Those who are interested enough in this modest little gem to read a review of it are undoubtedly only aware of The Prowler because it features the work of splatter effects maestro Tom Savini. For some, that fact alone will be enough to convince them to watch this film. However, even the skeptical will find this an enjoyable, if not entirely original, offering.
While Savini's effects here aren't the best on his resume, they certainly elevate this rather rote slasher and make it stand out amidst the hundreds of Friday The 13th clones that dominated the horror genre in the early 80's. The production forces Savini's set-pieces to adhere rather rigidly to the slash-and-stab formula, but there are at least a couple of kills in this film that outshine anything else from that period that was attempted by anyone whose initials aren't T.S. An extended shower murder sequence is arguably the best of the bunch, and thanks to some leniency from the MPAA, this scene remains intact enough to fully demonstrate the master's abilities. Another nice touch appears during a knife through the skull scene (later re-imagined with more banana juice and less red sauce in Savini's next pairing with director Joseph Zito, Friday The 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter), when the killer pulls the blade out and we see the victim's eyes roll back in their head, adding an additional layer of realism to an otherwise standard money shot.
Elsewhere in the production, it is abundantly clear that intelligent minds had their hands in The Prowler's creation. The 1945-set prologue looks far more lavish and historically accurate than we have any right to expect a low budget slasher flick to offer us, so it's obvious the film-makers had a bit of money to work with. There are also a few instances of deft humor peppered into the proceedings, my favorite being a montage that inter-splices footage of future victims prepping and preening for the graduation dance with images of our killer preparing himself for the gala by donning his disguise and equipping himself with cutlery for the killings to come. Hell, even the band that performs at the dance is pretty rockin', and fans of Boston and Nazareth may find themselves sitting through the credits to find out who's responsible for the tunes (to save you the trouble, I looked it up for you; the band is called Nowhere Fast).
There are some slippery plot devices, such as an extended sequence where our leading lady accompanies her police officer beau as the pair spend about 10 minutes of the film essentially breaking into an ancillary character's house and rooting through his belongings, which adds some semi-important information to the story but doesn't make a whole lot of rational sense. (Quick trivia bonus, this ancillary character is played by Lawrence Tierney, which kind of makes The Prowler awesome by itself). There's also a chase scene in a sorority dorm, in which our heroine finds every single exit door locked, even though each of these doors is indicated with a large neon "Exit" sign (I'm pretty sure those are never locked in a way that would prohibit anyone from leaving the building... it's sort of illegal). If I was really getting picky, I'd also tell you to keep your eye out for the easily identifiable wedding ring our female lead wears throughout the film, even though her character is supposed to be courting the town deputy who serves as our lead male protagonist. But I won't.
There aren't too many genuine frights to be found here, and most of the "gotcha" moments are of the "just kidding, it's your boyfriend grabbing you on the shoulder, not the killer" variety. Plus the final jump-scare is one of the more ridiculous I've ever seen. But what The Prowler lacks in pure horror, it more than makes up for simply by being an enjoyable yarn. The back story that sparks the murders is more basic and well-thought-out than most you'll find in the sub-genre (though it was essentially re-used in the original My Bloody Valentine), and the production as a whole has a competence and coherence we don't always get when revisiting the golden era of slasher movies.
Despite the film's strongest points, most viewers will conclude that the flaws inevitably bring us back to the revelation that Tom Savini's presence is the primary impetus for horror fans to see this film. Fair enough... But isn't that as good a reason as any?
While Savini's effects here aren't the best on his resume, they certainly elevate this rather rote slasher and make it stand out amidst the hundreds of Friday The 13th clones that dominated the horror genre in the early 80's. The production forces Savini's set-pieces to adhere rather rigidly to the slash-and-stab formula, but there are at least a couple of kills in this film that outshine anything else from that period that was attempted by anyone whose initials aren't T.S. An extended shower murder sequence is arguably the best of the bunch, and thanks to some leniency from the MPAA, this scene remains intact enough to fully demonstrate the master's abilities. Another nice touch appears during a knife through the skull scene (later re-imagined with more banana juice and less red sauce in Savini's next pairing with director Joseph Zito, Friday The 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter), when the killer pulls the blade out and we see the victim's eyes roll back in their head, adding an additional layer of realism to an otherwise standard money shot.
Elsewhere in the production, it is abundantly clear that intelligent minds had their hands in The Prowler's creation. The 1945-set prologue looks far more lavish and historically accurate than we have any right to expect a low budget slasher flick to offer us, so it's obvious the film-makers had a bit of money to work with. There are also a few instances of deft humor peppered into the proceedings, my favorite being a montage that inter-splices footage of future victims prepping and preening for the graduation dance with images of our killer preparing himself for the gala by donning his disguise and equipping himself with cutlery for the killings to come. Hell, even the band that performs at the dance is pretty rockin', and fans of Boston and Nazareth may find themselves sitting through the credits to find out who's responsible for the tunes (to save you the trouble, I looked it up for you; the band is called Nowhere Fast).
There are some slippery plot devices, such as an extended sequence where our leading lady accompanies her police officer beau as the pair spend about 10 minutes of the film essentially breaking into an ancillary character's house and rooting through his belongings, which adds some semi-important information to the story but doesn't make a whole lot of rational sense. (Quick trivia bonus, this ancillary character is played by Lawrence Tierney, which kind of makes The Prowler awesome by itself). There's also a chase scene in a sorority dorm, in which our heroine finds every single exit door locked, even though each of these doors is indicated with a large neon "Exit" sign (I'm pretty sure those are never locked in a way that would prohibit anyone from leaving the building... it's sort of illegal). If I was really getting picky, I'd also tell you to keep your eye out for the easily identifiable wedding ring our female lead wears throughout the film, even though her character is supposed to be courting the town deputy who serves as our lead male protagonist. But I won't.
There aren't too many genuine frights to be found here, and most of the "gotcha" moments are of the "just kidding, it's your boyfriend grabbing you on the shoulder, not the killer" variety. Plus the final jump-scare is one of the more ridiculous I've ever seen. But what The Prowler lacks in pure horror, it more than makes up for simply by being an enjoyable yarn. The back story that sparks the murders is more basic and well-thought-out than most you'll find in the sub-genre (though it was essentially re-used in the original My Bloody Valentine), and the production as a whole has a competence and coherence we don't always get when revisiting the golden era of slasher movies.
Despite the film's strongest points, most viewers will conclude that the flaws inevitably bring us back to the revelation that Tom Savini's presence is the primary impetus for horror fans to see this film. Fair enough... But isn't that as good a reason as any?