The slasher…the ultimate horror comfort watch. We know the tropes and we have a particular favorite masked slice ’n dicer who lurks in the shadows, stalking their teenage prey. Before the horror industry in the 1980s began ripping through copies of Jason and Micahel at a blazing pace, Joseph Zito gave us 1981’s The Prowler. A masked soldier reigns down terror during a smalltown college dance. It’s a revenge story with a touch of Italian Giallo. If you’ve seen a slasher, you get the gist, but what makes this a special entry is the addition of gore SFX wizard Tom Savini. The kills are his splatter masterpiece, all of them visceral and violent. I would say his best in the sub-genre. It is a solid film that is fun and tension-filled. Next time, skip the hockey mask for an underappreciated WWII vet.
