1980s Fan-Favorite Horror Spoof Streaming Right Now
There’s nothing better than a spoof film to make fun of ridiculous horror tropes that are so pervasive in the genre. Modern takes have given us the Scary Movie franchise and Shaun of the Dead, drawing inspiration from earlier entries like Young Frankenstein and Student Bodies. One of the quirkiest in this line is Saturday the 14th, and if it slipped under your radar you’ll be happy to know that it is now streaming for free.
The Set Up
Saturday the 14th follows the Hyatt family along their journey to the old home of a deceased family member as they arrive to claim their inheritance. The old house that becomes their new home is also the subject of a vampire couple’s attention, who are desperate to get inside so that they can take an ancient book of evil that is somewhere inside.
John, Mary, and their two children, teenage Billy and Debbie, rebuff the demands of Count Waldemar (Jeffrey Tambor) and Yolanda (Nancy Lee Andrews) and settle into the new home.
It’s young Billy that finds the book of evil in Saturday the 14th. As he reads the ancient manuscript and turns the pages, the monsters on the paper begin to disappear from the book and reappear in the house. After a time, the Hyatt household is full of monsters and mayhem.
All Kinds Of Monsters
John and Mary are totally oblivious to the fact that their new home is full of spooks, water creatures, werewolves, and mummies. Each and every creepy event is either totally ignored by the married couple or they concoct a silly explanation for the occurrence.
When an exterminator is hired to take care of the home’s new bat manifestation, the man who arrives is none other than Van Helsing (Severn Darden) who is revealed to also be seeking the book of evil.
Saturday the 14th nears its climax as the Hyatt’s are preparing for a large party. The curse on the home that the book of evil released makes it impossible to leave, guests are killed by monsters one by one, and the ultimate showdown between good and evil is about to get underway.
Impossible To Take Seriously
Saturday the 14th wasn’t meant to be taken seriously, even as a comedy movie.The over-the-top level of aloofness from John and Mary adds more to the comedy than it subtracts, and Tambor’s portrayal of a frustrated vampire remains one of his best comedic performances. Additionally, Darden’s Van Helsing was about as good as one might expect with a tongue-in-cheek performance.
A Bit Of Success
Despite the widespread panning from critics at the time, the film managed to bring in more than $4 million at the box office. When it began airing on network television in 1983, Saturday the 14th found a solid fan base. It was released on videodisc and VHS soon after, followed by a now out-of-print DVD edition and a 2019 Blu-ray.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
Saturday the 14th won’t rise to the level of most of the teen comedies of its era and it’s a far cry from being considered even close to par with any of the Scary Movie films. At best, it’s a movie worth watching for a few decent laughs and for poking fun at the terrible costuming and special effects. This is a movie that barely garners 1.5/5.0-stars.
As difficult as it can be to get Saturday the 14th on physical media for a reasonable price, new fans are finding it on a variety of streaming services. You can stream Saturday the 14th for free with Shout!, Roku, Freevee, and Tubi, or rent it On Demand from Prime.
