Assassinatos Misteriosos

If you love late seventies and early eighties horror/terror/thriller/slasher flicks, this one is a must see. It is in the same league as "Prom Night" and "Hell Night". "Graduation Day" captures a feeling, a mood, a place in time that only exists in the imagination. The music, the acting, the camera work, the characters are a way we can remember 1981. Movies simply don't have the qualities of "Graduation Day" anymore. There are rough edges here. There are simple characters and characters that are not fully developed. Is Ann, the victim's sister, a lesbian? This is only touched on a little during the story. Why doesn't the police office who investigates the disappearance of the victims dislike schools? How did the principal and his secretary begin their affair and what keeps it going? A scene in which a beheading takes place is intercut with a girl rollerskating who likes a lot like the Alice character from "Friday the 13th". As the initiated know, Alice beheaded Mrs. Voorhees. Was this scene a nod to "Friday the 13th"? Has anyone noticed this scene? What happened to Kevin's parents? Does he live alone with his crazy grandmother? They really don't make them like this anymore. I'm not sure if anyone even tries. "Scream" was said to have paid homage to "Graduation Day" and several other movies of that era. I am going to watch it again while keeping that statement in mind. "Graduation Day" is the real deal. Of all the "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" clones it is one of the highest caliber. Christopher George, Patch McKenzie and the guy from "Fame" (I think) lend star quality. Today's independent films try to capture the spirit of movies like this.

Graduation Day is far from perfect, but it does stand proudly alongside many other 80s slasher flicks that swamped the theatres and video stores of that era as an entertaining genre flick - although not always for the right reasons...

Starring seasoned actor Christopher George - one of my favourite things about Enter The Ninja - as Coach Michaels, a tough sports teacher who likes to push his track team to the limits.

Unfortunately, within the opening few minutes of the film, he pushes one of them just too far and watches as she falls down Dead due to a blood clot at the finish line.

As graduation day is just a week away, the dead girls sister arrives to stand on behalf of her, and at the same time the rest of the track team start getting killed off in some inventive (and some silly) ways!

I kinda like Graduation Day. Its sometimes slow, a little rough around the edges, but I think it has enough of that classic, gritty 80s slasher charm to pass the mark.

It's not quite so simply as predictable as you would think, and all becomes clear towards the end which leads to a mad climax which is hilarious for being so ridiculous - but in a fun way!

Highlights for me were the end attack, a few inventive kills, some ridiculous writing, the detective's running, and the legs on that pole vaulter which weren't shown enough in my opinion...

Give it a go! It does entertain and certainly makes me miss the kind of films from that era that I was too young to catch on the big screen!

GRADUATION DAY is not a "good" or original film by any stretch, but it has plenty that others of its ilk do not and is pure entertainment from start to finish!

Laura, a young high school track star, accidentally dies, prompting someone to start killing off the entire team for revenge. The black-gloved and sweatsuited killer keeps a picture of the team in a locker to X out the faces of those dead and kills characters in very silly ways (a pole vaulter jumps on spikes, a lanced football, a fencing sword through the neck...) So, who exactly is responsible? Just take a look at THIS roster of suspects (whew!):

Could it be Christopher George as high-pressure a$$hole coach George Michaels? E. Danny Murphy as Laura's disgruntled, harmonica-playing boyfriend? Michael Pataki as the school principal, who cuts an apple with a switchblade? Patch MacKenzie as the dead girls butch marine sister, Anne? E.J. Peaker as harried secretary Blondie? Vanna White (!) as a giggly blonde who discovers a corpse in a locker? Linnea Quigley as a pot-smoking teen tramp who blackmails the horny music teacher? Carmen Argenziano as a lurking detective? Virgil Frye as a narking, slow-witted cop? With this crew, is it possible to watch and NOT be entertained?

Make sure you don't overlook the THREE long musical numbers, disco roller skating sequence and flash editing cuts that make you think you're on speed. I think I like it!

GRADUATION DAY starts off at a high school track and field competition, where a runner named Laura Ramstead (Ruth Ann Llorens) drops dead after winning a race. Soon thereafter, a mysterious figure is hunting down and killing the school athletes.

At the same time, Laura's older sister, Ann (Patch Mackenzie) arrives in town for the titular event. Could there be some other reason for her return? As for other possible suspects, there's an entire school of red herrings to choose from. Especially, the explosive, overbearing coach Matthews (Christopher George), who yells his lungs out at every opportunity. In fact, all of the adults in this movie are either letches, idiots, or lecherous idiots!

The students aren't much better! They're as ridiculous as the means of their deaths, which include: death by sword, spikes, and football! Watch for Linnea Quigley as Dolores, who instantly sheds her top, as in most of her projects. Also, look quick and you'll see Vanna White in designer jeans!

WARNING: This movie contains intense "roller boogie" scenes, and 1980's "rock music" being played! Don't worry though, because there's not one second of this movie that can be taken seriously! Nope, not at all.

Co-stars Michael Pataki as the insufferable Principal Guglione...

Why, of all the slasher films to come out of the early '80's, that Graduation Day is so well remember I will never know. Graduation Day is a far cry from some of the better '80's slashers, but it isn't the bottom of the barrel either.

After a high school track star literally runs herself to death, someone begins to kill the remaining members of the track team. But for what reason?

Graduation Day is a slasher film that's served with a big slice of cheese. You've got some corny characters, some unneeded musical numbers (not including the funky song in the opening montage), and some bad acting - no wonder Vanna White is only spinning letters now. But it has some merits too. There are some amusing murder sequences and the story manages to be engaging - if only for the campy elements.

So when all is said and done, you can do worse. But it's not worth missing The Burning, Curtains, or House on Sorority Row for.

** out of ****