By Sharai Bohannon

The Prowler celebrated its 45th anniversary on June 26th. As a slasher girl who only discovered the movie a couple of years ago, I figured it was my duty to raise the alarm. Whether I am introducing you to (or reminding you about) this 1980s gem, I’m honored to gush about this bloody little ditty. On the surface, the film seems simple enough and maybe a little too similar to My Bloody Valentine, which also came out in 1981. My Bloody Valentine came out in February, and The Prowler came out a little over four months later. So, I always wonder if this movie had been released first, would it have won the prize of being the most memorable and gotten a remake with Jensen Ackles? Who can say?

Anyways, this film opens with a woman writing a letter notifying her boyfriend, who is off serving in World War II, that their relationship is over. The next year, she goes to a graduation dance with her new boyfriend, where they are both butchered by an unknown man wearing an army uniform. The Prowler then jumps to 1980 and introduces us to a bunch of kids who will be in danger because of that unsolved, gruesome crime. The pitchfork-wielding chaos king is seemingly triggered by the town holding its first graduation dance since his last kill. It’s wild that this sounds like a cautionary tale for Footloose and actually predates that film, but it was probably not in those filmmakers’ research packets. Probably…

The Prowler’s formalwear, questionable acting, and odd choices give it the nostalgia factor I come to 80s slashers for. It feels like the perfect fodder for USA Up All Night or a similar setup from yesteryear. It takes the simple, tried and true formula and elevates it with fun kills between some Scooby Doo-level detective work. To be completely transparent, this is the kind of slasher that raised me. I’m sad I found out about it from the streets (the internet) so late in life because it’s now a comfort watch. Do we know who the killer is immediately, even with all of the Nancy Drew energy trying to confuse us? Certainly. Is it another “maniac on the loose with a shaky motive” entry? You betcha! However, there is something to be said about a movie that knows what it’s about. It’s using a tried-and-true formula as a bonding agent to showcase the things it excels at.

The Prowler is directed by Joseph Zito with a screenplay by Neal Barbera and Glenn Leopold. However, most horror fiends lean forward when they see Tom Savini’s name in the credits, explaining why the practical effects look so sickening. One of my favorite knife-through-the-head kills is in this movie. I assume it’s the blueprint for a lot of the ones that came after it. It’s the kind of bloody and brutal kill that you cannot look away from. The way the eyes roll up, exposing the whites as the blood trickles from the wound, and you can almost hear the silent scream that never escapes. That’s movie magic that stands out for so many reasons in my Midwest heart. While not all of the gags take your breath away, the ones that do land remind you why Savini was booked and busy for his craftsmanship. 

Joseph Zito’s direction is another thing working in The Prowler’s favor. While we all know what’s coming from almost frame to frame, he doesn’t let that stop him from building some suspense. There are scenes you want to laugh at, but you’ll also notice you’ve tensed up. This, paired with a seeming love of playing in darkness and shadows, helps this movie have big sleepover movie potential. It elevates it from a lot of the slasher fodder of the time because it implies that someone cared. Again, I love this subgenre. However, there are eras when it was oversaturated by people who didn’t respect it. Which is why I had to kiss a lot of frogs to find this bloody prince, and I am now happily one of its strongest defenders. 

Our final girl, Pam (Vicky Dawson), gets put through the paces in the movie. The blonde girl you’re taught to underestimate gets to the bottom of this mystery. She also ultimately saves herself right when you’re about to complain about a convenient rescue from some guy we forgot about. However, one of the things I sincerely respect about The Prowler is that its villain is a World War II vet. I wasn’t born in this era, but I imagine the scary patriotism of today started somewhere. So, watching a vet, who we are taught to respect without question, someone who supposedly served and protected his country, go after kids in two different eras in this movie is kind of wild. Especially knowing this title was made on the heels of the Vietnam War, another of the many times this country was loudly divided. Maybe the killer’s choice of pitchfork is symbolic of some deep-seated projection about the new generation’s ability to move on, making him feel like a monster stuck in time.

We all love a good revenge story, and horror runs on trauma. However, having a killer resurface still wearing his service gear to kill a new generation that he, in theory, went to war to provide a future for is interesting. While this could be another ill-planned “psycho on the loose,” there is a lot to unpack here. As a millennial who has watched Baby Boomers and Gen X battle my whole life, I always lean in. Arguments over student loans, “real careers” versus pursuing your actual dreams, and even having kids, become much more fascinating when imprinted onto this old man. While this could easily just be a cranky old guy killing the youths, it takes on a whole other layer when you think about it. Had he stopped at just killing the couple at the beginning of the movie, it would have been a simpler case. However, ruining another generation’s party instead of going to therapy is too relatable. It also makes it feel like he might be a little jealous that everyone around him has forgotten the things that still wake him up at night.

It’s almost as if the killer’s 1980s targets are simply him stabbing at the system he doesn’t feel he belongs to. The world is moving forward, and his trauma is holding parts of him in a time that is long gone. The Prowler doesn’t ask you to see a grandfather and give him empathy. However, it’s hard not to think of the old guys who are confused by modern technology or how language has changed. While the majority we encounter choose to be bigots online, the quieter ones are doing the best they can in a changing world they can’t truly understand. I might’ve missed that had this been in my rotation as a kid. However, now I get that layer, and I feel a little bad for the monster. Not bad enough to be upset that our final girl put him down for good, though.

Anyway, I think The Prowler is worth the time, and it’s always streaming for free somewhere. In addition to its recent anniversary, it’s thematically relevant for people who like to match horror movies to holidays. This Independence Day doesn’t have to just be I Know What You Did Last Summer and Jaws. You can pop this slasher in and let your great-grandpa know you understand that this country did a number on him. Whether or not he says it, and whether or not you choose to remember it when he’s at his most annoying, it’s there. The patriarchal urge to send men to war and shame them away from seeking therapy plays a big part in so much of what’s wrong at any given time. Perhaps if everyone put the pitchforks down, we could have some really cool barbecue and talk about why there is still a stigma preventing too many men from seeking help.