hours, with chilling nightmare sequences woven into the more grounded events in the narrative. The film brings in psychological aspects of the character's recurrent dream, connecting it with the notions of repressed trauma and Freudian interpretation of dreams. This makes for thought-provoking content mixed in with the film’s terror.

Clu Gulager takes on the role of Kelly's largely absent father, who appears to have hidden complications of his own. Vera Miles, on the other hand, plays the role of Kelly's overly protective mother, impacting the way Kelly perceives her past and present. The acting from the ensemble captivates the viewer, with Zuniga's heartfelt and emotive performance being particularly noteworthy.

The Initiation is brilliant at building a steadily increasing atmosphere of dread and suspense, making good use of its Dallas shopping mall location, which becomes eerie and menacing under the shroud of darkness and solitude. The film’s sense of place beautifully enhances the sense of impending threat, with the sprawling, seemingly unending corridors of the mall serving as a perfect backdrop for the gruesome game of hide-and-seek that transpires.

The movie expertly merges elements of classic slasher films with more complex narrative strands, ensuring that the tension and scares are elevated by the focus on character relationships and psychological intrigue. While it isn’t shy with its gruesome, edge-of-your-seat moments, these terror-filled scenes are enmeshed within the greater narrative fabric of family secrets, past traumas, and psychological unraveling - ensuring that audiences are invested for more than just the horror aspects.

Additionally, the influence of psychological films is apparent in The Initiation’s contemplative approach and explorations of the subconscious mind. The way the storyline also taps into the fears and anxieties around transitioning into adulthood, framed within a traditional slasher narrative, is another fascinating element that sets the film apart from peers in its genre.

From a technical perspective, The Initiation's atmospheric cinematography and evocative lighting craft an unsettling ambience that clings to the film from beginning to end. Also, the haunting score builds suspense and dread, guiding viewers seamlessly through the sinister narrative.

In essence, The Initiation serves as a compelling examination of how repressed memories can morph into nightmares, all wrapped up in the form of a suspenseful 80s horror film. It guarantees jumps, screams, but also a story that attempts to explore deeper themes. The Initiation remains an intriguing entry in the genre comfortable in its skin, offering thrills, chills, yet at the same time, sparking conversations about memory, trauma and dreams. This film is sure to appeal to those who appreciate their horror films to be teeming with secrecy, shocking revelations, and a palpable sense of foreboding.