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"I want you to be my date, Rose."
—The Prowler
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The Prowler, also known as Rosemary's Killer, is a Slasher Flick from the year 1981. It was directed by Joseph Zito and the film's gore effects were done by the legendary Tom Savini. Both would later contribute their respective talents to another slasher film, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. It shares some themes with My Bloody Valentine, a fellow slasher released in the same year.
Starting at the year 1945, the film opens with a news reel depicting the homecoming American troops from World War II. One of these returning troops isn't happy, as his girlfriend Rosemary had dumped him during the war (with a "Dear John" letter, no less).
Several months later at Rosemary's hometown Avalon Bay, he kills her and her new boyfriend during the town's annual graduation dance. He is never caught.
Cut to 35 years later, where the town prepares for its graduation dance once again. There hasn't been one since the events of the opening. The killer decides to partake on the event as well, armed with a pitchfork, a bayonet and a Sawed-Off Shotgun.
- All in the Eyes
- Big Damn Heroes: Otto near the end.
- Blood Is Squicker in Water: The pool murder.
- Calling Card: Killer leaves roses to the scenes of the crime.
- Death by Sex: Averted, the couple who goes to have sex in the Creepy Basement actually survive the whole thing.
- Dramatic Unmask: Done when the killer is struggling with the Final Girl.
- Everyone Is a Suspect
- Final Girl: Pam.
- Flashback Echo: Restartation of the Graduation Dance makes the killer start killing again.
- Hoist by His Own Petard
- Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
- Is This Thing On?
- Joisey
- Knife Nut: A bayonet is a part of the killer's repertoire.
- Lock and Load Montage
- Menacing Stroll
- Not Quite Dead: Otto manages to shoot the killer. Unfortunately for him, the killer returns fire.
- Peek-a-Boo Corpse
- Red Herring: There are plenty older men to pin your suspicions on.
- Sawed-Off Shotgun
- Shell-Shocked Veteran
- Slashed Throat
- Something About a Rose
- Title Drop
- Vomit Discretion Shot
- What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: Early in the film horror music plays on such mundane scenes as people going shopping.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: We never find out what happened to Major Chatham.
- Your Head Asplode: Killer dies from a shotgun blast to the head.