[Review] The Prowler (1981)

The year 1981 was a great year for the slasher film. The genre classics The Burning, Friday the 13^th Part 2, My Bloody Valentine, and The Prowler were all released that year. All are similar in plot but each stands out on its own. The focus of this review is on The Prowler.

The plot is not anything new, and if it was not released the same year as some of the movies that I mentioned, I would say it feels almost recycled. A group of young adults are working on the final preparations for a Graduation Dance and a love scorned prowler in an army combat uniform is murdering the locals one by one with a pitchfork.

It is also important to mention that this all takes place 35 years after he got revenge on his ex-girlfriend Rosemary who broke up with him while he was away at war. The graduation dance triggers the vets PTSD and it’s so severe that it causes him to murder unsuspecting college grads that wanted to do nothing more than celebrating the next chapter in their lives.

The pacing is a little slower than what I would prefer for a slasher. Other than the kill scenes there was not much else to hold my attention. The fake blood they used was thicker than the plot. I caught myself zoning out a couple of times and had to refocus, luckily the kill scenes are plentiful. The kills are not necessarily creative but are effective and very bloody.

While a pitchfork might not be the best weapon choice, the prowler does an excellent job using it to its’ full potential. The standout of this movie was definitely the special effects, it was by far some of Tom Savini’s best work. Despite having a familiar plot and some pacing issues, The Prowler is still a great slasher film and definitely is worth a watch.