THE PROWLER (1981)
Ground control to Major Chatham….
Tagline : if you think you're safe... you're DEAD wrong!
First off, this movie also came out under the name “Rosemary’s Killer”, “Graduation” and “Pitchfork Massacre”. Since the only character referred to in the movie as “the prowler” is actually never seen in this film, I think this movie might have gained far more popularity if they had released it under the name “Pitchfork Massacre”(which actually did happen in 1984 in both North and South Carolina). I am not sure if that was done legally or what. Or maybe even “Pitchfork Massacre’s, But Also Really Big Knife Massacre’s”.
In this one a mysterious slasher, dressed in World War II U.S. Army fatigues, decides he is not down with any kind of graduation dance going on at this school. So after a brutal double murder 35 years ago, dumb college kids in a small town in New Jersey, are just total fine with re-starting the dance graduation tradition. Because again…they are dumb and this is a horror flick. Major Chatham is not fine with it since his daughter Rosemary, was the one killed 35 years ago, but now he’s in a wheelchair and the sheriff has left town, so game on.
In a crowded “slasher” field, this movie really stands out as one of the better ones regarding effects. In fact I have no idea how Tom Savini (practical effects master who has worked on seemingly dozens of horror flicks) pulled some of this stuff off. Given the ending of this movie, I can see why we never got a second installment, but to be honest the slasher in this movie had one of the better slasher “looks” of the 80’s. I think if the story line had allowed for it, it could have even been iconic. There is also a band playing during the dance scene in this movie and they are actually pretty freakin good.
Where the movie fails a bit is in the story-telling. It’s a bit confusing as to what the killer’s motives are even after we get an explanation from Pam (played by Vicky Dawson, who is still acting as of the writing of this review) it still feels like I need some cliff notes or something. There is a TON of little relationship issues and jealousy stuff going on in this especially during the dance, that it’s a bit hard to keep track of. One thing we do know is that the authority in this town is kinda nuts, and by the end of the movie it seems like they had good reasons to be. I still don’t know if all this extra-curricular stuff is helpful to the film, or if it was unnecessary, but all in all I found myself pretty impressed.
In spite of doing badly at the box office, for slasher fans this is a MUST SEE. I don’t say that frequently because the offerings range from ultra-spooky camp, to raiding the cheese whiz factory.
I give THE PROWLER a 5 out of 7. I didn’t mention this earlier but the ringing sound in the score at times is painful and I really wish the motive was more coherent.
GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF GRADUATION AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.
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