Sorority Row targets that narrow cross section of the population who are both slasher film fans and people willing to watch Rumer Willis act. The film also is best seen by anyone not familiar with Scream, since the ruling principles of both films are the same: cozy, anonymous town terrorized by a killer, cameo by a celebrity (okay, in this case it's a reality show "celebrity") who gets offed in the first ten minutes, a series of creative slashings and gashings, and a heroine with a conscience trying to save her friends. Carrie Fisher's presence as the boozy house mother is also an unexplained phenomenon that is neither funny nor campy; I guess that just makes it just sort of sad. Help her, Obi Wan, she's accepting terrible roles.
The extras include outtakes, an alternate ending, and a "Kill Switch" feature which allows you to advance straight to the death scenes which employ creative uses for -- spoilers! -- wine bottles, bubble bath and a tire iron. The disc also features behind-the-scenes conversations with the full cast, while director Stewart Hendler and screenwriters Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger discuss the rules of a slasher flick in the exact (like, exact) same way Scream did. Scream, though, had the good sense to let the audience feel like they're in on the jokes. These guys just give a horror film anatomy lesson, oblivious to the fact that they've been spoofed on film already. If you were a fan of the film or The House On Sorority Row, the 1983 slasher on which it was based, the 45+ minutes of extras will be a generously appreciated. For the rest of us, they're simply tolerated.
There's also an Easter Egg if you arrow up while "Special Features" is highlighted. It features a rehearsal scene crudely acted by stand-ins, and it ended up being funnier than expected. In fact, the crude version was even better than the real one.
The special features include:
· "Sorority Secrets: Stories From The Set"
· "Killer 101"
· "Kill Switch"
· 6 Deleted Scenes incl. Alternate Ending
· Outtakes
Amazon Blu-ray Price: $25.99
Amazon DVD Price: $16.99