Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II DVD Review

I have to start this by quoting a Village Voice quote on the back cover of this DVD: "It's like a Brian DePalma movie for slasher fans." That may be a tad bit of a stretch but the fact that someone went out of their way to make this gorgeous hyperbole adds a stitch of merit to the film -- Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II.

Again, this not my style but the synopsis on the back cover is so genuinely entertaining that I must quote it. "In 1957, Hamilton High School's prom queen got flambéed. Now she's back and she's burning mad!

"It's been 30 years since bad girl Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage) was accidentally torched by her ex-boyfriend Bill Nordham (Michael Ironside) just before she was about to be crowned prom queen. Bill is now Hamilton High's principal and his son, Craig (Justin Louis) is dating this year's hopeful queen, good girl Vicki Carpenter (Wendy Lyon). When Vicki finds an old dress perfect for the prom -- trouble begins. Mary Lou's spirit possesses Vicki's body and a torrent of fury is unleashed on everyone in town. With or without a tiara, Mary Lou is going to make prom night hot!"

Now if that doesn't perfectly explain a B horror flick, I don't know what does. This film is more comic than scary and that is what you look for most of the times when it comes to this genre. Definitely one of those movies that is so bad, it's good. From the hilarious dated language and fashion to the ridiculous use of gore and gratuitous nudity -- it's all a horror fan's delightful cup of tea.

The plot is classic 1980s teenage nonsensical horror. A prom queen's spirit comes back to haunt the living, especially those who wronged her. Not to spoil anything, but there is an evil rocking horse that will make children cry but will also make grown men laugh until cramps and tears begin to form. No pun intended but it's a hell of a good time. From the beginning, we get a picture perfect of what kind of film this is. Mary Lou walks into a church and confesses her sins and that she has enjoyed every minute of each one. This is a superfluous scene that has no logic behind it but it’s great and sets the tone for the kind of dance Prom Night II is going to engage in. It’s one of the many things that make this film so beautiful. It’s surreal, irrational, and a perfect example of a “movie.”

There are no Special Features and this is a crime against man. I would have loved to see some behind-the-scenes footage or some interviews with the cast but I do understand that this is from the VHS age and the Extras weren't as prominent as they are now. Still though, come on.

So yes, Prom Night II is an awesome ridiculous piece of 1980s horror that won't last in your mind as one of the greats but you will most definitely be entertained -- that is for sure. You'll laugh and think about how worse your high school prom could have been.