Graduation Day (1981)

Director:

Herb Freed

Writers:

David Baughn (story)
Herb Freed (writer)

Release Date:

1 May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sport | Thriller

Tagline:

Graduating from high school has never been so deadly...

Plot:

After a high school track runner, named Laura, suddenly dies from a heart attack after finishing a 30-second 100-meter race...

Plot Keywords:

Track | School Principal | Mask | High School | Coach

Cast

Christopher George	...	Coach George Michaels
Patch Mackenzie	...	Anne Ramstead
E. Danny Murphy	...	Kevin Badger
E.J. Peaker	...	Blondie
Michael Pataki	...	Principal Guglione
Richard Balin	...	Mr. Roberts
Carmen Argenziano	...	Insp. Halliday
Beverly Dixon	...	Elaine Ramstead
Virgil Frye	...	Officer MacGregor
Hal Bokar	...	Ronald Corliss
Denise Cheshire	...	Sally
Bill Hufsey	...	Tony Fisk (as Billy Hufsey)
Linnea Quigley	...	Dolores
Karen Abbott	...	Joanne
Vanna White	...	Doris

Runtime:

96 min | Australia:93 min | UK:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:15 (DVD rating) | Australia:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Descanso Gardens - 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada-Flintridge, California, USA

Trivia:

The blonde girl in the number 46 track jersey was cut out of the film as much as possible since she was fired due to refusal to fulfill the nudity requirements. Linnea Quigley was hired to replace her.

Quotes:

[Sally has bungled her gymnastics lesson]
Coach George Michaels: What happened?
Sally: I'm not sure.
Coach George Michaels: What do you mean you're not sure?
Sally: I don't know.
Coach George Michaels: You broke your concentration, that's what happened! I've never seen anything so sloppy!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

Soundtrack:

Graduation Day Blues

now you're just looking for an event to mass-murder!

Why, of all the slasher films to come out of the early '80's, that Graduation Day is so well remember I will never know. Graduation Day is a far cry from some of the better '80's slashers, but it isn't the bottom of the barrel either.

After a high school track star literally runs herself to death, someone begins to kill the remaining members of the track team. But for what reason?

Graduation Day is a slasher film that's served with a big slice of cheese. You've got some corny characters, some unneeded musical numbers (not including the funky song in the opening montage), and some bad acting - no wonder Vanna White is only spinning letters now. But it has some merits too. There are some amusing murder sequences and the story manages to be engaging - if only for the campy elements.

So when all is said and done, you can do worse. But it's not worth missing The Burning, Curtains, or House on Sorority Row for.

** out of ****