The Bottom Line
Pros
- Good performances
- Some decent scares
- Above average collection of bonus features
Cons
- The story doesn't flow well
Description
- Starring Brittany Snow, Johnathon Schaech, Idris Elba, and Scott Porter
- Directed by Nelson McCormick
- DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
Guide Review - 'Prom Night' Unrated Version DVD Review
The StoryDonna (Snow) is ready for the prom although the idea of it makes her a little sad. She misses her parents and brother who were ruthlessly killed three years earlier by a stalker - one of her former teachers who had fallen obsessively in love with her. Now on the verge of leaving high school life and her high school boyfriend behind, she's having nightmares about the murders.
The teacher, Richard Fenton (Schaech), was sentenced to a lengthy stay in a mental hospital so she should be able to celebrate the completion of high school in peace. But...that wouldn't make for much of a scary movie, would it? No, so Fenton escapes the facility and returns to make Donna's prom night a night of unrelenting terror.
The Bonus Features
There's a surprisingly wide assortment of extras included on the Prom Night Unrated DVD. Director McCormick, Schaech, and Snow team up to contribute a semi-interesting commentary track that's light on real insight and heavy on giggles. The DVD also includes 5 deleted scenes with optional commentary, none of which would have added anything had they been included in the film. The 'alternate ending' is a letdown - it just seems like an incomplete version of the final scene from the movie.
I suggest skipping the commentary, deleted scenes and the alternate ending and checking out the behind the scenes featurettes. The 'Making Of' featurette has cast interviews and explanations as to why the plot headed in certain directions. There's also a 'Profile of a Killer' piece with insight into Schaech's character, a featurette on the set design of the hotel used as the setting for the prom, and a bit on the cast talking about their real prom memories.
