**_Orphanage in the woods_** Several medical students & their significant others are invited to stay at a defunct orphanage in greater Los Angeles for the weekend that one of their friends wants to restore. Unfortunately, the facility has an infamous past and people start dying. "Evil Laugh" (1986) is a mediocre slasher by actor-turned-director Dominick Brascia, who had a part in “Friday the 13th V: A New Beginning” from the previous year. This was his first directing gig, which he accomplished in a single week; he only directed three other flicks. It’s okay, but run-of-the-mill. The script needed rewritten to flesh out the potential, but that costs money. As it is, the characters and story are surprisingly dull. I say “surprisingly” because everything is here for a quality 80’s slasher. Still, if you’re an aficionado of the genre, it has its points of interest; it’s just nowhere near as entertaining as the aforementioned “Friday the 13th V.” It’s not even on par with the unexceptional "Island of Blood" (1982) or the decent "April Fool's Day" (1986). Jody Gibson (Tina) and Karyn O'Bryan (Betty) are highlights on the feminine front, along with main protagonist Kim McKamy, aka Ashlyn Gere (Connie). The movie runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in SoCal (I was unable to apprehend specific info). GRADE: C-

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