\”_**Decent slasher taking place at old Inns on the southern coast of New Jersey**_ A Dear John letter during WW2 provokes a veteran to murder in 1945 at a coastal New Jersey hamlet. He was never caught and 35 years later he dons his old soldier garb to kill again at the college dance. “The Prowler” (1981), also known as “Rosemary’s Killer,” is a slasher/horror in the mold of “Friday the 13th” (1980) and “My Bloody Valentine” (1981). It’s not great like the former and not quite as good as the latter. The protagonist, played by Vicky Dawson, is similar to Alice and Ginny from the first two “Friday the 13th” flicks but, beyond her, the female cast is subpar by comparison; it doesn’t help that the director doesn’t know how to shoot women (not talkin ’bout nudity or sleaze). The opening sequence from 1945 with the old automobiles is well done and I like the Inn and the estate where most of the movie is shot. Gore-master Tom Savini does the F/X work and it’s convincing. It’s a decent slasher from the early 80s that works up some mood; Christopher Goutman is notable as the deputy in charge, who dates the protagonist. It’s not bad, but not great. The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Cape May, New Jersey (Inn of Cape May & Emlen Physick Estate). GRADE: B-/C+”

Wuchak

\”Spoilers in review! Let us review the plot of this generic horror film. First, in flashback, a horrific murder happens. Fast forward to the then present-day, and the reopening of a closed dance/school/prom night, etc., where the first murder took place. Throw in a few red herring suspects, like the school janitor in the basement, or the crazy old man who bags groceries at the supermarket. Introduce one virginal girl with boyfriend trouble, and her oversexed, horny friends. As horny friends get killed, have virgin and new boyfriend run from masked killer. Killer does not kill boyfriend, and town weirdo kills killer...or so we think. Have killer come back to life, then get killed by virgin. Put virgin in final scene as dead come back to life and grab her, then realize it was only a dream/hallucination. There, now you have "The Prowler." While Tom Savini's makeup effects are on display here, this is still such a silly film even his big bag of gore cannot save a lousy script. I had the killer figured out as soon as he was introduced, so I had to sit back and watch the blood flow. Big deal, the killer uses a pitchfork. I guess a concealed weapons charge is out of the question, those are so hard to hide in your pocket. "The Prowler" is lousy film making that only has a reputation because of Savini's makeup effects. Gore does not equal scares, and neither does "The Prowler."”

Charles Tatum