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Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
15 May 1981 (USA)
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Tagline:
It'll be a killer party! [DVD] more
Plot:
Virginia is proud that she belongs to a clique. The best students at a private school. But before her 18th birthday...
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Awards:
3 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(25 articles)
Weekly DVD & Blu-Ray Chopping List 11/17/2009
(From Fangoria. 17 November 2009, 9:00 PM, PST)
Film Junk Podcast Episode #241: Paranormal Activity and The House of the Devil
(From FilmJunk. 2 November 2009, 11:38 PM, PST)
(From Fangoria. 17 November 2009, 9:00 PM, PST)
Film Junk Podcast Episode #241: Paranormal Activity and The House of the Devil
(From FilmJunk. 2 November 2009, 11:38 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Reasonable slasher with a silly finalé that takes the cake!
more (95 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Melissa Sue Anderson | ... | Virginia 'Ginny' Wainwright | |
| Glenn Ford | ... | Dr. David Faraday | |
| Lawrence Dane | ... | Harold 'Hal' Wainwright | |
| Sharon Acker | ... | Estelle Wainwright | |
| Frances Hyland | ... | Mrs. Patterson | |
| Tracey E. Bregman | ... | Ann Thomerson (as Tracy Bregman) | |
| Jack Blum | ... | Alfred Morris | |
| Matt Craven | ... | Steve Maxwell | |
| Lenore Zann | ... | Maggie | |
| David Eisner | ... | Rudi | |
| Lisa Langlois | ... | Amelia | |
| Michel-René Labelle | ... | Etienne Vercures | |
| Richard Rebiere | ... | Greg Hellman | |
| Lesleh Donaldson | ... | Bernadette O'Hara | |
| Earl Pennington | ... | Lieutenant Tracy |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:110 min | Argentina:110 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
West Germany:16 (nf) |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
New Zealand:R16 |
Argentina:18 |
Australia:R |
Chile:18 (original rating) |
Finland:(Banned) |
France:-12 |
Iceland:(Banned) |
Peru:18 |
Singapore:NC-16 |
UK:X (original rating) |
UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) |
UK:18 (video rating) (1986) |
USA:R |
Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release)
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
When certain cast members were stuck in their gore make-up for numerous hours, they decided to walk around the neighborhood scaring the wits out of people.
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Goofs:
Continuity: In the scene where the inspector pulls up to Virginia's house to inquire about Ann, he states that her car is in the road, which is shown just before. However, as the inspector's car stops in front of her house, Ann's car is visible in front of the house, in the passenger side window.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)
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Soundtrack:
Happy Birthday to Me
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (95 total)
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With seasoned pro J. Lee Thompson behind the camera, well known TV actress Melissa Sue Anderson in the lead role (hoping to make the transition from the small screen star to movie star), and veteran actor Glenn Ford giving able support, Canadian slasher Happy Birthday To Me is a far more competently made film than many of its contemporaries: the direction, cinematography, editing, lighting and acting are all top notch.
Unfortunately, it is this very slickness, along with the rather convoluted plot, lack of gore, and very silly finalé, that prevented this from being as enjoyable as I had hoped; I guess I just prefer my 80s slashers to be simpler, cheaper, nastier, and just a little more willing to shock!
Anderson plays Virginia Wainwright, newest member of the 'Top Ten', a clique of rich kids at exclusive private school, The Crawford Academy. After a game of chicken almost results in a terrible accident, Virginia begins to have flashbacks to a similar incident which claimed the life of her mother and left her with terrible injuries to her brain. When a gloved killer starts to stalk and kill the 'Top Ten', Virginia begins to wonder if she is the person responsible for the grisly murders...
Thompson, the director of highly regarded classic Cape Fear, puts his obvious skills to use, making the most of the silly script and delivering some well executed scenes of mayhem: the road race at the beginning wouldn't have looked out of place in a modern action movie, whilst the first death is worthy of an Argento giallo. However, the plot is so silly that even a skilled director like Thompson, with over thirty years experience, struggles to hold things together. The film eventually becomes a mess of disappointing gore-less deaths (the MPAA apparently cut some of the bloodier moments before its original release) and silly red herrings, and at times it also feels rather restrained (there is no nudity, despite there being the obligatory shower scene).
Thankfully, there is a sufficiently twisted ending, with the manky murder victims assembled around a table to take part in a macabre birthday party, although the final revelation is so daft that any suspense or terror is quickly dissipated.
After Happy Birthday To Me, Anderson returned to TV, Ford was given flack from critics for his appearance, and Thompson's career went downhill (King Solomon's Mines, anyone?); despite all this, the film isn't THAT awful, and should be of some interest to fans of the genre, if only for the infamous shish-kebab scene that featured on the excellent poster.
5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.