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Graduation Day |
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Laura tragically dies during a running track meet
and her athletic high school classmates soon gets
murdered one by one. Is it the gym coach? Laura's
long gone sister? Laura's boyfriend? Or the
obnoxious principal?
The one who may count the stupid, no-brain teen
slashers during the 80s is not for this world...
Another one of those Halloween/Friday the 13th
wannabes set in a high school. It's admittedly
better than the 1984 turkey Fatal Games, which
had a similar plot about gymnastic athlete
students killed in a high school but fact is that
the first real memorable and successful high
school slasher flick was the one making fun of
them all - Scream in 1996.
Back to the film. The major problem with Graduation
Day, and most of 80s teen slashers is lack of
characterization. You often just throw in some
good-looking teens in a group and most of them
doesn't have their first line until their big moment,
that is such dramatic dialogue like "Hello?" or
"Who's there?" You get the drill. In this one it's
not clear who's the hero or heroine until the last
20 minutes or so. And when it comes to the suspects,
they get less screen time than the victims. When
the killer's identity is revealed it's
just a big "So?"
So the characters are just a couple of nameless,
forgettable clichés who all look a like, with
exception for B-movie favourite Linnea Quigley who
has a small but quirky role as horny, pot-smoking
student Dolores - guess what happens to her? Worse
the come, the film is filled with annoying,
pointless subplots, like a music teacher who
sleeps with his students - the guy doesn't even
get killed! Many presented characters have barely
nothing to do with the murders and just fill up
space, like the horrible rock band playing at the
graduation party.
The murders are pretty unoriginal featuring the usual
impalements and slashed throats, but at least tries
for stylish camerawork even though it doesn't look
as good as intended. The killer is pretty goofy too,
wearing a fencing helmet and behaving pretty clumsily
but impressively the actor/actress playing the killer
manages to re-enact the behaviour in the climax.
So, this isn't very good but is still fair if very
forgettable entertainment. It gets going though for
some moments in the climax even if all intentions of
scares are ruined by the fact that it's played in
broad daylight.
A slashed throat, a fencing sword through the neck,
some stabbing and best to come, a guy impaled on
sharp objects placed out where he lands
after his high jump!
Some OK suspense score but the terrible rock band
playing at the graduation party practically ruins
an entire murder scene!
Clichéd, forgettable 80s teen slasher lacking all
kind of originality or characterization. Also
features pointless subplots and lame murders but
a pretty OK climax.
Review By: Slicer-Dicer
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