Richard Anthony
05-20-2004, 04:58 PM
PROM NIGHT(1980)
Director: Paul Lynch
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Antoinette Bower, Casey Stevens, and Eddie Benton.
During the early 80's, the Horror film genre was one of the most popular and profitable of all film genres. The late 70's and the early 80's was a wonderful time for the Horror film genre, at this time a director with a low budget and a high imagination could make a Horror film and have it play in theatres as well. After all, this was a time when Drive-In Movie Theatres were still very popular among film fans, and most of the time you could find one or two or even three Horror films playing back to back at the Drive-In Movie Theatre of your choice just about anywhere. One of the most popular of all the subgenres of the Horror film was the Slasher film. Thanks to the huge success of John Carpenter's wonderufl low budget Horror Classic, "Halloween", the Slasher film was back in a Big way, and during the 80's Slasher films were king at the box office, and one of the most popular among Horror film fans, like myself.
Director Paul Lynch made one of the most popular Horror/Slasher films of the early 80's, and he took a cue from John Carpenter when he cast his film. Paul Lynch cast Horror Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, as the heroine of his film, "Prom Night". The story of "Prom Night" is simple and effective, and it continued to showcase the formula for most of the Horror/Slasher films of the 80's.
Years ago a group of kids snuck into an old abandon school, and decided to play a game of hide and go seek, only this game went a little too far. The kid's game turned deadly when, by accident, one of the young girls playing the game ended up dead. Now almost 10 years later, a hooded killer is stalking and slashing those responsible for the death of the young girl, and after tonight, "Prom Night" will never be the same. One of the things that I enjoy about "Prom Night" is that the director keeps a sense of mystery surrounding the killer's identity, and the he keeps the viewer guessing all the time as to who the killer could be. Could it be the creepy janitor who works at the school, or is it a recently escaped killer who just broke out of jail, is it the sexy and bitchy Wendy, or is it Lou, the hot headed classmate who vows revenge on everyone for getting kicked out of school at the time of the Prom? Director Paul Lynch gives the vewer so many red herrings that the final identity of the killer came as a surprise to me.
The cast of "Prom Night" is very good as well. Jamie Lee Curtis takes the lead, once again in a Slasher film, and she is in fine form as the heroine. Leslie Nielsen is good as her father, this one of Nielsen's last serious roles before going on to star in "Airplane", and "The Naked Gun" films and becming known for his comedy film roles. Curtis and Leslie Nielsen also share a fun moment as father and daughter disco dance on the dance floor, the disco dance scene on Prom Night is a nod to John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever".
"Prom Night" is one of the best Slasher film's of the 80's, and the film has some great scares and some creepy moments as well. The film has a standout chase scene as the killer chases a girl through the school, and this scene is one of the best among Horror/Slasher films. "Prom Night" was such a popular film that it even influenced later Horror films, such as Wes Craven's "Scream", and "I Know What You Did Last Summer", since screenwriter Kevin Williamson cited this film as one of his influences for those two films.. "Prom Night" is a perfect Slasher film for those looking for a fun, and sometimes creepy Horror film. The film was followed by 3 sequels, and it still ranks as one of the Horror genre's best Slasher films.
Director: Paul Lynch
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Antoinette Bower, Casey Stevens, and Eddie Benton.
During the early 80's, the Horror film genre was one of the most popular and profitable of all film genres. The late 70's and the early 80's was a wonderful time for the Horror film genre, at this time a director with a low budget and a high imagination could make a Horror film and have it play in theatres as well. After all, this was a time when Drive-In Movie Theatres were still very popular among film fans, and most of the time you could find one or two or even three Horror films playing back to back at the Drive-In Movie Theatre of your choice just about anywhere. One of the most popular of all the subgenres of the Horror film was the Slasher film. Thanks to the huge success of John Carpenter's wonderufl low budget Horror Classic, "Halloween", the Slasher film was back in a Big way, and during the 80's Slasher films were king at the box office, and one of the most popular among Horror film fans, like myself.
Director Paul Lynch made one of the most popular Horror/Slasher films of the early 80's, and he took a cue from John Carpenter when he cast his film. Paul Lynch cast Horror Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, as the heroine of his film, "Prom Night". The story of "Prom Night" is simple and effective, and it continued to showcase the formula for most of the Horror/Slasher films of the 80's.
Years ago a group of kids snuck into an old abandon school, and decided to play a game of hide and go seek, only this game went a little too far. The kid's game turned deadly when, by accident, one of the young girls playing the game ended up dead. Now almost 10 years later, a hooded killer is stalking and slashing those responsible for the death of the young girl, and after tonight, "Prom Night" will never be the same. One of the things that I enjoy about "Prom Night" is that the director keeps a sense of mystery surrounding the killer's identity, and the he keeps the viewer guessing all the time as to who the killer could be. Could it be the creepy janitor who works at the school, or is it a recently escaped killer who just broke out of jail, is it the sexy and bitchy Wendy, or is it Lou, the hot headed classmate who vows revenge on everyone for getting kicked out of school at the time of the Prom? Director Paul Lynch gives the vewer so many red herrings that the final identity of the killer came as a surprise to me.
The cast of "Prom Night" is very good as well. Jamie Lee Curtis takes the lead, once again in a Slasher film, and she is in fine form as the heroine. Leslie Nielsen is good as her father, this one of Nielsen's last serious roles before going on to star in "Airplane", and "The Naked Gun" films and becming known for his comedy film roles. Curtis and Leslie Nielsen also share a fun moment as father and daughter disco dance on the dance floor, the disco dance scene on Prom Night is a nod to John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever".
"Prom Night" is one of the best Slasher film's of the 80's, and the film has some great scares and some creepy moments as well. The film has a standout chase scene as the killer chases a girl through the school, and this scene is one of the best among Horror/Slasher films. "Prom Night" was such a popular film that it even influenced later Horror films, such as Wes Craven's "Scream", and "I Know What You Did Last Summer", since screenwriter Kevin Williamson cited this film as one of his influences for those two films.. "Prom Night" is a perfect Slasher film for those looking for a fun, and sometimes creepy Horror film. The film was followed by 3 sequels, and it still ranks as one of the Horror genre's best Slasher films.