Popular reviews

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  Review by Sean Baker 4

  It took me almost 40 years to watch this film even though I've been intrigued all these years because of the images I saw in Fangoria growing up. Holds up much better than most of the slashers from this era. But damn... it's also one of the most violent. The dude's white eyeballs as he's getting the knife through the top off his head.... harsh stuff.

  Watched the Blue Underground Blu-ray

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  Review by Ian West ★★★★½ 13

  Classic era slasher jam that utilizes a unique WWII intro and the doomed ‘dear John’ letter to ignite the mayhem... setting in motion a scorned, grief struck murderous lover who hides in plain sight for 35 years until it’s time to kill again.

  Ditching the midwestern setting for a gloomy Jersey shore vibe via Cape May, what very well may be a run of the mill slasher to some is far from that in my eyes... utilizing some of the most brutal kills in any slasher film, Zito’s stylish direction, and Savini’s realistic mastery of gore to elevate this into cult classic status.

  This movie has a mood and I love it, the second act may very well be bogged down…

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  Review by c h r i s ★★★★ 1

  I’m here for our date, Rose. 🥀 

  My Bloody Valentine will always reign as the superior Valentine’s Day slasher of choice, but I have a soft spot for Joseph Zito’s love scorned slasher The Prowler—I always preferred the more personal alternate title Rosemary’s Killer! A cozy 80s slasher that throws you right into the pits of one mans despair, a Dear John letter arrives from his beloved Rosemary, resulting in her and her new lovers murder and a rose left with their bodies—alittle too on the nose! you can say The Prowler falls under the more basic rule of thumb when it comes to the horror genre, a very thin plot does this no favors but what really sets it apart…

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  Review by Ian West ★★★★½ 3

  Popping in The Prowler after watching My Bloody Valentine has become somewhat of a tradition in my house. This gets shit on a lot but I dunno... I think it’s pretty rad and filled with some of the best murder setpieces the genre has ever seen. Can’t say I get bored watching this either, that pacing in the second act only adds to that mood this movie has and I love it.

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  Review by VIVE_le_FILTH ★★★½

  "I want you to be my date Rose!"

  The Past: Rose writes a letter to her boyfriend, dumping his sorry ass. Rose then goes to the dance with new boyfriend Roy, who wants to take Rose up the Lovers Lane (a total euphemism!) while there they both get slaughtered by a Prowler in a combat uniform, who forks them good and proper, then leaves a red rose (it's his calling card!)

  The Present: (if the present is 1980?) a group of teens are attending the dance and guess what? ... History starts to repeat itself and they start getting offed by (yep you've guessed it! a Prowler in a combat uniform!

  
  "Why don't all you chowheads grab your girls and…

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  Review by One Godfella 侍 ★★★½ 3

  I can't believe anybody would celebrate a holiday where a jolly prowler breaks into your house and leaves gifts.

  Tom Savini considers this to be his best work of special makeup and effects. I can agree.

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  Review by SilentDawn ★★½ 2

  44

  Bless Tom Savini, who brings the pain and aggression to the vicious kill sequences even when the film can't keep up. The Prowler fails by overcompensating on the build-up. First, it's atmospheric, then it's dull, then it teeters on the experimental due to its nonchalant exploration of space, and then it's just boring - in that order. What remains are a few exceptional explosions of early 80s primo-slasher violence in a snore-fest of cardboard characters, but not nearly enough to compensate.

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  Review by Kevflix And Chill ★★½ 8

  #SlasherSaturday
  WWII vet and scorned lover gets revenge on his girlfriend and her new boyfriend…..also will not tolerate graduation dances.  
  I had a good time watching this Saturday night, but it is definitely in large part because of Tom Savini’s effects. Full disclosure though, I was very inebriated during my watch and when trying to write my review hungover Sunday morning, I was very foggy on the plot. And had a lot of unanswered questions. Why does he hate graduation dances?  Why a pitchfork? Why do people have no respect for the deputy sheriff? Why did he dig up Rosemary’s grave to put Lisa in there? What was with the final scene where dead guy Carl grabs Pam? So I rewatched…

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  Review by Lou (rhymes with wow!) ★★★½ 5

  Sure, The Prowler is a pretty decent slasher flick, but I think we can all agree that the dead beaver on Christopher Goutman's head is by no means Tom Savini's best work. What is that, Michelle? That's the guy's actual haircut and not some make-up effect?

  My god..

  [Michelle's write-up]

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  Review by Slig001 ★★★½ 1

  A slasher flick from the golden age of the subgenre. The Prowler opens in 1945. The war has ended but its not good news for everyone. One soldier has arrived back to a "Dear John" letter and subsequently takes it upon himself to kill his ex and her new lover. We then cut to 35 years year later. It's time for the Spring Dance, and a maniac in army fatigues is killing off the college kids. The narrative benefits from a bit more set uo than average, but after that it's pretty much business as usual. The major standout here is the kill scenes and the special effects courtesy of Tom Savini. It's not a particularly high body count but…

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  Review by Josh Lewis ★★★ 1

  Brutal little slasher with soldiers and cops killing off America's youth that feels, unfortunately, feels a bit padded out in the narrative department with pretty typical, seemingly endless "suspense" scenes. That being said tho Savini snapped. Every stab and slit is so slow and nasty and traumatizing to watch it makes up for the duller parts and actually makes the ending work despite not caring much for any of these characters. Also features what has to be one of the best head explosions in movie history.

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  Review by 📀 Cammmalot 📀 ★★½ 5

  Cinematic Time Capsule
  1981 Marathon - Film #67

  ”I want to tell everyone to stay put.”
  “Right. I’ll make an announcement right away.”

  Hello… I have a very important announcement to make… Uh, is this thing still on? Hello? Testing… Hello? Uh, attention… Could I have your attention, please, ladies and gentlemen? Uh, Deputy London has just informed me that 'The Prowler' has been seen and uh, it turns out to be a mediocre slasher film that’s duct-taped together with some killer Tom Savini kills.…

  Now, uh we’d like to ask for all of your help in attempting to spot him, which won’t be very easy, however if you could please keep your eyes peeled for a man dressed head-to-toe…