The Initiation (film)

The Initiation
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Larry Stewart Peter Crane (uncredited)
Produced by	Jock Gaynor Bruce Lansbury Scott Winant
Written by	Charles Pratt, Jr.
Starring	Vera Miles Clu Gulager Daphne Zuniga James Read Marilyn Kagan Hunter Tylo
Music by	Gabriel Black Lance Ong
Edited by	Ronald LaVine
Production company	Georgian Bay Productions Initiation Associates
Distributed by	New World Pictures
Release date	December 7, 1984
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	Unknown

The Initiation is a 1984 American slasher film directed by Larry Stewart, and starring Daphne Zuniga, Clu Gulager, Vera Miles, and Hunter Tylo. The plot focuses on a sorority member who, after being plagued by a horrific recurring dream her whole life, is stalked along with a group of pledges during their initiation ritual in a department store after hours.

The film has been noted for being star Zuniga's first leading role after her minor part in The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1983), as well as establishing a contemporary cult following as a midnight movie.

Kelly Fairchild is a university student who has suffered from a recurring nightmare in which a strange man is burning to death inside her childhood home. Adding to her stress, Kelly is also about to take part in her sorority's initiation ritual which entails her and a group of pledges breaking into her wealthy father's multi-level department store after hours. Kelly, her friend Marcia, and roommate Alison are the three main pledges.

At a sanitarium miles away, several prisoners free themselves and murder a nurse. The following morning, Kelly's parents Frances and Dwight receive a phone call from the sanitarium notifying them of the incident. That afternoon, Kelly pitches an idea for her term paper to Peter, the graduate assistant in her psychology course. Kelly explains her dream to Peter, and tells him she suffered amnesia as a child. At dinner, Frances forbids Kelly's meetings with Peter, who is attempting to analyze her nightmare. Meanwhile, Dwight is murdered outside as he goes to his car.

At the department store, the night porter is murdered while doing rounds. Kelly, Marcia, and Alison arrive there to steal the uniform; the three split up, and Kelly heads to the lounge upstairs to get one of the spare uniforms. Meanwhile, head sorority sister Megan lets Chad, Ralph, and Andy break in to the department store to scare the girls. Megan and Andy are killed shortly after; Kelly and Marcia hear the commotion, and run into Ralph and Chad hiding in a dressing room. They attempt to leave the building, but are locked inside.