The Prowler (1981)

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.

Director:

Joseph Zito

Writers:

Glenn Leopold, Neal Barbera,

Stars:

Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Lawrence Tierney

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

The film begins with the return home of a wwII veteran who was the recipient of a "Dear John Letter". After swiftly dispatching a courting couple in a Gazebo we leap to present day where a college celebration becomes the hunting ground for a uniform clad killer.

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Plot Keywords:

killer | dance | murder | masked killer | serial killer | 

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Taglines:

It will freeze your blood.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rosemary's Killer

Filming Locations:

Cape May, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Graduation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 87 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With the exception of the final unmasked shot, the role of the Prowler was played entirely by assistant director Peter Giuliano.

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Quotes

Sheriff George Fraser: [talking on the phone] Damn right it's my fishing trip. And if you bother me about anything, Bill, I'll kick your ass across the state line, okay?

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Crazy Credits

The color of the closing credits turns from blood red to yellow.

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Connections

Featured in Scream: The Inside Story (2011)

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Soundtracks

"VIEW THROUGH A TEAR"
Courtesy of Trust Me Music, Inc.
Performed by Nowherefast

User Reviews

Surviving graduation hasn't been bloodier.

As for being your usual copy-and-paste slasher. "The Prowler" was a modest attempt, but its looming reputation makes it out better than it actually is. Don't get me wrong. Everyone talks about Tom Savini's magnificently creative gruesome FX work, and deservedly so. But other than the potently bloody gore, and overall nastiness of some memorable deaths. What really drags this one down is how it gets bogged down with a scratchy story, and inconsistent script which led the film to plod along. Director Zito does his best to in-store some life, but while effectively demonstrating a grim, cruel atmospheric wound. In between the death sequences is little in the way of suspense, or even interest since there are too many vaguely ambiguous and padded distractions that cement themselves in the second half and only go on to annoy. Figuring out whose behind that ominous masked solider in uniform figure, doesn't take much. Baffling though was the choice of weapon… no not the army bayonet, but that pitchfork. When did they issue those things out? Odd, but I like it. The stalk 'n' slash angle doesn't entirely wear its self out, since while the jolts are basically telegraphed (but genuine) and having a flimsy story being strung together by its set-pieces that don't tie together. Still it managed to get the heart-racing when needed, and there are few piercing visuals and positioning work by Zito. The shady camera-work luridly focus on the action at hand.

The performances are soundly delivered, but never did I feel anything for these rather one-dimensional characters. Vicky Dawson makes for a strong, likable heroine, but the rest of the cast don't have much affect. Stalwart actors Farley Granger looks embarrassed and there's rather an unusually pointless role for Lawrence Tierney (who also briefly appeared in Zito's 1979 film "Bloodrage") . Christopher Goutman as the local deputy sheriff just pines a lot, and looks clueless. Richard Einhorn's composed a forebodingly hummer music score that superbly complements the film.

There are no pretensions here, in what it wants to be. A middlingly gritty, shocking slasher fare.