Prom Night (1980)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Paul Lynch

Writers:

William Gray (screenplay)
Robert Guza Jr. (story)

Release Date:

18 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Tonight, someone has come to the prom alone. Someone who watches in the silent corridors. Someone who waits until no one can help.

Plot:

A masked killer stalks four teens responsible for the accidential death of a child six years earlier at their high school's senior prom.

Plot Keywords:

Prom | High School | Night | Killer | Hiding

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Leslie Nielsen	...	Mr. Hammond
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Kim
Casey Stevens	...	Nick
Anne-Marie Martin	...	Wendy (as Eddie Benton)
Antoinette Bower	...	Mrs. Hammond
Michael Tough	...	Alex
Robert A. Silverman	...	Sykes (as Robert Silverman)
Pita Oliver	...	Vicki
David Mucci	...	Lou
Jeff Wincott	...	Drew
Mary Beth Rubens	...	Kelly (as Marybeth Rubens)
George Touliatos	...	McBride
Melanie Morse MacQuarrie	...	Henri-Anne
David Gardner	...	Dr. Fairchild
Joy Thompson	...	Jude

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1981) (theatrical release) | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1983) (video) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2005) (DVD) | France:-12 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:X (original rating) (1980) | Italy:T (VHS) | Italy:VM18 | Australia:M | Norway:18 (1980) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1987) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (nf) | Iceland:(Banned) | Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) | Sweden:(Banned) (re-rating) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Don Mills Collegiate, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Quadrant Trust Company

Trivia:

Hamilton High is the one setting that all of the Prom Night movies have in common.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Nick and his father are walking out through the apartment, and talking about who Nick is seeing. They both walk out through the doors and the shadows of the cameraman and the camera itself are cast on the interior wall and track down it as the camera pulls back.

Quotes:

Young Nick: [after Robin falls out the window and dies] We've got to get somebody, quick.
Young Wendy: Are you crazy? They'll put us in jail. If we tell anybody they'll say it's our fault. Who would believe it was an accident?
Young Nick: But what if...
Young Wendy: Listen to me, we'll go home now and never ever tell anyone. No one but us will ever know. Jude, swear?
Young Jude: I swear.
Young Wendy: Kelly? Kelly!
Young Kelly: I don't want to go to jail!
Young Wendy: Swear?
Young Kelly: I swear.
Young Wendy: Nick? Nick!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bully (2006) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Fade to Black

The Original Scream

I first saw Prom Night back when I was 10 years old, but didn't appreciate it as a film until re-watching it at 19. Watching it a second time was like discovering a priceless gem and I must say, as a screenwriter, I still look to this movie as motivation and inspiration. Unlike most Hollywood horror/slasher movies, it did what most of the latter cannot, which is provide a combination of good lucks and good acting, therefor ensuring we care about the characters.

Scream most definitely took a page from this movie as inspiration for its mystery theme. Though the budget was low and this movie was made in 1980 I feel that it still has enough of a story to keep us entertained and also enough of a punch to make us jump a bit. But what really makes Prom Night a success is its actors. Jamie Leigh was wonderful as always, but one character I felt that stole the show was the character of Wendy. As vile and wicked as they made her, the actress portraying her gave her depth. I felt as a viewer that she was more than just the typical bitch character. With killer lines, a beautiful face, and a chase scene that has been the foundation of future horror movie chase scenes, this girl makes the movie worth watching.

If you happen to see this movie on or notice it in a video store I would suggest giving it a look. I would love to see a remake, ONLY if they kept the plot the same, but intensified the horror, much like what was done in TTCM remake. And, of course, to have Edie Benton and Jamie Leigh make an cameo or guest appearance somewhere!