Plot: What’s it about?
In Avalon Bay back in 1945, a young couple was slaughtered on the night of their graduation dance, in a gazebo amid a peaceful backdrop. The killer was believed to be a soldier home from the war who was given a Dear John letter, leaving him heartbroken and furious. But as the murder was never solved, the killer was never found and now, three decades later, it seems as if history is doomed to repeat itself. The graduation dance is set to take place thirty years to the day of the horrific murders, though the local teens don’t suspect any potential problems. The dance returns for the first time since the killings, but the good times aren’t the sole returning element, as something, or someone else might be back also. The teens go about their business, party like its 1999, drink booze, and try to get laid, all while a prowler lurks in the shadows and soon, decides to step up and leave a trail of bloody bodies in the wake. But is this the same killer as the tragic event thirty years ago, or an unexpected, but equally lethal force?
This little known slasher packs a mean punch and thanks to Blue Underground, it should find a wider audience on DVD. I found The Prowler to be a fun movie, but like most slasher pictures, it suffers from the usual genre cliches. It has the horny teens, virgin good girl, an unknown killer, and of course, a chain of gruesome murders. So if you’re in the mood for new ground, then The Prowler won’t fit the bill, despite its few creative twists. The premise is a solid one, but things quickly revert into slasher norms, until a decent finale. But cliches or not, some of us can’t get enough slasher movies and I’m in that camp, so I am pleased to own The Prowler on DVD. So the storyline is predictable, I happen to like movies that off stupid teenagers, especially when the murder scenes are this cool. The great gore work was done by Tom Savini, who supplies a handful of memorable sequences here. This uncut version restores the full amount of blood & gore too, so all of Savini’s work is showcased. This one is more than recommended to fans of 80s slashers, as the movie is fun and Blue Underground’s disc is top notch.
As this is a pretty by-the-numbers slasher movie, you don’t expect excellent acting and in this case, that proves to be the correct assumption. Even though this film has a few name performers involved, the show is stolen by Tom Savini, who wasn’t even a credited member of the cast. Instead of an on screen performance, Savini steals the show from behind the camera, via his excellent special makeup effects. As we all know, blood & gore are prime elements in the slasher equation and Savini has shown time and again his impeccable skills. In The Prowler, he creates some memorable and effective pieces, including an awesome shower scene and a number of other blood soaked encounters. Savini has also done special makeup effects work on such films as The Burning, Martin, Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th, Deranged, and Day of the Dead. The cast here includes Vicky Dawson (Tv’s As the World Turns), Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs, Dillinger), and Farley Granger (Strangers on a Train, Rope).
Video: How does it look?
The Prowler is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The materials here haven’t been well treated by the years, but Blue Underground has delivered a solid effort that is better than the other versions out there. The print has a large amount of grain present, so the image is soft in appearance, but that is intentional to some degree. The colors have a muted, soft texture by design, while black levels are somewhat lightened by the grain. Even with the flaws I’ve mentioned, this is a nice improvement over previous editions and as such, I have to be pleased and commend Blue Underground’s efforts.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not a whole lot to discuss here, as the mono soundtrack is solid, but still mono and not that remarkable. I noticed no hiss or distortion, nor any other age or budget related defects, which was terrific news, of course. The dialogue is sharp and clean throughout, with no volume or clarity mishaps in the least. The music and sound effects also come across well, a solid audio option all around the bend. I am a little surprised the audio is so rich and clean here, but it is still mono, so its thin at times.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc’s extras begin with audio commentary from director Joseph Zito and gore artist Tom Savini, who offer a candid, informative session. You can tell the two have a personal friendship, as there is some ribbing here and there, as well as a joint sense of memory, as they combine to recall the production’s trials & tribulations. A reel of behind the scenes footage shows Savini and his crew at work, though not a whole lot is shown, to be honest. It is cool to see them creating the gore magic, but this is more like fluff footage, instead of substance. This disc also includes some still photos & poster artwork, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
