The Prowler Movie Review 191

The Prowler is a 1981 horror movie directed by Joseph Zito and starring Farley Granger,Christopher Goutman and Vicky Dawson.

The movie begins with a guy who is fighting in World War II and his girlfriend sends him a letter telling him that she can't wait for him anymore. It is 1945 and there is a graduation dance on. A couple are canoodling when they are attacked by someone with a pitchfork. A red rose is left at the scene. Cut to 1980 and college kids are preparing for a graduation dance. They are having a great time unlike the cops who have  heard that there is a criminal causing havoc in other towns. They think that he might be coming their way. Deputy Sheriff Mark London(Christopher Goutman) has been left in charge when the Sheriff George Fraser( Farley Granger) heads off for a fishing holiday. Mark is nervous as he is alone. Pam(Vicky Dawson) and her pals Sherry(Lisa Dunsheath) and Lisa(Cindy Weintraub) are getting dressed for the dance. Pam is worried because she has heard about the criminal who might be coming to their town. Local man Major Chatham(Lawrence Tierney) knows that there is something wrong in the town. He is the father of the murdered girl from the beginning of the movie.

Pam heads off to the dance, leaving Sherry having a shower. Her boyfriend shows up and he is killed by an unknown killer. Sherry is killed with a pitchfork. Has the killer from 1945 come back? The killer is wearing army clothes. Back at the dance, Pam and Mark fall out and he spills a drink on her by accident. She has to go back to the dorm to change her dress. She doesn't find the dead bodies of Sherry and her boyfriend. She hears something  on her way out. The killer is following her and he chases her. She runs into Mark and she tells him what has happened. Mark looks around. He finds wheelchair marks which belong to Major Chatham. What was he doing there? Mark enters the dorm and he looks around. He finds nothing. Mark and Pam go to find the Major and ask him some questions. He isn't there and they look around his house. Pam finds pictures of the Major's daughter,Rosemary. She wonders  if her own father killed her.

Pam tells the woman in charge of the dance, Miss Allison, about the prowler and it is announced to everyone. They are told not to wander outside. Of course, they don't heed her warning. Lisa is outside in the pool. The prowler sees her and he kills her. Miss Allison goes out to find her and she gets killed. Mark is on patrol when someone tells him the gates to the cemetery are open. He and Pam go to investigate. There is a grave dug up and they open the coffin. Lisa is in it. Mark tries to call the Sheriff but he can't get in contact with him. He calls the State Police to tell them about the murders and they send people. They return to Major Chathams house and the prowler is there. He hits Mark and drags him away. Pam and the prowler face off. Some local guy tries to kill the prowler but he gets shot. Pam finds out that the prowler is Sheriff Fraser! It turns out that he was the guy who was left all those years ago and he wanted revenge. Pam manages to get the gun and she shoots him dead. The movie ends with Pam finding the dead bodies of Sherry and her boyfriend.

This is a decent horror movie and I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to any horror fan. It has plenty of good kills and the story isn't bad either...I will give it a 7/10.