Blu-Ray Review: PROM NIGHT

Synapse Films is at it again with some Canadian horror hitting Blu-Ray for the first time. This time around they scored an early film that capitalized what started in the early 80’s saw after success of John Carpenter’s Halloween and contributed to the birth of the slasher movement.

The Movie

Prom Night nabs the star of Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis, and an odd casting choice with Leslie Nielsen as her father. Teenage girls start receiving calls from a caller with a whispery voice that says he’ll see them at the prom. Who is this creep? What does he want? Is he seeking revenge on the kids that made a pact to not talk about their involvement of in an accidental death of a little girl? Possibly.

Prom Night was a film that I remember seeing during my teenage slasher education but wasn’t completely enamored with it. With this new release by Synapse films, it gives the perfect opportunity to rewatch the film. Honestly, my experience with the film was better than I remember it when I saw it as a teen. Maybe it was because back then, I was trying to find gory films or films with unique kills, which Prom Night is not one of those films. However, that isn’t to say the kills in Prom Night are that less potent. The kills in this really have a unique power to them as the characters don’t feel like fodder. The girl that decides not to give it up actually dies via   throat slashing that doesn’t show anything graphic but because of the fact that is in slow motion and has an extreme close-up on her face, it feels that more painful. There is another kill in the film that I don’t want to give away to newcomers that actually got to me as well, mainly for the abruptness of it. I think the reason these kills feel very strong is that the film was released early enough to not adhere to stereotypical characters that would just become set pieces for murder.

Presentation

Prom Night has had the disadvantage of not being properly represented on home video since Anchor Bay released it years ago in what was essentially a VHS-Rip. Echo Bridge Entertainment released their DVD about 7 years ago and while the picture quality was improved, it had audio sync issues along with some pretty bad ghosting. Like Curtains, Synapse Films has come in to save the day (I’m assuming they got both films on the same license since they have the same production company). Gone is the ghosting and other problematic issues from a inferior transfer. Synapse has started with a 2K negative transfer and made the film look wonderful. While some companies might have tried to get rid of the halo and starburst effects on the lights throughout the film, Synapse stays true to what the film really looked like instead of misrepresenting it by trying to use modern technology to make the film feel a bit more modern. Granted, I’m not sure why the film was shot through this “dreamy” lens but it was and Synapse doesn’t shy away from it. While the image might not be as crisp as other films from 1980, in this case it is intended to be a soft image due to the way the film was shot.

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio track sounds equally balanced taking full advantage of the rear speakers and LFE channels when needed. The original 2.0 Mono audio is here as well for the purists but the 5.1 mix is where it’s at.

Special Features

Audio Commentary with Director Paul Lynch and Screenwriter William Gray, Moderated by Paul Jankiewicz – A lively commentary that has tons of information for fans of the film. There is plenty of enthusiasm in the track which is a great listen.

The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of “Prom Night” (41:04, HD)  – A behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Prom Night exclusive to this release. Filmed by Red Shirt Pictures, who always produce quality supplemental features, this feature talks to some of the cast via solo interviews intercut with shots from the film as well as B-Roll through some of the takes. If I had one criticism for this feature, it would be the fact that it introduces the line from co-composer Paul Zaza “..the fact that the movie even got finished is a fluke.” then later states that the film “..was done all wrong” yet none of that is really explored. However, since this quote comes from the co-composer, it simply sounds like these quotes are out of context and he was referencing to the disco songs that he had to create due to the to substitute the disco hits like “I Will Survive” that the actors were dancing to on set.

Original Theatrical Trailer, Original TV Spots, Original Radio Spots, Motion Still Gallery round out the Special Features

Additional Footage Added for Television Broadcast (11:11, HD) – Michael MacLaverty who edited the TV version of Prom Night introduces the footage. 3 out of the 5 scenes include a temporary secretary that is only seen in the film for a minute or less. What’s interesting is that while these scenes don’t really fit with the film (and really feel like what they are, filler) but there is a joke setup from the secretary that pays off in the film. Without these scenes, her character’s scene in the film doesn’t make much sense.

Never-Before-Seen Outtakes from the Original “Prom Night” Shoot (23:15, HD) – Outtakes and B-Roll with no sound.

Final Thoughts

If you are expecting a slasher film, Prom Night may disappoint you. Yes, the poster is a bit misleading as you may expect a brutal slasher. However, Prom Night is well worth a horror fan’s time. Featuring a score from Carl Zittrer (Black Christmas) and Paul Zaza (Curtains, My Bloody Valentine) but if you are willing to check out something that will feel fresh, this film may do it for you. There is more substance here that what is usually found in other films of its ilk.

All screenshots are taken from the Blu-Ray and compressed via JPEG format.