The Prowler (1981)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

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 | Masked Killer | Murder | 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

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:

While working on makeup effects for actress Cindy Weintraub, Tom Savini accidentally dyed the actress's skin beat red. It took three days for the dye to wear off.

Quotes:

Carl: Hey, who turned off the band?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead Teenager Movie (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

DISCO BLOOD

S10 Reviews: The Prowler (1981)

Rosemary sends a "Dear John" letter to her boyfriend while he is serving in WWII then is mysteriously slaughtered with her new beau at a graduation dance. Flash-forward to 1981 and the current class of graduating collegiates are throwing the first dance in many moons and a killer pops up looking like a storntrooper from hell and dropping roses everywhere. 80's slashing is in the house.

This rather predictable and slow slasher is saved by the gore set-pieces by effects maestro Tom Savini. That really is the only saving grace and highlight of "Prowler". Everything else on display is a bit bland and rather standard.