Movies
Beyond Mary Lou: Exploring the ‘Prom Night’ Quadrilogy
It’s Back to School time, so it’s high time to reflect on an institution that I’ve possibly spent more time with than my actual high school: Hamilton High, the center of the Prom Night quadrilogy. Prom Night, which lasted from 1980 through 1992, is a bit of a C-tier slasher franchise. It’s certainly not robust at the level of your Friday the 13ths or Nightmare on Elm Streets. And it doesn’t quite fit in with the B-tier franchises (so called because they swooped in slightly before or after the slasher golden era, not because of their quality) like Candyman, Final Destination, or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, considering the fact that many mainstream viewers probably don’t know Prom Night had a sequel in the first place.
Prom Night: An Often Overlooked Franchise
For those in the know (which I’m assuming is you, considering you clicked on a link to a site called Horror Press), the first two Prom Night films are the ones that you’ve probably seen or at least heard discussed the most. This makes sense, as the Canadian franchise abhors continuity and is loosely connected at best (despite the recurring presence of Hamilton High, actor Brock Simpson, and the iconic line “ It’s not who you come with, it’s who takes you home”), which wouldn’t necessarily spark obsessive fandom. However, each of the Prom Night movies has a special spark that makes them worth watching in one way or another, and I’d like to take a moment to dig into the meat of what makes this bizarre, misbegotten franchise truly special beyond its current reputation.
(For the record, this article will not cover the 2008 remake Prom Night, because it’s an in-name-only remake and my mother always taught me that if I don’t have anything nice to say about something, I shouldn’t include it in my slasher retrospective.)
Prom Night (1980)
The one that started it all! Prom Night remains notable in the slasher sphere for being one of the early titles to cement star Jamie Lee Curtis’ status as a scream queen after her auspicious debut in 1978’s Halloween. Following a masked killer stalking students six years after a prank gone wrong resulted in the death of a child, Prom Night also features one of Leslie Nielsen’s final dramatic performances before Airplane! provided him with the career pivot of a lifetime.
Prom Night is a pretty rote early slasher, for the most part. However, that’s of historical interest considering how early in the game it distills most of the most long-running tropes of the genre. On top of that, it’s got some indelible moments that spice it up. This includes the notorious extended sequence of Jamie Lee disco dancing her heart out, on which mileage may vary. But I love it, especially thanks to composer Paul Zaza’s zippy original song “Prom Night.” It’s a real curio of the culture of the late 1970s, which maybe isn’t what it intended to be but is still a fun thing anyway. Prom Night also boasts a killer chase sequence and a severed head rolling onto a catwalk in the middle of prom (though sadly the gore quotient of the rest of the film is not quite up to snuff).
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
Because of Prom Night’s lackluster reception, it makes sense that not only did it take more than half a decade to receive a sequel, but said sequel ignores basically everything about it except for the aforementioned connections that link every movie in this franchise. However, the gulf between films also feels huger as a result of one of the biggest slasher releases of the decade: 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. After the explosive release of that instant classic, the slasher genre made a Black Friday-esque rush on supernatural plots, grabbing every last amulet, spell, and demonic entity it could get its hands on, and the Prom Night franchise was no exception. Adding a healthy dose of Carrie into the Elm Street mix, Hello Mary Lou follows the titular Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage) after she is killed at prom in the 1950s and returns 30 years later to possess and murder various teens as part of her wicked revenge against her killers.
Prom Night II goes full-on rubber reality, presenting some of the most dazzlingly inventive supernatural horror sequences this side of Springwood, Ohio, including a disgusting living rocking horse and a chalkboard that turns into a pool of water with chalk letters floating around on it. With its deep psychosexual bent, full-tilt embrace of 1980s aesthetics, and effortless watchability, this entry is the undeniable high point of the franchise.
Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990)
Prom Night III does feature the return of Mary Lou (now played by Courtney Taylor, newly obsessed with a hunky boy, and willing to murder anyone who gets in his way), but it is something of a comedown if you’re a passionate fan of Prom Night II. However, the recent death of the slasher (1989 is pretty clearly the death knell of the genre’s post-Elm Street silver age before Scream kicked off its Renaissance in 1996) wasn’t enough to prevent this title from adding at least a little bit of spice to the mix.
You see, the turn that Prom Night III took was a sharp swerve onto Goof Boulevard. This film basically plants Mary Lou into a live-action Looney Tunes short, pushing away from rubber reality and toward full-on surrealism, complete with people on the other end of a phone line sounding like helium-addicted squirrels. Also, this entry is where the Canadian franchise really leans into pretending to be set in America (as if naming the high school after Alexander Hamilton wasn’t enough), so the camp quotient is upped by the flotilla of American flags that are shoved haphazardly into what feels like every frame. While the kills aren’t quite on the level of the previous outings, they’re still delightfully wacky and presented more creatively than the average direct-to-video slasher.
Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (1992)
Prom Night IV is probably the hardest to defend of the bunch, but hell, I’m gonna do it anyway. It’s even more unrelated to the ongoing franchise than the previous outings, as it follows a group of teens who are having an anti-prom party at an isolated mountain cabin where they are stalked by a murderous stigmata-bearing priest. It’s by far the most rote slasher of the bunch, even compared to Prom Night, so perhaps its biggest strength is that it is somehow an early 1990s slasher that doesn’t make you want to gouge your own eyes out with an ice cream scoop. Also, I’m sorry to say it, but you really can’t go wrong with a killer priest wielding a super-sharp crucifix.
This is definitely the one where you have to put your “bad-good” goggles on in order to properly appreciate stuff like the killer coming out of a 33-year coma looking like he hasn’t aged a day, or the shriekingly bad decisions made by the final girl at every turn. But there’s plenty of joy to be mined here still, including a meta joke that references Jamie Lee Curtis, pre-empting the meta-horror boom that would come several years later thanks to Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and Scream.
Prom Night, Everything is Alright
So yes, it may be the case that pretty much every one of the Prom Night movies should be taken with a grain of salt. But for a haphazard four-film franchise to have such a deep bench of offbeat and interesting titles is no small feat. This Back to School season, you can still go ahead and embrace your high school/college horror by binging Scream or Elm Street movies, sure. But why not also throw in a Prom Night or two? Or four?
It’s still too cold to seriously consider going outside, so I am still in my couch potato era. Cozy, comfort, and Netflix are the three words people will hear me chanting under my breath this month. I also recently finished a group rewatch of Slasher: Solstice and have been looking at the other TV shows currently living on Netflix. Which is why I am looking for the warmth of my next quick binge. That’s right! I’m here with a few shows that could be taken down in one frosty February weekend. Most of them have been on my radar forever, and one of them I want to revisit because it screams lazy Stephen King Sunday. However, what I find most appealing about each of them is that I am guaranteed to lose at least a whole day if it’s a match made in hell.
Without further ado, here are the five titles I have my evil eye on this month. Check out my five Netflix picks for this February below! Happy binging to all my fellow couch potatoes!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
Archive 81 (2022)
An archivist finds himself reconstructing the work of a filmmaker and her investigation into a dangerous cult. I missed Archive 81, but have only heard good things about it. Which is why it’s weird it was cancelled after only one season, consisting of eight episodes. The popular show was created by Rebecca Sonnenshine and starred talent like Mamoudou Athie and Matt McGorry. So, I’m long overdue for this Netflix watch and am excited to finally see what all of the fuss is about.
Castle Rock (2018 – 2019)
A series set in the town of Castle Rock and inhabited by characters from some of Stephen King’s most infamous works. This is the only show on this streaming guide that I have already seen. However, it’s very cozy, and I want to go back in. While this divisive series wasn’t for everyone, it scratched my King itch better than most of his adaptations. Also, this cast was ridiculously stacked. Where else can you see André Holland, Melanie Lynskey, Bill Skarsgård, Jane Levy, Sissy Spacek, and Lizzy Caplan all play together? I will definitely be revisiting these twenty episodes that make up these two seasons of what the fuckery.
NOS4A2 (2019-2020)
An immortal who feeds on children is threatened by a young woman with a mysterious gift. This show has circled my list forever, and it’s high time I cross it off my list. I also need to know what Zachary Quinto and Ebon Moss-Bachrach were doing during this era of genre TV for research. I’m ready to run through these twenty episodes and report back on my findings. More importantly, I love to see a show with big “fuck them kids” energy. So, fingers crossed, he eats a few kids to keep me leaned in. I need this to be good for so many reasons.
Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)
A mob family in 1900s England sews razor blades in their caps and causes a ruckus. I am so ready to find out how this alleged crime drama collected so many horror fans. Is it just because it stars Cillian Murphy? Or is it very bloody and violent due to the razor blades being a key factor? Whatever the case, I’m excited to see all six seasons on Netflix. I plan to take these thirty-six episodes down like it is my job. I also cannot get over how lucky I have been to avoid all spoilers for the show, and I need to jump on it before someone ruins it for me already.
Reality Z (2020)
When a zombie apocalypse breaks out, a TV studio becomes a shelter for a small band of survivors in Rio de Janeiro. Because of the pandemic, I missed this Brazilian horror show. However, this seems like the kind of international gory zombie situation that I would like to make my new personality. I’m looking forward to seeing if these 10 episodes are one of the few reasons to keep talking to Netflix this year. Fingers crossed it is a scary good time, because we deserve some scares this February.
So, that’s where you can find me this February. Under a weighted blanket, in front of a TV, and eagerly taking advantage of the shows Netflix has collected. Let me know if any of these titles on my list will be your excuse to stay in this winter, too. Although, I am sure many of you will be revisiting your favorite Mike Flanagan Netflix Originals. Meanwhile, I am trying to get into some new (to me) stuff because the winter of our discontent is upon us. I plan to beat the winter of our discontent by being unreasonably comfortable and drowning in genre shows. I advise you to do the same because the weather outside is frightful and we have no place to go.
Shudder is making February a little more frightening with this month of programming. The streamer is adding indie horror that has been stuck in festival purgatory for a couple of years. The app is also getting a few international movies I need to see, a couple of classics, and one of my favorite overlooked Blaxploitation horror gems. So, it should go without saying that I will be very busy this month.
That is why I am sharing my notes with the class now so I can live every day in February like it is Shudder Saturday. Check out my five picks for the month below now and be prepared to see some weird stuff!
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
J.D.’s Revenge (1976)
A murdered 1940s gangster possesses a young law student 30 years later to get revenge on his killer. This overlooked piece of cinema stars Glynn Turman and Louis Gossett Jr. I caught it last year, and will still argue that it is at the intersection of Blaxploitation and Shakespearean theatre. The plot is plotting, the drama is over the top, and the players are diabolical. Come to laugh at the outfits and stay for the betrayal and outstanding performances. I am especially grateful that Shudder is getting J.D.’s Revenge this month, so people can see a cleaner copy without ad breaks. It is truly a Black History Month miracle. Get into it while you still can.
You can watch J.D.’s Revenge on February 1st.
Nina Forever (2015)
A suicidal man starts dating a co-worker. However, whenever they have sex his dead girlfriend appears. That premise has my attention, and I will be hitting play on this immediately. I want to watch this dead woman heckle this man and his new girlfriend almost as much as I want anything else in life at the moment. This British horror comedy has my attention, and I hope it is even half as good as I have built it up to be in my head. This is the kind of chaos I expect from Shudder, and I am glad they are one of the few things that I can depend on these days.
You can watch Nina Forever on February 9th.
Kill Your Lover (2024)
A couple’s relationship becomes so toxic that it leads to an acidic battle to the death. Kill Your Lover is a movie that understands the horrors of a bad romance. This movie is sick, this apartment gets dank, and it will remind you that being single is usually for the best. I’m beyond excited to make people watch this now that it is finally on Shudder. After all, how many indie body horror breakup movies will we get in this lifetime? I highly recommend that you watch it with your friends, who should separate and see if it starts an overdue conversation.
You can watch Kill Your Lover on February 9th.
Hood Witch (2024)
A single mother who smuggles exotic animals and illegal goods develops an app that connects users with spiritual healers. However, when someone uses her app and gets deadly results, her community turns on her. Hood Witch is a lot of anxiety seasoned with some “good for her” moments. They take a witch hunt virtual with the use of apps, cellphones, and internet outrage over misinformation. The thought of your internet ops meeting up to hunt you down is enough to make us break out in a cold sweat. This movie was a fine time when I caught it a couple of years ago. I imagine it has only gotten even more timely as it finally makes its way to Shudder.
You can watch Hood Witch on February 16th.
The Last Sacrifice (2024)
The Last Sacrifice examines the real-life 1945 murder that inspired The Wicker Man (1973) and jump-started folk horror as we know it. The alarming witchcraft killing of Charles Walton shook its small community, and this true-crime documentary is here to remind us that this popular cult movie is based on a true unsolved murder. The doc also looks into society’s rabid fascination with true crime. How often do we sensationalize something grizzly to the point of losing the humanity of the subject? This documentary has eluded me for months, and I am looking forward to catching it while it’s on Shudder this month. What a time to be a subscriber!
You can watch The Last Sacrifice on February 16th.
Shudder really has something for every day of the month, and I am living. They really thought of every good little ghoul, and that’s why they’re kinda the best. So, it is only polite that we smash the play button on these wicked goodies and tell our friends to do the same.
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