Last month, I watch the original 1980 Prom Night for the first time, and I'll tell ya what, the scariest thing in that movie is Jamie Lee Curtis's disco dancing. The sequel, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, which has nothing to do with the first film, aside from taking place in the same high school, isn't exactly a better movie, but it is a more entertaining one. Let's count some of the ways:
- It opens in 1957, with a teenage high school student confessing how many times she's sinned in the past week, and how she loved every minute of it.
- Said teenager, Mary Lou, looks to be in at least her mid-twenties, but her prom date, Billy, with his receding hairline, looks like he's about ready to celebrate his tenth year at the insurance company.
- What happens at that prom night becomes the stuff of legend, as we jump ahead to 1987, and speaking of hair, there's a LOT of it.
- Horror movie legend Michael Ironside plays the now adult Billy.
- Our heroine Vicki spends one scene stalking her best friend while totally naked, just because. (She's played by Wendy Lyon, who is still acting, and recently had a bit part in The Shape of Water.)
- The sure sign that there might be something wrong with Vicki is when she comes to school dressed like a 1950's bobby soxer. No sane person would wear such outdated clothing! (😉)
- An amazing practical special effect involving a black board that turns to water.
- And a 1980's prom with more neon than the Vegas strip.
I watched the film on Shudder, and unfortunately the print was terrible. Very clearly just a copy of a VHS taped version of the movie. IMDb's copy isn't any better. There is a version available on DVD, so if you want to watch Prom Night II, I'd encourage seeking that out.
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