The Prowler (1981)

Director:

Joseph Zito

Writers:

Neal Barbera (writer)
Glenn Leopold (writer)

Release Date:

6 November 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

It will freeze your blood.

Plot:

A masked killer, wearing World War II U.S. Army fatigues, stalks a small New Jersey town bent on reliving a 35-year-old double murder by focusing on a group of college kids holding an annual Spring Dance.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Dance | 1980s | Masked Killer | Night

Cast

Vicky Dawson	...	Pam MacDonald
Christopher Goutman	...	Mark London
Lawrence Tierney	...	Maj. Chatham
Farley Granger	...	Sheriff George Fraser
Cindy Weintraub	...	Lisa
Lisa Dunsheath	...	Sherry
David Sederholm	...	Carl
Bill Nunnery	...	Hotel Clerk
Thom Bray	...	Ben
Diane Rode	...	Sally
Bryan Englund	...	Paul
Donna Davis	...	Miss Allison
Carleton Carpenter	...	1945 M.C
Joy Glaccum	...	Francis Rosemary Chatham
Timothy Wahrer	...	Roy
John Seitz	...	Pat Kingsley
Bill Hugh Collins	...	Otto
Dan Lounsbery	...	Turner (as Dan Lownsberry)
Douglas Stevenson	...	Young Kingsley
Susan Monts	...	Young Kingsley's Date
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Giuliano	...	The Prowler (uncredited)
Jonathan Sachar	...	Mike (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph Zito

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Neal Barbera		writer
Glenn Leopold		writer

Produced by
James Bochis	....	executive producer
David Streit	....	producer
Joseph Zito	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Einhorn

Cinematography by
Raoul Lomas
João Fernandes		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Joel Goodman

Casting by
Bill Williams

Production Design by
Lorenzo Mans

Art Direction by
Roberta Neiman

Makeup Department
Jane Forth	....	hair stylist
Jane Forth	....	makeup artist
Tom Savini	....	special makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Giuliano	....	first assistant director
Forrest Murray	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sam Swope	....	property master

Sound Department
Jack Cooley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary Rich	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Darryl Ferrucci	....	special effects assistant
Tom Savini	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Dwane Arthur	....	key grip
Robert Lindsay	....	additional cinematographer
Bill O'Leary	....	electrician
Frost Wilkinson	....	gaffer
Bobbi Leigh Zito	....	still photographer

Other crew
Sissy Boyd	....	choreographer
Edward Crocitto	....	location manager
Peter Pastorelli	....	location manager
Janine Stover	....	script supervisor
Marcus Ticotin	....	production assistant
Bobbi Leigh Zito	....	executive assistant

Production Companies

• Graduation

Distributors

• Sandhurst (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (Canada)
• Astral Video (Canada) (VHS)
• Blue Underground (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (UK) (video)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• VCII Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• VPV Video (1984) (Belgium) (video)
• Vestron Video International (1987) (Japan) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Rosemary's Killer
The Graduation

Runtime:

89 min | UK:87 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | West Germany:(Banned) (1989) | Netherlands:16 | Denmark:16 | USA:R (cut) | Norway:18 (uncut) (2008) | Australia:R (DVD re-rating: 2008) (uncut) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R (heavily cut) | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | Sweden:15 (heavily cut) | UK:X (cut) | Iceland:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Cape May, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Graduation

Trivia:

Tom Savini considers this to be his best work.

Quotes:

The Prowler: [synthesized] i want you to be my date, Rose.

Movie Connections:

References Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Soundtrack:

VIEW THROUGH A TEAR

A Real Snoozefest

I only rented this because IMDb patrons raved about how great it was. I was very disappointed. I fell asleep several times during the course of the movie (admittedly, it was after midnight when I watched it). I never cared about anyone in the film. The lead actress was not attractive. I never really knew why the killer was killing. There was nothing erotic about this movie. Yes, the gore was realistic, but that is not nearly enough to make me enjoy a movie. There were very many slow moving parts in this movie (and I think I fell asleep during every one of them). Maybe my expectations were way too high, but I felt this was soulless, by the numbers, slasher. Wake me when it's over.