This fairly standard slasher offering is bolstered significantly by a splendidly macabre final twist, which is sufficient in itself to ensure that Graduation Day stands out amidst the crop of early-80’s splatter fare surrounding it.
The whodunnit aspect of Graduation Day is well-executed, and the film rolls out an impressive roster of suspects without putting a neon “It’s Me!” sign on any of them. If you eliminate the most obvious red herrings, it’s not impossible to pin down who the killer is, but the guessing game holds its power for most of the film, lending G-Day a bit of credibility as a genuine thriller.
Certainly, there are some elements here that are beyond silly. The bulk of the credit sequence plays out like the extended opening titles for a sitcom about homosexual high school Track & Field athletes. One victim meets her fate while shaving her legs over the sink in the locker room, because teenage girls apparently routinely take their razors to school with them so that they can shave there. The multiple appearances of the killer in full fencing gear are bound to elicit a chuckle or two, and while I’d have to check my DVD collection, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a less intimidatingly-appareled screen psycho. The “death by football” sequence must be seen to be believed, and since it’s tied in with the murderer’s uniquely benign garb, it unfolds as one of the more absurd killings ever portrayed in a slasher movie.
Special mention has to go to Felony, who are by far the most atrocious band to ever appear in a splatter film, and are also a legitimate contender for most atrocious band ever, period. Their song “Gangster Rock” occupies a full six minutes of the film’s running time, and the two murders that take place during this epic performance lose much of their mojo because of the prominence of the tune in the foreground.
Appearances by Vanna White and Linnea Quigley may be of minor interest to some viewers, although White’s major scene spotlights some of the worst acting you’ll ever see, and it’s hard not to giggle when you hear the future Wheel Of Fortune letter-turner utter the timeless line, “you scared me so bad I wet myself.” Quigley’s presence is somewhat confusing since her character is played at other times in the film by another actress (apparently the other girl wasn’t okay with the nude scenes her role required, so Quigley was called in to pinch strip).
The film incorporates a fair amount of intentional humor into the mix, some of which is surprisingly funny. Even the most seasoned slasher film buff probably hasn’t seen a movie that features a high school security guard who hides joints in the chambers of his revolver, so Graduation Day definitely gets a point or two for originality.
The splatter is fairly minimal here, and the murky camera work renders most of the carnage unfortunately vague. Only one of the murders shows any sort of ingenuity, but it actually makes the least sense in the scheme of the film (how exactly does a vengeful murderer procure a platform of razor sharp spikes and hide it beneath a pole vaulter’s landing mat without the intended victim noticing?). The gore effects are strictly bargain basement, and the film’s non-existent budget is plainly evident, especially during the more graphic kills.
It’s hard to gauge how strongly the deranged and stunning denouement will resonate with today’s audiences, but that shocking game-changer is by far the most potent element in the film. Even if you guess who the maniacal fencer is before the big reveal, this last bit of sickness is an effective and chilling punctuation mark on an otherwise rote slasher outing.
The film goes on about seven minutes too long, and Graduation Day would be far more effective if it concluded with the morbid gut-punch mentioned above. The final showdown with the killer seems tacked on and cliché now, and a little ambiguity would have served the film well.
However, Graduation Day is a very enjoyable offering despite itself, and the end result certainly doesn’t settle anywhere near the bottom of the 80’s splatter movie barrel. Bloodier and far superior films have nurtured this basic plot line to true greatness, but if you’ve seen all of those, this fun and deliciously skewed outing is a worthy way to spend 90 minutes.
