Vengeance never rests in peace!

" Mary Lou is back... god help the students of Hamilton High." Seven years after the first Prom Night comes this sequel that is not only more imaginative but far more entertaining.
Directed by Bruce Pittman who directed a few episodes of Friday the 13th the tv series and Twilightzone and written by Ron Oliver who directed Prom night III: the last kiss.
Prom Night II is a strange film, at times feeling like combination of the movies Carrie and A nightmare on elm st. with it's bizarre dream sequences and nightmarish tone.
The film starts in 1957 on prom night at Hamilton High. When the jealous boyfriend of prom queen Mary Lou (Lisa Schrage of Food of the Gods II and an episode of The Twilight zone)Bill Nordham (Michael Ironside of an endless array of great films) tries to get back at her during the crowning ceremony it goes horribly wrong and she is burned alive in front of all her peers. Now thirty years later Bill is the principle of Hamilton High and his son Craig (Justin Louis) is dating this years hopeful prom queen Viki Carpenter (Wendy Lion). A string of strange occurrences begin to happen to Viki, but it is not until she finds her dream dress for the prom when things really get strange and she starts to question her own sanity. While living with her strict parents, Viki begins to endure some unexplainable events including being sucked into a chalk board, feelings of incest towards her father, her rocking horse coming alive, killing a priest and many, many more until Viki is completely possessed by the spirit of Mary Lou which was dwelling in the old dress she finds.

There is never really a dull moment in the film due to it's scene for scene momentum that never lets up, there is always something eye catching going on in each scene. There are many moments when you wonder if what you are watching is really happening or just another dream keeping the viewer guessing just where is the story going to go next, and you never really know.
It really does feel like a Brian DePalma film.

Although a product of it's time, the special effects were OK, scenes that stick out are the girl attacked by an invisible force, the demonic horse, the chalkboard and the end sequence at the prom that will leave you speechless.

Almost every character in the film was given the last name of a cult film director including Craven, Ramero, King, Dante, Henenlotter, Carpenter and Waters.

MGM released a decent DVD of the film recently with no extras which is not surprising because it is MGM and they really don't put forth the effort with their releases, I would really love a commentary track with the director and maybe a few of the actors.
I was never a fan of the first Prom Night film and parts three and four were pretty weak, but Hello Mary Lou it's Prom Night two has it's own charm making it really a fun movie at heart.
This is a reccomend based upon it's strangness and Elm Street like feel.

Rating: C

Review by Jason