The Prowler

The Prowler(1980) was one of the first of the new wave of Slasher films that were unleashed in the early 80s after John Carpenter's Halloween(1978) opened the floodgates.

It's a mediocre affair,that features several well executed memorable death scenes(courtesy of make up legend,Tom Savini),but is hollow at the center.

The main idea is kind of fun:A World War 2 hero returns home and goes beserk after his woman leaves him.

Unfortunately the film fails to build characters or any suspense,so it quickily turns to tedium.

Characters are introduced here and there with almost no build up or explanation,and several scenes just drag on with NOTHING happen.

Lawrence Tierney is billed prominently,but has only a minute(!) of screen time,and does nothing in the picture but simply.....vanish!

The death scenes are famous,particularly the classic "pitchfork in the shower" sequence,which has to be one of the most uncomfortable death scenes ever filmed.
There's also some nasty business with a sawn off shotgun.

Gore hounds will certainly enjoy parts of this film,for good reason.
Others will find it boring and irritaing(the unmasking of the "prowler" is surprising but because of no build up just dosen't come off).
And question....what sort of ending was THAT?

Mediocre horror film for slasher fans and completists.

On the case it says this movie has "one of the biggest body counts on the 80s".not true.only like six people die but their deaths are greusome thanks to sfx by tom savini.the story is acually good and easy to follow and i can see why this called a gem of a slasher movie.once you start watching it has you right until the ending,which in itself is very graphic.i bought this dvd and it will get seen a few times and any slasher or horror fan should add this to their collection,its more then worth it.

The opening of The Prowler takes place on Avalon Bay, 1945. A girl named Rosemary and her boyfriend end up murdered on the night of their graduation dance. Fast forward 30 years later, 1980- the killer has never been found. Now there's another dance taking place and the killer is back to kill the teens with a long knife and a pitchfork. The killer also has a connection with the war from the 40's.

This movie was incredibly boring and the killing with the pitchfork didn't do it for me. The long knife was cool but this movie just dragged on and on. The characters were very uninteresting and the killings weren't that great.

This was your typical average run of the mill horror movie with the same old plot and lackluster characters.

Special Features: Audio Commentary with Producer. Director Joseph Zito
Special make up effects Tom Savini
Tom Savinis behind the scene gore footage
Theatrical Trailer
Poster and still gallery

A killer wearing a world war II army uniform stalks a New Jersey town seeking revenge for a 35 year old murder that took place at Avalon Bay , on June 28th, 1945 during the night of the graduation ball . A couple , Roy ( Timothy Wahren) and his girlfriend Francis Rosemary Chatman( Joy Glaccum) are murdered on that night by what appears to be a garden rake from a jilted soldier returning home from the war. Since that night, Major chatman( Lawrence Fierney ) has closed down the dance hall for 35 years until on June 28th 1980, a new graduation dance is organized by student Pam Macdonald( Vicky Dawson) . The town sheriff George Fraser(Farley Granger ) has announced to his deputy Mark London( Christopher Goutman) He's going on his summer fishing trip and leaves him in charge and warns about a dangerous convict on the loose and to keep a watchful eye out. I feel being a big fan of the older horror genre that this was without a doubt one of the best 80,s slashers ever that include a bayonet through the head, a female being gouged to death with a pitchfork in the shower , and even a shotgun being used which you normally never see used in slasher films. The death scenes do come across as being very graphic and bloody and are the work of the master of gore Tom Savini . I agree with some of the viewers that the musical score itself was flat and if somewhat more menacing like in other 80,s horror such as " THE BURNING" , THE BOOGEYMAN, HALLOWEEN , it could have added a little more to the scare factor which I though was excellent, and I have to recommend this to all true horror fans like myself who feel they just don't make them like this anymore .

the prowler is without a doubt one of the best slashers ever made. i'm very surprised i never heard of this until coming acros the dvd here on amazon. with slashers like friday the 13th and halloween getting so much attention i cant understand why this flick is so unknown. directed by joseph zito who is better known for directing friday the 13th the final chapter(the best of the series in my opinion)and the chuck norris classics missing in action and invasion u.s.a., i have enjoyed his other films but this is my favorite of his. the plot isnt important, a soldier fighting in ww2 recieves a letter from his girlfriend telling him shes moving on. so in a passionate rage he kills her and her new lover. jump ahead to the 1980's where a big graduation party(or something)is being held and murders begin occuring. the plot isnt important and to be honest, the film moves a little slow at times. whats most important are the murders themselves and thanks to some incredible make-up and gore effects by tom savini these kill scenes are fantastic. there arent to many kills but the ones in the film are awesome. theres a double pitchfork impalement, a bayonet through the skull, a very bloody neck slicing, a dagger in the throat and my favorite, a brutal, pitchfork shower stabbing. to top it all off theres a great shotgun, exploding head that is much better than the much celebrated maniac head explosion. all of these murders are slow, brutal and very bloody. wehere as the kills in the friday the 13th films are quik and usually not to graphic due mainly to censorship, the kills in the prowler are very cruel and drawn out. this is some of tom savinis best work. the film isnt flawless. its very slow at times and there could have been more kills, one scene almost guarenteed a double murder as a young couple began making out, but it was nothing more than a false scare. overall the prowler is a great film and one of the best slashers ever made. the dvd by blue underground is uncut and features a very fun commentary with joe zito and savini. this is a must buy for horror fans and gore hounds and especially any fan of tom savini. 4 1/2 stars