1/4  Not as Terrible as the 2008 Update
I decided to see this classic (but horrendous) slasher flick because I was curious about how different it was compared to the 2008 version. Although both are pretty bad, I can stand this one a bit more because I could sympathize with Jamie... (read full)

1.5/4  2 proms for the price of 1 (1980)
I have an obsessive compulsion to revisit the original movie when its remake is released in theaters. I just love to compare and contrast, then bitch about how the new one is not as good as its source material.

But something different ... (read full)

1.5/4  Prom Night Quick Review
Tries to capitalize on Jamie Lee Curtis' scream queen status, but, despite some extra-gruesome deaths, there isn't much else to write home about. Extra Bonus: see Leslie Nielsen in a rare non-comedic role!

1/5 [1.5]--Funny how its rated PG-13......
  by Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
...And also explains why I didn't enjoy it much as I should. Just to let everyone know I seen this for free but regret spending my time on it anyway. And also just for the record my husband pick it out not me. After watching this I felt like I was watching a 91210 episode more then anything else. The direction by Nelson McCormick isn't good. He actually repeats a so-called shock moment twice in the movie, once near the start, the other near the end. Except neither are scary. He seems to be more interested in the scenes at the Prom, as opposed to the so-called horror/thriller parts of the story.

The kill scenes are bloodless. Using a knife, you would expect to see more blood spilled, but even when you see victims after, the so-called stab wounds look like simple stains on the clothing! As for the set-up of the kills, none are that shocking, surprising or scary. Tense chase scenes are ruined by dim-witted random pigeons appearing out of nowhere! As you can imagine I really disliked the pigeon sequence. The film being unintentionally funny just stomps the final nail in the coffin really, the porter death scene is something that I want to see again just for a laugh really. The poor dialogue is just embarrassing, the script is once again embarrassing, and the ending ridiculously predictable you might as well have not bothered to even see the movie from the get go. The movie does admittedly improve as it goes on in a way, the first forty minutes being almost unbearable. Once the killing starts you no longer want to slit your wrists, but you still have to cope with an incredible amount of lack of common sense.

The performances of the mostly unknown cast (to me at least) aren't that good, but Brittany Snow as Donna is awful. Admittedly her part as written does her no favors, but she's not good. In fact the only actress or actor of the group that was any good was Jessica Stroup. She was convincing in "The Hills Have Eyes 2" as a marine, and would have been a better choice for the lead role, in my opinion.

Overall Prom Night is a boring and lazy attempt at a horror movie. So try to save your money, go rent the original for a better slasher film that's associated to this.



1/5 Kiddies Can Watch This Walt Disney Flick
  by Jery Tillotson (new york city)
After I watched this megabomb, I seriously researched to see if Walt Disney had made it. It's so clean and predictable and devoid of any blood, suspense or terror, that even kiddies can view it.

I've always loved the original PROM NIGHT with Jamie Lee Curtis. Although the original had gore and knockout murders, it was still fun and suspenseful.

Switch to 2007 and you've got the latest wretched remake of a classic. You would think that surely today's modern horror film makers could create something juicy and original--like "Jeepers Creepers. But no. When they're not remaking every hideous Asian horror flick like "Mirrors" "The eye", "The Grudge," they're desecrating such classics as "Prom night," "Halloween," "The Fog."

In this anemic mess, we're supposed to believe that the survivor of a mass murder is STILL living in her house and on the anniversary of the slaughter, she goes to the prom. In atrocities like this one, she and her fellow empty-headed buddies do everything stupid you can imagine.

When the prom is suddenly shut down because the police are now aware that the killer has returned, what does the heroine do? She goes back upstairs to retrieve something--while her fellow party-goers are all racing down the steps.

This is a Pure Vanilla movie. It's pretty and bland and boring and the only good thing about is the terrific box cover/poster that shows a screaming victim. When a poster is the best thing you can say about a movie, then it's time the movie-makers of this botched classic should think of making something different--like another Rambo or Rocky flick.

3/5 Well......
  by Lex (Virginia)
Even though my proms sucked they weren't as bad as this one. The actual prom scenes were really good. I mean who wouldn't have wanted a prom that looks like that? If mine had then I would have hated them less.

But when it comes down to gore, blood and a slasher flick this is worse than my proms. There's relatively little blood, which is different, and I believe done on purpose. You know who the killer is from nearly jump street. Doesn't leave much to the imagination. He kills with a purpose, but I think he killed one too many people.

I was a bit put of by the fact that the interaction between him and Donna was surprisingly little. The killer is a psycho and I was left wondering what he saw in her that made him go crazy like that.

Overall it's an ok film. Maybe one I should have waited until it was on the .99 shelf at my local store, but what's done is done.

1/5 DONT MESS WITH THE ORIGINAL!!
  by denzels woman (chi town)
THEY ALWAYS screw up with these lame re-makes, like pyscho, leave well enough alone. loved the original prom night..this version was crap

1/5 Fun with closets
  by Lord Schitsdain (Arizona, USA)
I saw the "Unrated" version of this film, and find it unbelievable that there could actually be a more watered down version than this. I have seen more blood when I cut myself shaving. I usually find blood in horror films to be gratuitous and overdone, but it's unrealistically understated in this film, which I'm sure will disappoint real horror fans. If you saw the PG13 version, the unrated is no better. This movie is really just a movie about a prom and overblown relationships between over-indulged teens that happens to have an obsessed slasher in it, rather than a slasher/thriller. We are shown the killer at the very start of the film as he falls for the "hiding under the bed trick" for the first time. It's one of the girl's teachers that looks like a cross between Jesus and Charles Manson. Three years of therapy pass, and the girl is getting ready for prom when the killer escapes from the mental institution and is wearing a clever disguise that makes him look like a cross between Billy Bob Thornton and Harry Connick Jr. He actually just got a shave and haircut, but nobody recognizes him. Must've been the ball cap. Truly a master of disguise. The police decide to stake out the prom, and what a prom it is. Red carpet and ropes, grand ballroom, it makes the Oscars look like league night at the bowling alley. The rest of the film is kids crying about going off to college as Billy Bob stabs everyone in sight. He does have the fastest, most deliberate stabbing motion that I've ever seen, and the killings take about 3 seconds as the victims go as limp as a gazelle in a lions jaws. No defensive wounds here. There will be none of that long, drawn out murder like the shower scene by that Hitchcock guy, cuz Billy Bob's motto is "Git'er done", besides, they are about to announce the King and Queen.

This movie is basically one big collection of every overused cliche ever devised, minus the screeching black cat. Open a door, someone's there, close a door, someone's there, yank back the shower curtain, hide under the bed, cue pigeons, hide uner the bed again, yank back another shower curtain, fiddle in closet, take your meds, walk backwards, check closet again, run into lamp, yank back shower curtain, so that's what happened to the maid's body. I guess it never hurts to look. While this movie isn't really appallingly bad, it's still pretty bad. I did make it to the end, which is more than I can say for "Black Christmas", but I think alot of that has to do with how much fun I was having playing Nostradamus for my kid as I predicted every move onscreen, and at one point even got the dialog word for word. Extra bonus points for the dialog. It might make a good drinking game. It was THAT predictable, and since predictability is the opposite of suspense, this movie is a huge FAIL. There's no blood, guts, nudity, suspense, terror, good music, sympathetic characters, comedy, drama, nothing except pretty people at a dance.

Move along folks, there's nothing to see here. Now I'm off to walk backwards into my bathroom to pull back the shower curtain, then check my closet again. Housekeeping? Where's that darn maid?