Let’s go to the Prom!
The prom has never preoccupied me. Many people have strong feelings about their’s, which is usually rooted in le teen angst. The only proms I concern myself with are of the horror variety. Yes, a re-imagining of a 1980 horror classic is being released today. It will be wretched, so I’m going to take a look back at the original Prom Night.
First, we have to get beyond this:
Clocking in at well under four minutes, the notorious disco dance sequence featuring scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis has made Prom Night the whipping boy of early ’80s slasher films. (This is compounded by having Leslie Nielsen in the film, and this clip, as JLC’s father.) Yes, it is filled with every cliché, every odious dance move imaginable. However, a dud dance sequence didn’t stop Carrie from garnering some acclaim.
So now that you’ve seen the shamefaced underbelly of Prom Night, are you wondering why you should watch it? Is it going to be as painful as attending (or not attending) your own prom?
The answer is, as far as slasher genre films go, Prom Night is much better than the average fair. The narrative is well-crafted, despite now being seen as straight horror formula. Characters, and the psychology that underpins their actions, are consistent and believable, if not exactly compelling. (And not hyper-Freudian, for a change.) The acting in general is not bad, with occasional bursts of proficiency. My father lauds the ending as Jamie Lee Curtis’ best performance ever. (I don’t recommend watching this video if you’re really interested in watching PN.) Although that isn’t saying much, I think most people will find the climax to be rather surprising and challenging. If you look back on the film and ruminate on the themes of family, justice, and guilt, I think you’ll find Prom Night a worthy addition to your horror arsenal.
P.S. The best Prom Night DVD is only $7 at Amazon. Nice.
:: Bibliography ::
- Simpson, Peter, Paul Lynch, Leslie Nielsen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Stevens, Eddie Benton, Antoinette Bower, et al. 2007. Prom night. [United States]: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.
