An okay cult slasher


Don't think I've seen any of the original four Prom Night movies since they first came out, so I'm rewatching them over this Halloween. This one was actually a fan-edited 'Director's Cut'. It restores several deleted scenes and removes the subplot about an escaped sex-offender (which wasn't an original part of the story). Jamie Lee Curtis stars as Kim, a high-schooler whose 10 year old sister Robin died tragically years earlier. This year the school prom happens to fall on the sixth anniversary of Robin's death, and someone is hunting down students who were present when it happened. Pros: The performances are good, it's well shot, and it delivers the requisite '80s T&A. Cons: After the atmospheric opening with Robin's death it's an hour before anyone is killed, a couple of kills fall outside the killer's supposed motivation, and it's a bit light on the gore. It's also slow at times compared with later, better-known slashers. Interesting to revisit - but I'll probably give it another forty years before the next watch. 6.5/10.

reply

I enjoyed some of the disco music in it.

reply

The lengthy disco dancing scenes with the illuminated floor seem almost 'WTF?' when you look at it today, but of course the film came out towards the end of the whole Saturday Night Fever craze.

Incidentally, I was reading afterwards that during filming the cast were dancing to genuine disco hits, but the production couldn't afford the licencing fees to include them on the soundtrack. So the producers told the film's composer to quickly write some songs that were 'similar enough that they'll sue us, but not so similar that they'll win'! 😂

reply

Seeing Jamie Lee Curtis disco dance is worth it.

reply

Any rapid movement on the part of Jamie Lee Curtis is always welcome.

reply

Prom Night! Everything is alright. Prom Night! No more feeling uptight. Come with me tonight, tell me you will love me forever, the feelings right (it's Prom Night!), I know things will get better, come and fly me away to a place where we can be together...

interesting to revisit - but I'll probably give it another forty years before the next watch.

Will you still be amongst the living in 40 years brother?

reply

Damn straight I will!

reply