Prom Night 2: Hello Mary Lou

Glad that now that the remake of the original Prom Night is in theatres that they finally decided to release Prom Night 2 to DVD. It was always one of my favorite Prom night stories with it super natural aspect of a dead prom queen possessing a high school girl and trying to live the dream of being queen she was denied when she died in the school gym fire in 1950s. A lot better concept than a mere serial killer. My only problem is the same as with most 1980s horror movies. That is the DVD box art. I find it weird that 1980s had the most fantastic VHS box cover art and often some of the worst DVD box cover art.

On Hamilton high's prom night 1957, Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage) was killed during a vengeful prank gone horribly wrong. Burned alive in front of the entire senior class, Mary Lou stares out at them w/ eyes full of hate. Fast-forward 30 years, and it's prom season again. This time, Mary Lou will finally have her vengeance. PROM NIGHT 2 is one of those movies I put off watching for years, figuring it would stink. I also wanted Jamie Lee Curtis to be in it (yes, I love her). Well, I just watched it and must say that it stands on it's own as an 80s classic. PN2 includes ghosts, possession, telekinetic powers, and enough supernatural murder and mayhem to please any horror enthusiast. Oh yeah, and there's some gratuitous (though always welcome) nudity as well. Plus, creep-fest icon, Michael Ironside (Scanners, Visiting Hours, Starship Troopers, Total Recall, etc.) is the Hamilton High principal who knew Mary Lou all too well!! With nods to CARRIE, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, and others, PR2 is a hoot! Watch for the PC electrocution, death-by-neon-lightning-bolt, and girl-turned-into-hamburger-in-a-locker sequences! Also, this movie is like a late 80s fashion disaster show. Check out the tall, stiff hair and "hip" clothing for added terror! A must-see...

First, lets get this out of the way, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2 is not a sequal to Prom Night. It stands alone as its own movie and on top of that is much better than the original Prom Night and the new Prom Night. The only thing it has in common with Prom Night is the fact it takes place at Hamilton High. This 1987 supernatual horror/thriller from director Bruce Pittman got limted realese in the late 80's and was really slept on by most people. It has a solid story and the acting wasn't bad either. On top of that it has Sci-Fi legend Michael Ironside "Scanners" in one of the main roles as Billy Nordham, Mary Lou's jeoulous ex-boyfreind. This movie really takes place during two seperate times. The movie starts out in 1957 at the Hamilton High prom. A younger Billy Nordham's date for the prom is Mary Lou, played perfectly by Lisa Schrage. Billy goes to get Mary Lou a drink and then comes back to find her with another guy getting it on behind closed doors. Mary Lou is chosen Prom Queen shortly after. Billy,out of a fit of jeoulousy decides to get back at Mary Lou right before she is to be crowned by climbing the rafters an throwing a giant stink bomb behind her. Well, poor billy should have cut the fuse because it's so long the it catches her gown on fire and see burns to death in front of the entire senoir class.
Thirty years later enter Viki Carpenter, this years font runner for prom queen. Vicki( played by Wendy Loyon) is a shy, innocent girl who's going out with Craig,the son of the principal of Hamilton High, who happens to be an older Billy Nordham(Michael Ironside). This to me is one of the only flaws in the story. How could somebody who wittness something so horrific decide to become principal of that same school? Anyway, when Vicki finds and old dress for the prom trouble begins. Mary Lou's spirit slowly begins to possess Vicki's body and she only has one thing on her mind,REVENGE!
This Movie is alot of fun. It takes alot of old concepts (Exorcist,Carrie) and mixes them up very well. On the scare factor I can only give it a 6 out of 10. But on the fun factor I give it a 8 which brings my total rating to a 3.5 stars out of five. I recommend this movie for anyone who's looking for a fun night at home or happened to miss their prom night and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, AH,AH,AH,AH,AHHHH!!!

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