Shallow Grave

Shallow Grave is a 1987 American slasher film directed by Richard Styles and starring Tony March and Lisa Stahl. Its plot follows a group of young women traveling through the Southern United States who are stalked by a psychotic sheriff after witnessing him commit a murder. Plot University students Sue Ellen, Patty, Rose, and Cindy plan a spring break road trip from Virginia to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At a diner in Georgia, the women meet two young men their age, Chad and Owen, who are also traveling to Florida. The women agree to catch up with the men the next day during the trip. The next day, while approaching the rural town of Medley, the women's car suffers a tire blowout, stranding them. Patty walks toward the town to get help while the others stay behind. Sue Ellen ventures into the woods to urinate, and stumbles upon a man, Dean, and his mistress, Angie, having sex. Sue Ellen watches from a distance as the couple begin to argue over their affair, culminating in Dean killing Angie by breaking her neck. Horrified, Sue Ellen flees, as Dean—the local Medley sheriff—places Angie's corpse in his car. While running, Sue Ellen injures her ankle, preventing her from moving quickly. Dean, realizing there are witnesses nearby, reaches the women's car before Sue Ellen does, and begins shooting his pistol at Rose and Cindy. One of the bullets strikes Cindy in the head, killing her immediately. Rose flees through the woods as Dean chases after her. Simultaneously, Sue Ellen arrives back at the car, only to find Rose and Cindy missing. She removes the car keys from the trunk hatch, and is subsequently met by Patty, returning to the car after having located a gas station. A panicked Sue Ellen explains to Patty what she witnessed, and the two depart back toward the gas station on foot. Moments later, Rose, having led Dean on a chase through the woods, returns to the car. She glimpses Sue Ellen and Patty down the road in the distance, and attempts to use the car horn to get their attention, but is caught by Dean, who strangles her. Dean buries the corpses of Angie, Cindy, and Rose in a shallow grave in the woods. Meanwhile, Chad and Owen begin to worry when the women fail to meet them, and decide to backtrack to search for them in Medley. Patty and Sue Ellen reach the closed gas station, where Sue Ellen is attacked by a security dog that injures her arm.