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Prom Night (film series)

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Prom Night is a Canadian slasher film franchise that comprises a total of five feature films, the first four of which are centered around events at the fictional Hamilton High School. The first film, Prom Night (1980), was a slasher film directed by Paul Lynch and produced by Peter R. Simpson, focusing on teenagers being stalked and murdered by a masked killer at their prom. The film was a box-office success, grossing nearly $15 million. The following sequel, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987), was envisioned as a standalone film, but producer Simpson and his company, Simcom, refitted it as a sequel to the original Prom Night. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, a supernatural-themed slasher film, introduced the character of Mary Lou Maloney, a vengeful young woman who died on her prom night in 1957; its only connection to the first film was that both films take place in the same high school.[1]

Prom Night
Logo of the original 1980 film
Created byRobert Guza Jr. (story)
Original workProm Night (1980)
Owners

In 1990, a second sequel featuring Mary Lou Maloney, Prom Night III: The Last Kiss, was released. The fourth film, Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (1992), featured an entirely new plot, following a group of teenagers tormented by a possessed Catholic priest on their prom night. In 2008, Screen Gems released a reboot mainly based on the original film, also titled Prom Night.

Films

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Film Release date Director Screenplay Producer(s) Distributor
Original films
Prom Night July 18, 1980 (1980-07-18) Paul Lynch William Gray Peter R. Simpson Embassy Pictures
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II October 16, 1987 (1987-10-16) Bruce Pittman Ron Oliver The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Prom Night III: The Last Kiss March 13, 1990 (1990-03-13) Ron Oliver Ilana Frank, Roy Sager Norstar Releasing
Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil May 13, 1992 (1992-05-13) Clay Borris Richard Beattie Roy Sager
Reboot film
Prom Night April 11, 2008 (2008-04-11) Nelson McCormick J. S. Cardone Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe Screen Gems

Prom Night (1980)

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In the original Prom Night, a group of children–Wendy, Jude, Kelly, and Nick—inadvertently kill a young girl named Robin during a game. They make a vow of silence, and a sex offender is ultimately blamed for her death. Six years later, Robin's elder sister, Kim (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her fraternal twin brother, Alex, are planning to attend her senior prom at Hamilton High School. The prom falls on the sixth anniversary of Robin's death. Kim's father, the school principal (Leslie Nielsen) grows frightened when the sex offender escapes from a psychiatric facility the day before the school prom. Wendy, Jude, Kelly, and Nick receive obscene phone calls the day of the prom, and Jude, Kelly, and Wendy are dispatched in various violent manners during the dance by a killer dressed in a ski mask. Meanwhile, Kim and Nick are crowned prom queen and king. While waiting backstage before the reveal, Lou, a bully, takes Nick's crown from him. The killer, mistaking Lou for Nick, decapitates him, and his head rolls across the stage. A panic ensues among the promgoers, and Nick and Kim battle with the killer on the dance floor. Kim hits him in the side of the head with the blunt edge of the axe, and the killer stumbles outside. Kim follows him, unmasking him as he collapses outside, only to see that it is her brother, Alex—Alex had witnessed Robin's death, and sought vengeance against those responsible. Alex dies in her arms.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)

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In the film's sequel, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, a teenage girl, Vicki Carpenter (Wendy Lyon), is preparing to attend the 1987 senior prom at Hamilton High. While searching for a dress in the school's costume room, she discovers a trunk full of mementos and clothing that belonged to Mary Lou Maloney, a teenage student who was burned to death during a prank while being crowned prom queen in 1957. Vicki decides to wear the dress, inadvertently unleashing Mary Lou's vengeful spirit. Mary Lou possesses Vicki, and manipulates those around her, killing several of Vicki's friends along the way. She seduces Vicki's father before killing her mother. At the prom, Vicki attends with her boyfriend, Craig (Louis Ferreira), whose father, Bill (Michael Ironside)—the school principal—was Mary Lou's boyfriend who was responsible for the prank that killed her. As Vicki is crowned prom queen, Bill shoots her, after which her body morphs into the burned corpse of Mary Lou. Mary Lou wreaks havoc, but is placated when Bill places the crown on her head; she kisses him, and disappears. Vicki and Craig leave the prom with Bill, only to realize in his car that he is now possessed by Mary Lou.

Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990)

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Mary Lou returns in Prom Night III: The Last Kiss, seducing Alex (Tim Conlon), a handsome high school senior who, though an average student, aspires to go to medical school. She initially benefits him greatly, manipulating his grades at school and helping him become a football star. However, his relationship with the ghostly Mary Lou begins to take its toll on his relationship with real-life girlfriend, Sarah (Cynthia Preston). Meanwhile, Mary Lou indiscriminately kills anyone who comes in her way, eventually killing Alex's friend Shane. Alex is blamed for Shane's gruesome murder. Alex promises to go to Hell with Mary Lou if she promises to stop her reign of terror; she agrees, and he descends to hell with her, followed by Sarah. Sarah fights Mary Lou, and she and Alex appear to escape from hell, but Mary Lou reemerges and kills Sarah, leaving Alex in a time warp in the 1950s, where nobody can see or hear him.

Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (1992)

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Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil diverges from the Mary Lou Maloney storyline, instead focusing on a group of teenagers who plan to forgo their prom and party at an abandoned seminary. Among them are Meagan (Nicole de Boer) and Mark (J. H. Wyman). Their party is crashed by Father Jonas, a Roman Catholic priest who murdered two students at the 1957 Hamilton High prom before being sequestered away by the church, apparently possessed by a demonic spirit. After Father Jonas kills most of Meagan's friends, she and Mark attempt to fight him, but Jonas stabs Mark to death with a crucifix. Meagan ultimately beats Jonas before leaving him to burn to death in a shed, though he awakens while being transported to the morgue.

Prom Night (2008)

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In the 2008 reboot of Prom Night, high school student Donna Keppel (Brittany Snow) is traumatized after Richard Fenton (Jonathan Schaech) becomes obsessed with her and murders her family. At her high school prom, held in a grand hotel, Fenton arrives and stalks her, disguised as a stranger, having escaped from incarceration. He murders several of Donna's friends before cornering her in the upstairs of the hotel. A chase ensues, but she is ultimately saved by Detective Winn (Idris Elba), who shoots Fenton to death.

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The Club (1994 film)

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The 1994 film The Club had initially been planned by producer Peter Simpson to be released as the fifth entry in the Prom Night film series but decided against it after believing the Prom Night name was waning in drawing power.[2]

Reception

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Box office

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Key
† Denotes a direct-to-video release
Title Release date Budget (CAD) Box office (USD) Ref.
United States Canada United States International Worldwide
Prom Night (1980) July 18, 1980 September 12, 1980 $1.5 million $14.7 million $14.7 million [3]
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II October 16, 1987 October 9, 1987[4] $2.5 million $2.7 million $2.7 million [5]
Prom Night III: The Last Kiss June 28, 1990 † April 13, 1990[6] $1.5 million [7]
Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil May 13, 1992 †[8] [9]
Prom Night (2008) April 11, 2008 $20 million $43.9 million $13.3 million $57.2 million [10]

Cast and characters

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List indicator(s)
  • This table shows the principal characters and the actors who have portrayed them throughout the franchise.
  • A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's presence in the film has not yet been announced.
  • A C indicates a cameo appearance.
  • A P indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs only.
  • A A indicates an appearance in archival footage only.
  • A V indicates a voice-only role.
  • A Y indicates a younger version of the role.
Character Original films Reboot film
Prom Night Hello Mary Lou
Prom Night II 		Prom Night III
The Last Kiss 		Prom Night IV
Deliver Us from Evil 		Prom Night
1980 1987 1990 1992 2008
Main cast
Mary Lou Maloney Mentioned Lisa Schrage
Lorretta Bailey (creature) 		Courtney Taylor Mentioned
Mr. Hammond Leslie Nielsen  
Kimberly "Kim" Hammond Jamie Lee Curtis
Debbie GreenfieldY 		 
Alex Hammond Michael Tough
Dean BosackiY 		 
Nick McBride Casey Stevens
Brock SimpsonY 		 
Wendy Richards Eddie Benton
Leslie ScottY 		 
Kelly Lynch Mary Beth Rubens
Joyce KiteY 		 
Jude Cunningham Joy Thompson
Karen ForbesY 		 
Lou Farmer David Mucci  
Drew Shinnick Jeff Wincott  
Dr. Fairchild David Gardner  
Mrs. Hammond Antoinette Bower  
Vicki Carpenter Pita Oliver Wendy Lyon  
Principal Bill "Billy" Nordham   Michael Ironside
Steve AtkinsonY 		 
Craig Nordham   Justin Louis  
Father Buddy Cooper   Richard Monette
Robert LewisY 		 
Kelly Hennelotter   Terri Hawkes  
Walt Carpenter   Wendell Smith  
Virginia Carpenter   Judy Mahbey  
Monica Waters   Beverley Hendry  
Robert Jones   Glen Gretzky  
Alexander "Alex" Grey   Tim Conlon  
Sarah Monroe   Cynthia Preston  
Shane Taylor   David Stratton  
Andrew Douglas   Dylan Neal  
Leonard Welsh   Jeremy Ratchford  
Principal Weatherall   Roger Dunn  
Mr. Walker   George Chuvalo  
Ms. Richards   Lesley Kelly  
Jack Roswell   Terry Doyle  
Meagan   Nicole de Boer  
Mark   J.H. Wyman  
Laura   Joy Tanner  
Jeff   Alle Ghadban  
Jaeger   Kenneth McGregor  
Lisa   Krista Bulmer  
Jonas   James Carver  
Father Colin   Brock Simpson  
Donna Keppel   Brittany Snow
Detective Winn   Idris Elba
Richard Fenton   Johnathon Schaech
Lisa Hines   Dana Davis
Bobby Jones   Scott Porter
Detective Nash   James Ransone
Claire Davis   Jessica Stroup
Ronnie Heflin   Collins Pennie
Michael Allen   Kelly Blatz
Karen Turner   Jessalyn Gilsig
Jack Turner   Linden Ashby

Merchandise

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The official soundtrack for Prom Night, released in Japan in 1980, was composed by Paul Zaza and Carl Zittrer, with additional writing by Bill Crutchfield and James Powell.[11] Prom Night was released on VHS in 1981 by MCA Universal in North America, at the beginnings of home video popularity, licensed directly from then-production company SimCom, who had licensed theatrical distribution to Avco-Embassy.[12] A VHS was issued by New Line Home Entertainment,[13] followed by both VHS and DVD editions from Anchor Bay Entertainment in 1997 and 1998, respectively.[14] A restored edition of the film was released on Blu-ray and DVD by Synapse Films in 2014.[15]

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II had a VHS edition released by Virgin Vision in May 1988.[16] A DVD was released in 2008 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[17] In 2003, Artisan Entertainment released a double-feature DVD of Prom Night III: The Last Kiss and Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil; this edition features a censored cut of The Last Kiss, which removes violence, language and nudity.[18] LIVE Entertainment had previously released VHS editions of both films.[19][20] Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the 2008 Prom Night on DVD and Blu-ray in August 2008.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Newman 2011, p. 384.
  2. ^ Vatnsdal, Caelum (2004). They Came From Within: A History of Canadian Horror Cinema. Arbeiter Ring Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894037-21-1.
  3. ^ "Prom Night (1980)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  4. ^ "Movies". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. October 9, 1987. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Haeseker, Fred (April 15, 1990). "Horror-cheapie sequel strong on humor". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. F2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Koonce, Janis (June 28, 1990). "Forget TV's summer reruns: Watch these comedies on video". Rocky Mount Telegram. Rocky Mount, North Carolina. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Hartl, John (April 29, 1992). "Thrills and chills". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 60 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil". TV Guide. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  10. ^ "Prom Night (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  11. ^ Osborne 2010, p. 471.
  12. ^ Prom Night (VHS). MCA Universal. 1981. 66021.
  13. ^ Prom Night (VHS). New Line Home Entertainment. 1992. N4071.
  14. ^ Prom Night (VHS). Anchor Bay Entertainment. 1997. SV10242.
  15. ^ Barton, Steve (July 3, 2014). "Synapse Unveils Prom Night Blu-ray Specs". Dread Central. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017.
  16. ^ Naureckas, Jim (May 15, 1988). "Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 13, 2019.
  17. ^ Barton, Steve (10 April 2008). "Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (DVD)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017.
  18. ^ Jane, Ian (October 27, 2003). "Prom Night 3/Prom Night 4 Review". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017.
  19. ^ Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (VHS). LIVE Entertainment. 1990. 68912.
  20. ^ Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (VHS). LIVE Entertainment. 1992. 69010.
  21. ^ Tyner, Adam (August 15, 2008). "Prom Night (2008) (Blu-ray)". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017.

Sources

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  • Newman, Kim (2011). Nightmare Movies: Horror on Screen Since the 1960s. London, England: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-408-80503-9.
  • Osborne, Jerry (2010). Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Recordings Price and Reference Guide. Port Townsend, Washington: Osborne Enterprises. ISBN 978-0-932117-37-3.
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