A creepy, darkened furniture store sets the stage for this better than usual slasher flick. The characters are fairly interesting and the set pieces aren't too bad. There's a crazy nasty decapitation in the unrated version of the film (the Code Red Blu-Ray includes this as an extra feature) that will truly boggle your mind. It might be one of the best effects I've ever seen. Hide and Go Shriek has a lot in common with other 80's body count films like Chopping Mall and The Initiation, so if you enjoyed those, you might get a kick out of this. It's worth a look for 80's slasher fans.

Looking for an uninterrupted sex romp, a gang of teens head to the furniture store owned by the father of one of their group. Once there, they begin a game of hide & seek. . . the game comes to an abrupt halt when a cross-dressing murderer begins to stalk them down one by one.Overall, this was a pretty good 80s slasher, but it lacked much of what 80s slashers really need: good gore and/or violence. While there are a few kills, they're pretty tame (from drowning to an unseen stabbing with a mannequin's detached limb). There are some pacing issues as it moves from fun & fast to dull & slow without much transition. The acting isn't too bad, but the characters get annoying at times. The writing wasn't terrible either, just nothing impressive. The film isn't terribly original, but the idea for the killers was something fresh, and in the end, it turned out to be a slightly above-average teen slasher worthy of a look for fans of this subgenre.If you're looking for an easy 80s slasher with a bit of a twist to it, give it a look. You could do worse.Final verdict: 6/10.-AP3-

Pert boobs abound in this typical low-budget slasher fare from the fag end of the original genre cycle. A cast of unknowns (both then and now) play a bunch of horny teenagers who hit on the idea of spending a night in the huge furniture store owned by the father of one of the boys. The store has beds on every floor and, uncaring of any nasty stains they might leave for prospective buyers, the kids make good use of them. However, while they're busy getting their jollies and playing hide-and-seek, a deranged killer is finding grisly – if relatively unimaginative – ways of knocking them off.It's obvious the makers of this film were working with a budget tinier than the brains of its teenage characters, so Hide and Go Shriek earns some plaudits for holding its own in an overcrowded genre. There's nothing new or unusual here, but at least the acting is mostly acceptable and director Skip Schoolnik (who would go on to work on the Buffy and Angel TV series) manages to engineer a couple of suspenseful moments after a noticeably slow start which is presumably intended to develop some viewer identification with the characters but which fails badly. I did like the way none of the kids really acts stupidly once they realise that they're being stalked by a crazed killer, though, even though some of the guys were so annoying you're almost looking forward to seeing them get offed. They stick together, arm themselves with mannequin limbs – strangely, there are a *lot* of mannequins in this furniture store – and decide to fight their corner. The film is shot almost exclusively in darkness, which both belies the low budget and makes it difficult to see what's going on at times. The version I watched on the Horror Channel is a bowdlerised version, I think, as one of the scenes immediately following the murder of the store-owner's son makes no sense at all, and the gore factor is pretty low. The killer's 'demise' is horribly weak and rushed, as if the makers used all their imagination devising the deaths of the teenagers and had nothing left for the killer, and optimistically sets itself up for a sequel that never arrived.Really good stalk-and-slash horror films are pretty rare, largely because the genre is one in which large returns are regularly recognised from a minimum outlay of finance. There's little incentive for innovation, and anything new is done to death within a couple of years. Hide and Go Shriek will probably entertain those undemanding fans who like their horror cheap and dark and regularly interrupted by naked teenage girls; anyone else will probably lose patience with both the one-dimensional characters and the film long before the killer is unmasked.

Contains a small spoilerIn these times of extreme political correctness that really began to surface in the Reagan and Thatcher era of the eighties, before the New Labour government underlined them in bold print. Even the slasher genre - one of cinema's most simply structured - has had to suffer the expense of revamping so as not to offend a minority. The first case that was questioned was the lack of any non-white cast participants, which was at least a fair criticism. Many of the early offerings were made up of strictly Caucasian actors and actresses, and although it was most probably only the mistake of absent minded casting directors. One can understand how it may have looked slightly prejudiced. Far more absurdly, it was considered sometime in 1987 that Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger et al's sexuality was somewhat un-clarified; and so what we really needed was a camp transvestite knifeman to even up the ante. Hide and Go Shriek (or 'Close your eyes and prey' as this copy was titled) took it upon itself to fill that void, by releasing a standard splatter flick with all the routine ingredients, only they've chucked in a 'crossly dressed' twist. Why they thought that horror's most popular theme (as it was around the time this was made) needed camping up was a mystery? I mean, please don't take me the wrong way, I am by no means homophobic. In fact I don't even have a problem with men who feel more comfortable in a pair of suspenders than they do in slacks! We live in a democracy and I believe that everyone is entitled to do what he or she wants to, behind closed doors and in the comfort of their own homes. But let's look at it this way, would you have felt the same about Michael Myers if he had relinquished the Shatner mask and instead gone for some pink blusher, mascara and a ra-ra skirt? I can't see it hitting the same switches some how! I think you'll firmly agree.The first shots were surprisingly creative, showing the desolate back streets of a gloomy American city, shrouded with graffiti and the smoke bellowing from the chimneys of an industrial slum. Perhaps it was meant as a comment on the seedy urban atmosphere and it's equally socially inept inhabitants that our plot may resolve around? Either way, it was a great way to set the mood, and the music at this point was also worth noting. It sounded a bit like a shabby, yet impressive synthesizer rehash of James Cameron's Terminator theme-tune. The next sequence was a lot less inviting, as we see a man applying make-up in front of a mirror in a dingy room. The director only gives us close ups of his lips, eyes and cheeks, so we haven't exactly got a full-on positive identification of this sleaze-ridden character. Next up, he's seen driving along a road filled with prostitutes that all (unsurprisingly) look startled when they witness his bizarre attire. One hooker that was obviously desperate for the cash approaches him and climbs into the car. Soon after we see that she's been stabbed in the stomach and left to die in an alleyway. It looks as if this guy's got some serious issues.Have you guessed whom we're introduced to next? Why of course you have, its four cheesy eighties knuckleheads, with haircuts that you and I wouldn't even wear to a fancy dress party. There's Randy, whom looks like Vanilla Ice's deranged alter ego. Craig and John are your typical mulleted jocks, whilst Shawn's a dead ringer for Donnie Osmond circa 'Puppy Love'! They're all planning on spending the night at John's dad's large furniture shop, so they can make good use of the fresh double beds and get up to the things that seem to p**s off so many psychopathic serial killers. They're going to sneak in just before he locks up and leaves, giving them about twelve hours to cut all kinds of capers inside the spacious store. It wouldn't be too much fun if just four guys went alone now, would it? So next we get a good look at their four raucous girlfriends all in low-cut tops and short skirts, discussing philosophical subjects like marriage and how their boyfriend's sexual performances compare with one another! Kim and Bonnie are exceptionally good-looking, whilst Melissa and Judy are less attractive but still manage to look like they spent half a year in make up and half a million dollars on hair spray. It seems that Judy's still a virgin, commenting on how nervous she gets when the subject arises. She's really looking like an obvious aspirant for surviving girl responsibility at this point, unless of course she's dumb enough to succumb to desire whilst sharing a king size (bed) at the party. They all head round to John's place to meet up and 'embark on the adventure of their lives'. They show us exactly how excited they are by performing a synchronised 'moon-walk' around John's midi-van, before climbing aboard for the ride. Whilst on their journey, they take the time to stop at a junction and play 'musical car seats'! Yep, strangely enough, the troupe all jump out of the wagon and run around in circles before hopping back in and driving off. Why? I haven't got the foggiest, but perhaps they were a little like Beavis when he goes all 'Cornholio'. You know, get all hyperactive when they've munched too much candy? I can't say for sure, but one has to wonder what type of people think-up some of this stuff?The posse soon arrive at the location for their party, where we first meet John's father, Phil. More importantly, we see the bald and tattooed Freddy for the first time, which looks a lot like he could definitely be psycho-assassin material. He's an ex-con that did six years in choky for armed robbery, before being released for his good-behaviour and getting himself a job living-in and looking after the conveniently spacious store. Donnie, sorry, Shawn seems to think that 'he looks creepy', an opinion that is shared by one of Phil's higher-up associates whom comments, `A couple of the dock-workers are odd (but) this one -' Me thinks me smells a mystery emerging! Once the teens get inside the impressively dark emporium and lock the doors, they decide a game of hide and go-seek is in order. What they don't know is that an uninvited guest wants to make his own rules, and replace the existing title with the more fitting 'find and go-kill'.Close your eyes and prey suffers from a conspicuous lack of decent lighting, but for once it works to the flick's advantage. Some of the gloomy shots help invoke a seriously eerie atmosphere and the inclusion of mannequins always helps to make things spooky. They just have that aura of horror that surrounds them, which they just can't seem to shake off in the movies. The killer is usually seen only in silhouette, cackling crazily in the darkness. When he murders the teens, he steals the clothes from their corpses (male or female) and tricks his next victim into believing that he's actually their friend. He then coaxes them off to a secluded corner and before they've had a chance to realise that he isn't who they thought he was, he charges like a bull in a China shop and brutally slaughters them. Skip Schoolnik manages a fair amount of suspense and he also chucks in one or two neatly edited false scares that actually work. There's hardly any really graphic gore, although one decapitation was pretty nasty and all the killings are fairly interesting, not to mention gruesome. (Anyone fancy impalement on a triple spiked statue?) When the teens realise that there's a maniac locked up with them, unlike the multitude of dumber than dumb slasher massacre material, they do the right thing. They each grab a weapon, find a corner and stick together until help arrives, instead of wondering off to 'just check out that strange sound.' If the campers over at Crystal Lake had decided to do that a few times, perhaps Jason's body count wouldn't be so high and America wouldn't be suffering from an extreme shortage of Camp counsellors! There were a few smart sequences that warrant a mention. The most notable was when some of the surviving teens desperately bang on the sound and shatter proof - thick glass windows at the front of the store, to try and attract the attentions of the cop car that's literally parked right in front of them. Imagine how they felt when they see their only chance of survival climb back in the vehicle and speed off without looking back. Talk about bad luck!Unfortunately, all those above average moments are completely ruined as soon as the MALE killer is revealed and he says things like, `A housewife's work is never done.!' Dressed in bondage gear and full make-up he reveals his motives for murder and ruins the entire movie. I won't spoil them for you, but let's just say that they're the most stupid conclusion too what looked to be a promising launch. The acting's horridly unconvincing, especially from Bunky Jones (what a name!) who's pathetic portrayal of a woman in peril was as rancid as a flea-bitten mongrel's back teeth. There isn't a great deal of murders either; leaving too many survivors for my liking and the sequel-friendly ending brought a lump to my throat. (Surely they didn't plan a follow up?) It doesn't even manage that many inadvertent laughs (except for the musical car seats and the moon walking!). Mind you, one thing that I did find amusing was when the 'shy' and 'in-experienced virgin' says that she wants her 'first time' to be special. She then does a full-on lap dance that would earn her a fortune in most strip joints! Erm, wasn't she supposed to be nervous? Is that really what insecure people do? The goody gumdrops persona was running a bit thin by that point! This does have one significant element that actually works however, - a truly, truly terrifying killer. A camp transvestite with a switchblade! Makes me shiver just thinking about it; and I for one certainly wouldn't want to bump into him in a dark alleyway!It's a shame that they had to ruin this offering with the inclusion of a pointless plot-twist just to keep everybody happy. I'm sure that the gay community didn't feel left out that there hadn't yet been a homosexual psycho-killer, so it really was just pointless. If you do want to enjoy this slasher that manages the odd interesting moment, then turn it off at the 117-minute mark. If you're not prepared to do so, then leave it at the bottom of the bargain bucket.