Michael Evans (likable William Bumiller) runs a health spa that's beset by a series of gruesome and mysterious deaths. Director Michael Fischa, working from a gleefully ridiculous script by James Bartruff and Mitch Paradise, keeps the enjoyably inane story moving along at a brisk pace, treats the silly premise with gut-busting misguided seriousness, delivers a satisfying smattering of leering gratuitous female nudity, goes delightfully overboard with the excessive explicit splatter, neatly captures the Day-Glo cheesiness of the 80's fitness craze (hot chicks in leotards, leg warmers, strenuous aerobics, and so on),and pulls out the crazy stops at the wild climax in which a Mardi Gras party gets nightmarishly out of hand. Merritt Butrick as arrogant security expert David Avery, Ken Foree as easygoing trainer Marvin, and Rosalind Cash as the no-nonsense Sgt. Stone all do sturdy work in their roles. Moreover, this film further benefits from the smoldering presences of several beautiful babes: Brenda Bakke as Michael's sweet girlfriend Laura Danvers, Alexa Hamilton as conniving backstabbing manager Priscilla Wayne, Shari Shattuck as the vengeful Catherine, and Chelsea Field as perky diver Darla. Peter D. Kaye's shivery synthesizer score hits the shuddery spot. Arledge Armenaki's slick cinematography provides a smooth glossy sheen. A hugely entertaining piece of absolute tosh.

After a near miss at the Starbody Health Spa, the police investigate. Things escalate until there is a body count with all the evidence pointing at David (Merritt Butrick). At 52 minutes into the film we know the culprit as the film changes gears.

The film is very 80's from the cars to the hairdos. It is a blast from the past with the green script computer screens. No sex or swearing, but plenty of nudity (Brenda Bakke of Hot Shots Part 2, Tane McClure of Vice Academy 5, Chelsea Field of Prison, Vanessa Bell Calloway)

Michael's health club is besieged with a series of terrible murders involving killer saunas and other grisly devices. Michael's wife killed herself a while before and her brother holds Michael responsible. Michael needs to stop the bloodshed before he loses all of his clients.

The film started in 1984 or 1985, and was filmed in 1986 (despite not seeing release until 1989). In the beginning, it was meant to just be a haunted health spa and the script went through multiple revisions. After completion, the editing and post-production dragged on for years.

The film was something of a "family affair", as many of those involved not only made this film but had a part in producer Jamie Beardsley's wedding. Executive producer Waleed B. Ali (the man who launched John McNaughton's career) walked Beardsley down the aisle. Incidentally, Beardsley was later first assistant director on Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs".

Director Michael Fischa burst on to the scene all at once, releasing his first three films almost simultaneously. Besides this one, he also unleashed "Crack House" and "My Mom's a Werewolf" (starring John Saxon) on to the world. Co-writers James Bartruff and Mitch Paradise have less than a handful of credits between them.

"Death Spa" went under the radar for most of us, just now getting some home video love almost thirty years after it was made. Gorgon Video has a new Blu-Ray transfer that looks beautiful and is loaded with extras -- so a film you never heard of a year ago can be one you know everything about next year.

There is a solid cast. Karyn Parsons went on to play Hilary Banks on "Fresh Prince of Bel Air". Joseph Whipp (Dr. Lido Moray) had previously appeared in two Wes Craven films: "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Chiller". Mysteriously, Ken Foree's name is absent on the box credits despite being the biggest horror star in the film ("Dawn of the Dead", "From Beyond").

The film itself is a bit slow, and not the best edited at times. One is left with the impression that one goal was simply to see how many women they could get naked on camera (and the count is at least a half dozen if you are wondering). If this was a non-horror film, it would be a complete waste of time.

Luckily, it happens to be a horror film, and its shortcomings are made up for by some of the nastiest, goriest effects to come out of the screen. For what was likely a very low budget, no expense was spared to have people melt, burn, spray blood... the death count is quite high, and every death is gloriously fun to watch. Some things are questionable and the basic plot never quite adds up, but maybe that was never the point.

For the average viewer, this will not be something to see. For a fan of the blood and guts, it may just be that lost 80s classic you have been waiting for. Worth picking up. The Gorgon Blu-ray features audio commentary with director Michael Fischa (who happens to be Austrian),producer Jamie Beardsley and editor Michael Kewley (who is now best known as the producer of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). There is also a full-length making-of feature.