Touches You

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Director Joseph Zito really cranked 'em out in the 1980's, with films like Invasion U.S.A., Red Scorpion, the original Missing in Action and 1984's Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. This one's an interesting tweak to the slasher formula, plus it has what all gory movies need most: the imaginative grand guignol artistry of Tom Savini.June 28, 1945: World War 2 may be coming to an end, but Rosemary Chatham is also ending her relationship with her boyfriend. The war's gone on too long and she can't wait for him any longer. As she attends the Avalon Bay graduation dance with her new boyfriend, they decide to slip out and make out at the point. Mid-tryst, a man in an army uniform impales them both, leaving behind a rose.June 28, 1980: Pam McDonald has finally convinced the town to have a graduation dance, the first since Rosemary was murdered. Her boyfriend, Mark London (Christopher Goutman, who went on to be a soap opera director) is the town's deputy and in charge as his boss, Sheriff Fraser(Farley Granger, Strangers on a Train, What Have They Done to Your Daughters?, Amuck!) is heading to his cabin for the weekend.Pam has some help - or well, she did - in Lisa, Sherry and Carl. The latter two are killed by The Prowler from the opening - Carl with a bayonet through his brain and Sherry by pitchfork. The blood is copious in both murders and the murderer leaves behind a rose.At the dance, Pam gets upset when Lisa dances with her boyfriend and she gets a drink on her dress. Back at her dorm, the Prowler chases her, but at the last minute, she runs into Major Chatham (noted Hollywood crazy person rulebreaker Lawrence Tierney, who was arrested a dozen times in seven years and claimed he "threw away about seven careers through drink." You may know him as the boss of the Reservoir Dogs and as Elaine's dad on Seinfeld. During the shooting of that episode, he stole a butcher knife from the set and when Jerry Seinfeld asked him about it, he made threatening motions toward him while claiming he was just imitating Psycho. I could - and can and will and do - go on about Lawrence Tierney), a war veteran who grabs at her.That's when Pam realizes that the major's daughter was Rosemary, the girl killed 35 years ago. Right around then, Lisa and Paul argue and he gets arrested for public drunkenness. Lisa decides to go swimming and gets her throat cut by The Prowler. Another girl, Allison, tries to find her and is killed as well.Mark tries to call the Sheriff, but can't get through. A shopkeeper tells the deputy that there are some kids up in the graveyard and when he investigates, Lisa's body is in an open grave. They go to the major's house to investigate and Mark is attacked and left for dead. Pam is chased through the house, learning that none other than the Sheriff is the Prowler. She is able to turn his gun on him and blow his head his shoulders.After its all over, Pam returns to her dorm and discovers the bodies of Sherry and Carl. Carl comes to life and grabs her, but she's just in the end of the movie hallucination shock scene that we all know and maybe love from Carrie.The Prowler is mostly worth it for the extended gore sequences. It came out in the middle of the slasher cycle, so it has plenty of the hallmarks (maybe that's not the right word) of the genre.

The prowler to me might be the second best slasher film of the early 80s with The Burning #1 either way all the gore effects r done by the best man in the business Mr. Savini.. Tom Savini for president!!! Why can't they make slasher movies like this anymore instead of using all that CGI crap that ruins the movie.. They need to go back to the making it look real like Savini does in all of his movies.. The Prowler might not have as many kills in it then the Friday the 13ths but it's 100 times better in the Gore dept. then any Friday the 13th ever made!! For anybody who hasn't seen this movie I difently recommend it then You'll find out its a way better slasher movie then Friday the 13th..

Dear me - Where-oh-where, do I begin to tell you how utterly awful this 1981 slasher/horror movie was? To say that The Prowler was just wretched junk would almost be the same thing as paying it a compliment. And, of course, hurling a slew of nasty adjectives at it would never, ever be sufficient enough to do this putrid film's overall incompetence justice.I can't imagine that anyone (who's over 16 and in their right mind) would ever give this "too-stupid-for-words" movie more than a 2-star rating. But, then again, that just goes to show you that there's absolutely no accounting for one's puzzling taste in movies.I recently read that make-up effects man, Tom Savini, considers the gore-effects he created for The Prowler to be his very best work. Well, if this is really so, then I can't imagine how Savini has been able to survive in this competitive field of work for all of these years.From its predictable story-line, to its dismal suspense, to its overloud music, to its laughable, surprise/shock ending, The Prowler was a certified dud on all counts.It made absolutely no sense to me why (after committing his first murder in 1945) the pitchfork-wielding killer took an incredibly long, 35-year hiatus off (that's right! 35 years!) from venting his rage-of-rejection before he finally got back into the "swing" (stab, chop) of things in 1980.Anyways - After seeing The Prowler, I think that director, Joseph Zito should change his name to Joseph Zero.

Unless you are a true obsessive, most 80's slashers have not stood the test of time and can be viewed as exercises in curiosity only. However there are a few that are still quite watchable today. I feel this is almost up there with My Bloody Valentine, Friday 13th etc. Certainly the slashing have an imagination and painful look to them and this follows the classic Slasher ingredients - tragic back story, horny youngsters, killer in a costume, red herrings etc. Actually the killer here looks truly menacing in the WW2 garb and this menace has not dated at all. I like a Slasher with a whodunit element and I confess I am usually useless at guessing correctly. If you pay attention here early on, it is give away within the first 4 minutes when one of the 1945 characters mentions the name of the guy who has just split up from his girlfriend, only for you to then hear this name 10 minutes later in the present day. Still, if you have a fascination with the 80's slasher, this is easily one of the better ones and deserves a 2nd viewing.