"If you're not back by midnight... you won't be coming home!"
Released by: Synapse Films
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Production Year: 1980
Region Code: A
Running Time: 1:32:44
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 / English DTS-HD 2.0 Mono
Video: 1080p (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH
THE FILM:
Four Hamilton High seniors are hiding a terrible secret. What happened to Robin Hammond six years ago was a game that turned into a horrible tragedy, and someone saw what they did… someone waiting for gruesome revenge! Wearing a black hood and wielding an axe, a killer brutally slaughters the teenagers one by one at their high school prom. As the spotlight falls on the newly crowned prom king and queen, the psychopath will show everyone his new favorite game to play…
"Prom Night" is another slasher from the 80's when they were being made to capitalize on any holiday and special occasion possible. The film has its fair share of red herrings to keep you guessing at the identity of the killer. It also features a scene with some disco dancing by Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielsen. It's the kind of thing that takes you back to when you were a kid, watching a parent dance. But then there's also a killer on the loose to make sure they don't have too much fun. So dance at your risk.
AUDIO:
There are two English audio options on this Blu-ray, a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track and a newly created DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Both tracks sound great but the 5.1 track does have a little more to offer, most noticeably during the disco music scenes. Hey, maybe they will inspire you to get up and 'shake your groove thing.' There is a nice sense of balance with the score, sound effects and dialogue.
VIDEO:
"Prom Night' dances its way on to Blu-ray thanks to Synapse Films via a new HD master created from the films original negative. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio. Bravo Synapse Films. Bravo. This film has never looked particularly good on its home video releases and those familiar with the film can testify to that. Fans that followed along on the journey that Synapse Films took to get the film looking like this will remember how long we waited and how surprised we were when we saw the comparison frames well before this Blu-ray was released. Well, the time they spent to restore the film was well worth the wait. It does still have a softness to it and its more noticeable in some scenes than others, but that is the way the film was shot and there is no way to totally fix that. The film looks amazing compared to any previous release. It is like night and day. Colors look alive and vibrant with a nice rich saturation. Skin tones have a natural appearance. Black levels look great throughout the film. There is a nice thin layer of grain present which really helps add to the ambiance when the characters are dancing to the disco music. It's almost like you could step right back in time. There is a very nice amount of fine detail present as well. I can't imagine this film looking any better than it does now. It certainly has never looked anywhere near as good as it does with this Blu-ray.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Audio Commentary - Director Paul Lynch and Screenwriter William Gray are joined by Moderator Pat Jankiewicz as they discuss the film. The conversation rarely pauses for long as the trio cover many topics relating to the film. They do a great job at entertaining listeners. Fans will definitely want to listen to this commentary. Some things covered here will be heard again in the making-of featurette.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:49)
Original TV Spots (3:17)
Original Radio Spots (1:06)
Motion Still Gallery (6:20)
Additional Footage Added for Television Broadcast (11:11) - Michael Maclaverty the Editor for the TV version of "Prom Night" talks about needing extra footage for the movie to play on television. We then get to watch the extra footage.
Never-Before-Seen Outtakes from the Original "Prom Night" Shoot (23:15) - Music accompanies the outtake footage. Another nice bonus feature fans may want to watch since it's not too often we get to see behind the scenes footage or outtakes from older horror films.
IN CONCLUSION:
What more can be said. This is an incredible release. If you are a fan of the film and do not already own this Blu-ray, go buy it now. If you are new to the film and are a slasher fan, you should watch the movie. Now, the film is not as heavy on action or rather, kills, as you might expect from a slasher of this era, but it is still a decent film and now it has a Blu-ray release that could only be topped if Jamie Lee Curtis participated in some extras.
OVERALL: 4.5/5