Alright, let’s dive into it! This episode is all about “Hello, Mary Lou: Prom Night II,” and we’re totally stoked to chat about this wild ride of a flick. We kick things off by dissecting the whole supernatural vibe, questioning whether it’s pure baloney or something deeper. And boy, does this movie deliver some classic 80s horror goodness with a side of sass! We’ll jabber about prom shenanigans, ghostly revenge, and the unforgettable, crazy effects that make this film a cult favorite. Plus, stick around for some witty banter as we connect the dots between this film and the Anomaly Film Festival, where genre lovers unite! So, grab your popcorn, and let’s get our prom on!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

connections

Joe Bean Roasters

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone. https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

The following footage is certified pg.

Pretty great.

It's Anomaly Presents with your friends, the podcastronauts.

Sounds like a lot of supernatural baloney to me.

Supernatural, perhaps baloney, perhaps not.

Hello and welcome to the Anomaly Presents podcast, the podcast about the genre movies that inspired a film festival.

That would be the Anomaly Film Festival, taking place here in beautiful Rochester, New York, at the Little Theater and the Dryden Theater.

That's our story and we're sticking to it.

Yeah, we will see my first day.

But you don't have to bring me presents or anything.

I mean, it won't be weird just to be there and everyone shows up and doesn't bring me any presents.

So we like to say your presence is a present, but also bring Meg presence.

Oh, God, no.

It was a podcast joke.

I flee.

Totally jokes.

Totally jokes.

You don't have to bring anything, any gifts or cookies or anything like that for.

For Meg.

Yeah.

So this is the Anomaly Presents podcast.

My name is Matt Austin, and tonight this one is for the lovers.

It's prom night two.

Hello, Mary Lou.

Yeah, and we'll jump into it with.

With our podcastronaut prom court.

Do we want to go with that?

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Prom Castronauts.

I. I will introduce you and then you can pick your.

Your position on the prom court.

Oh, yeah.

So first, Chris and Pelkwicheco.

Well, hi, everybody.

I mean, it already says the best clipboard, like under everything, so.

Well, just true behind the scenes, telling everyone to move.

Move things and where to put things out.

Megan Murphy.

I went.

I went to a high school of performing arts.

It was all different.

I don't know what the hell prom courts are.

I mean, we had a prom and there was a ska band.

Let me tell you, like, that's the level we were at.

I don't know about a prom court.

Did we have a prom king queen?

I don't know.

Now I need to know what ska band played your prom.

It was a student.

Okay, cool.

Yeah, I was curious because I knew some of those ska bands back then.

So I'm wondering if we had a mutual acquaintance on a band.

I have very few memories of the night where I left early and then ended up at a house where they were playing magic and I watched Noises off on the couch till I fell asleep.

You know how to party.

I. I did still do.

Still don't know how to play magic.

I decided to keep it, like.

No, it's my defining characteristic.

It's probably for the best.

It's.

I can't.

I can't go down that road.

I can't.

Investment.

It's a financially reasonable decision you've made.

Once again, we're talking about magic in KP.

Yeah.

Why does this keep happening twice in 48 hours?

I think it's a sign.

You gotta buy starter decks.

No.

Stop it.

No, dad.

Okay, well, we'll all get Lorcana decks together.

How about that?

Oh, my God.

Okay.

Hey, there's a movie to talk about anyway, so.

I don't think any of those people would ever learn how to play magic.

There's one guy who learned how to play.

There's one guy.

Oh, the.

Oh, yeah, the computer nerd.

Yeah.

AV nerd.

He would.

What was his name?

Gavin.

We'll call him Gavin.

Craig.

No, Craig is the boyfriend.

Craig is Vicky's boyfriend.

Right, Josh.

Josh.

We'll go with that.

I feel like I was like, you know, besides me, I'm like, I don't know.

And then.

80S dude name.

Yeah, listen, he had a killer Troy suit jacket that I wanted.

Oh, yeah, that was pretty sweet.

So, yeah, we're talking about.

Hello, Mary Lou.

Prom night two.

I'm noticing a trend here in this season of Anomaly.

We've got our favorite filmmakers coming in and talking about their favorite films of the past.

And then we're doing Canadian horror films about.

I realized that teenage parties.

I was like, oh, no, we didn't even do this on purpose.

I mean, we did do this on purpose.

This is an actual theme that we decided and still stumble upon.

Yeah, it's.

I. I was sitting there thinking about this as I was doing the.

The monstrous amount of show prep I do every time.

And.

Listen, listeners.

Matt did a sheepish look and then a.

Just a.

No.

Just a quiet no.

I'll tell you, there's not that much out there.

From what I.

There really is not.

That was disappointing.

It stands on its own.

It does.

It was.

Even to the point, because this was one of the movies that Joe Bob did like in his first full season when he came back to shudder.

I watched that 40 minutes that he did, by the way.

It was only 40 minutes for this movie.

And additional info of.

Additional info and fully 20 minutes of.

It was a fake prom at the end.

And 10 minutes of him ranting and raving about zero tolerance policies in schools.

He didn't have a lot to work for him.

And, you know, if Joe Bob don't, then what.

What have.

What.

What hope do we have?

You know, what do we talk about the Content that.

Oh, God.

It's our strong suit.

Talking about the movie.

Yeah, we're good at it.

It's only been a couple years.

We got it.

We got it down.

Let's see if we can kick it old school one time.

So.

Hello, Mary Lou.

Prom night two.

It opens.

The prologue is, I think, my favorite, one of my favorite parts of the movie.

Only because these are the oldest teenagers I've ever seen in my entire life.

I mean, older than Greece.

Yeah.

Did you notice Michael Ironside.

With that?

With that?

Yeah.

They should have at least given him a wig.

I mean, it was tight and it went to great things.

It did.

It did some of the effects and we'll talk about them later.

Theater.

But they're incredible effects.

Like there's, there's one that blew me away.

But yeah, they could have found like some kind of.

I, I know we're not a fan of cheap wigs on this show.

We've talked about it time and time again.

Over.

He just needed a little piece just.

But he just needed a little.

A little something boys are doing now.

The comb forward.

Yeah.

Well, here's the other theory.

Are starting in the past because then the present will be 87.

And then Greece takes place in the late 50s, early 60s.

Hey, do you think high schoolers just look like 30 year olds back then?

Maybe this is historically accurate.

We just weren't there.

You.

I don't know what that could be.

That could be.

I feel like we did research.

I find it, I find it hard to believe that there'd be a high school senior where his, his hairline starts behind his ears.

But it could happen.

It could happen.

I was like, oh, yeah, there's our.

Sorry, he's not a chaperone.

Okay, okay.

No, but they.

To a student, they all looked like they were like 35.

Every single one of them.

I don't.

Well, then it matches.

You know, it'd be weird if, like, some of them look like high school students, but, like, not if they're all 30 looking.

Then I can suspend my, my disbelief.

That's true.

That's fine.

Yeah, that's true.

You could age them up because.

Yeah, when we get to the actual current day, they do look like teenagers.

But boy howdy, that, that 50s prom.

Yes, that's what my theory is.

Correct.

I think you're right.

And, you know, we start.

We already start with like the dude name confusion because the, the, the, the named characters are Mary Lou and she has a boyfriend named Billy.

Yep.

We'll put a pin in it.

Do you need to grab your door?

So sorry.

Quick, let's talk about KP while she's gone.

She's the best.

She is the best.

We gossip.

Gossiped about you.

We decided you're the best.

You're the best.

We need the clipboard.

We do.

Where am I supposed to be?

Kp?

I know it's like eight years in, but how could I possibly know?

Megan, you're a floater.

Oh, okay.

What's that mean again?

Do the thing you always do.

Thank God.

I was about to try to run box office.

Oh, don't do that.

Sell, sell, sell.

I don't know.

What movie are you here for?

Oh, God.

I think we're showing that one.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I just feel half of it is like.

Okay, so you go to the alley, and it's in the back.

I don't want to make assumptions, but you came in here dressed very nicely, and I just feel like you're probably not here for SkipMarink.

Well, it looks like you have some sort of prestige film you're on your way to, and that's probably not.

Not the one you're coming to here, so.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You don't want to see Friday the 13th 3 in 3D?

You want to think.

I guess that's great.

Okay.

The amount of times I took people outside to go through that.

That alley and had to say, okay, so I know this is weird that you have a large man leading you down an alley, but.

But it's fine.

It's fine.

It's so short.

It's a short.

It's well lit.

And I promise, like, I have to come back here and work.

So, like, nothing bad is going to happen because my friends would notice I'm.

Gone, so we need you.

They'd come back for me.

I have the tech.

I feel like.

Here's the thing.

The.

The alley is a quicker way.

I would tell you the other way, but it's.

You have to walk through.

You walk through a parking lot and around.

Or just.

Or just take a leap of faith.

Yeah.

Straight shot.

It's gonna be a little less wet.

We should post signs in the alley.

It's okay.

We probably shave.

We promise.

You're almost there.

Honestly, not a bad idea.

I think that's really funny.

Maybe we do that this year.

Yeah, like, they could just be like.

Like.

Was it like.

Like flyers?

So, you know, nothing permanent or anything.

Just like Anomaly says you're on the right path.

And then later.

Hey, you sure you don't want to watch something weird.

Okay, we understand.

We get it.

We totally understand.

We get it.

Did you walk into the lobby and go, I don't belong here?

Yeah.

Yeah, no, you look like you're here for something that.

Yeah, no, we went to the.

The last podcast on the left thing at Radio Social on Saturday night.

Oh, I saw some of the photos.

Yeah, it was very good.

But the one guy wrote a bunch of jokes about Rochester.

Huh.

And.

Oh, no.

No worries.

Don't worry.

Matt, Matt.

Were they good jokes or were.

They were actually very funny jokes.

I was surprised.

Bespoke Rochester jokes.

Yeah, there were.

There were two or three that really.

I still, I'm still thinking about days later.

Like, the mascot of Seabreeze is a wet Band Aid.

Oh.

Oh, God damn it.

Ow.

Yeah.

No.

Disgusting.

I worked there for many summers.

Talk about vocal stems magnetic.

Oh, yeah, I have one from Sea Breeze because of the acrobats.

They would.

I would.

You just search for the store there or that front booth every show times a day, right?

And they always used to sick.

We are from Montreal, Canada, over there.

And so I'm hearing that, like, three times a day.

And so now anytime those Montreal commercials come up or anything, I'm like, I'm from Montreal, Canada, over there.

Hey, Todd, you like this?

Turns out that old maid can be incredibly competitive and dramatic.

You.

You think like, oh, this is the easy card game.

Oh, my God.

The psychology that was involved, this knowing who was playing.

I, I, I'm not surprised by that.

KP took an Alzheimer photo, like, soul photography of Vanessa in the very moment, the very moment where she has the old maiden.

There's no choice, and she has to take it.

And she knows.

She flip.

She, like, looks at it, flips the card up and over.

And I have it so that, you know, you see that it's the joker and she slams it, right?

Oh, that's so good.

So that's so good.

The, the other Rochester joke, also a Seabreeze joke.

The only staff left is staff infection.

Okay, that's pretty good.

All right.

Yeah, that's good.

The crowd lost their mind.

There was also a very filthy one about the Memorial Arc Gallery in a baroque organ that you can probably fill in on your own.

Don't fix it.

I wanted to go and see a man playing with a baroque organ anyway, so.

Sorry about that.

We can do our 1, 2, 3.

Yeah, we gotta.

Do you need us to, like, clap or count in?

Do we remember where we left off?

We were talking about the prom at.

The beginning I was talking about how the boyfriend's name and then the, I guess, side piece's name are too similar.

I didn't even do the confession part.

Yeah, we haven't hit that yet.

Well, let's circle back on that because we haven't really talked Mary Lou yet at all.

So we'll do the.

The boyfriend names and then come back to Mary Lou.

Yeah, yeah.

So, yeah.

So I felt like already we're starting with like three of the guy names.

Being very hard for me to remember because they're all kind of plain names.

But it does not help that in the beginning, like the first guys we know are Mary Lou's boyfriend Billy, and then the other guy that she meets at the problem.

They know anyway, they're making out and his name's Buddy, which I'm like, don't, don't, don't do.

Don't do.

The two dudes in the past that I gotta keep separate are Billy and Buddy.

Just name one like Chester.

There we go.

A chunk of the most hilarious thing is spoiler for the future.

The one called Buddy becomes a priest, which is funny to me.

And I don't know why this beginning is such a great intro to Mary Louise.

Because before she ends, I love that this is what she does to prepare for prom, is go to confession at night, all just.

And then just kind of go in there and then absolutely blow this priest mind about like, I had multiple.

With multiple boys and just like with lipstick, which is classy.

Just write her for a good time.

Call Mary Lou.

And her phone number on the wall of the confessional.

What a move.

And I loved every minute of it.

Just tells you exactly who we're dealing with.

She's confident.

She, she, she's.

She's a confident young woman.

Yeah.

She's not there for penance.

She's there for an audience.

Yeah.

It's an all time introduction to a character.

Yeah.

And I just, I think.

Yeah.

It's also great because if we're starting with the.

It's like a reverse carry because we're starting with.

Well, I guess there's also an incident in the.

But we start with an incident in a prom.

Yeah.

Because.

Yeah.

Billy sees Mary Louise not just kissing Buddy, but they're drinking out of a flask.

Scandalous.

And you know, you know, the whole thing they, they say in this line is the.

It doesn't matter who you go to prom with.

It's who you leave home, who you, who you leave with.

And she's just, you know, what she's just focused.

That's all I'm saying.

Is it cool to cheat on your boyfriend in high school?

No.

But I'll tell you what, it doesn't deserve a fiery death, I don't think.

Mary Lou was a in high school and apparently instead of, I don't know, Billy just dealing with it or, or leaving, or instead, as she's being crowned the prom queen, looking so gorgeous, she got what she wanted.

He's gonna drop a smoke bomb on her, which does.

It means he's in the bathroom because he got like a drink stain, I think, on him.

And so he's kind of at night and he's defeated.

And there are two hoodlums in there.

Ah, yeah, yeah.

Spiking the punch bowl.

They are going to release a stink bomb, but they hear the teacher principal coming in and so they throw it in the trash and scram.

So he's like, oh, I can get my revenge.

This will do it.

Embarrass her.

Yeah.

And he does not embarrass her at all.

Fire safety, everyone.

A lot of those decorations are pretty flammable.

And we find this because he's up at top.

Like, it's very much the I'm going to drop pig's blood on you.

But instead it's going to be a stink bomb.

The one thing the pig's blood did not do was burst all the decorations into flame and then fall down on the prom queen.

And there is an amazing fire stunt because Mary Lou goes off and no one helps.

Yeah, no, no, it is anything.

It's an incredible full body burn.

Like, the effects are incredible.

They do a wonderful job and nobody moves a goddamn muscle.

Yeah.

I feel like Mary Lou, like, turns around at one point.

Yeah.

In fire and flames.

Like, with this.

Look at her eyes.

Like, you bastards.

She immediately locks eyes and it's like you.

But everyone's horrified and just, I mean, buddy, he just, I think, kind of goes down on knees and like, won't look.

Yeah.

I don't know if, if it struck you like it did me, but did anybody notice?

I, I think the substance kind of cribbed a bit of this sequence.

I, I, I think I, I would not be surprised if that was one of the inspirations.

Like, aesthetically, like, I feel like Mary Lou here, there's a bit of monstro Eliza sue, like, that kind of like the dress and like this somewhat human form that is being kind of like, changed horrifically.

You know, also the level of confidence.

Yes.

They're both very confident women.

But, you know, I think you're right.

I would not.

Plus also that end of the substance, which we, I think we had said before was very Carrie.

Like, it's also very prom night too.

Like then.

Yeah, very much so.

Yeah.

It, it's, it.

I don't know why it just hit me on this viewing because I've seen it, I think probably another time since I've seen the substance, but I was like, there are a couple shots where it's almost frame for frame the same.

The way it cuts back.

It's, it just struck me this time it was interesting.

And although a prom queen went up in flames, I guess there was no investigation because next time we see grown up Billy, he's the principal of the same high school in which he lit someone up.

And I was like, huh, okay.

Wow.

That was just kind of like, like, you know, these things happen.

Proms go sideways sometimes.

What you gotta do.

Exactly.

It just happens.

And he had to be there to watch over the, the steam trunk that's in the prop room that for some unknown reason contains the, the disembodied soul of his ex girlfriend.

What?

Hi.

Hi.

Yeah, no idea about that.

Because later he goes to check it out as if he knew it was down there.

Yes.

And I laugh at him having the his, which I guess in a way, like the school picture.

So when, yeah, it breaks, right.

He knows something's wrong.

So I'm like, is this the first time she's kind of come out?

Yeah.

I, I, you know what I preach about this movie?

Is there things that don't make sense?

Yeah, but does it let it.

Stop it?

No.

It's like, no, keep going on.

Why is there a steamer trunk in the basement school that has like her tiara and sash?

Why would you keep that there?

Why?

I don't care.

Because we need it to be there.

Yep, your parents are real rough and your hair is rougher.

But that's okay now.

Dad's doing his best.

Mom is definitely a, a chip off old Carrie block.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The dad's just like your kind of pushover.

Like, I'm also not a fan of this situation, but I'm just gonna let it happen.

Kind of is this thing where it's,.

It's too late for me now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I, I, I love that.

So how she, Vicki kind of encounters this is like, I don't know, check the, check the dresses that are in our basement.

Like, like the school prop room.

Why not?

I love that.

That's just it.

Like, just.

I don't know, go check the stuff that was in school musicals.

I don't know, I don't understand.

But also, I don't care.

That was exactly.

It's just, this is how we're moving forward.

Could be just how she wanted to get out.

We can fill in some blanks.

Like.

Yeah.

I'm like, I'm not angry at it.

I think.

No, I don't want to over explain.

Never explain.

Keep going, right?

Keep it moving.

We meet the small cast of characters in the high school.

We've got the.

The overly aggressive girl who's going for prom queen against Vicky.

So great thing about her.

Wow.

Didn't realize because I was trying to look things up about this movie.

So Terry Hawks is Kelly.

She went on to do a lot of voice acting.

She did the dub for Sailor Moon.

She was.

Oh, no way.

Serena Usagi.

Oh, that's, that's, that's cool.

That's fun.

Oh, that is her.

But like the like, mean.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The mean version.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know what's interesting?

I'm like, oh, honey, you know what?

Mary Lou is a classic for a reason.

Oh, yeah.

She is a monster.

She was a menace.

She was cruel.

Like, it's one of those things where it's like, did Mary Lou deserve to get burned to death?

No.

But she was going to live a life just being a menace.

But yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, absolutely.

Was she gonna perform?

Absolutely not.

No, no, no, no, no.

I, I love Vicki's friend.

What's her name?

Jess.

Jess.

Yeah.

Like the art school one.

Not the, like best friend.

Because like, I love the 80s aesthetic that shows up.

And one of the one is her new wave fashion friend with the big hair and the.

I was like, oh, gosh.

Got like the blazers and just wearing it and just that particular, like I'm.

I'm the like alternative 80s person, you know?

Yeah, she is.

She would have gone to college.

She would have gone to college.

She would have gone to art school and.

Yep.

Like an art college and.

Yeah.

Wouldn't get out of what I assume is a small town.

Oh, yeah.

Yep, yep, yep, yep.

She would have been a ninth grade art teacher someplace looking like Ms. Frizzle.

Yeah.

Would have Fascinating when it comes to her, because her storyline.

I don't.

There are funny moments, surprisingly serious, but there is.

Yeah, our cast is very serious.

There are very silly lines.

I think 100.

There are so many dramatic moments.

But the unexpected teen pregnancy storyline is an odd choice for this film.

Yeah, it's.

It seems out of the blue.

I think I was expecting it, but.

Yeah.

No, it doesn't seem to, like.

Yeah.

Like, it doesn't matter that much because.

Spoiler.

Mary Lou does kill her, and it's kind of cleaned up, so.

So they.

They say it was suicide and it was supposed to be because of her pregnancy, but that could have been any.

Like, that didn't need to be there for the explanation to be suicide, you know?

Yeah, I. I felt like, okay.

I mean, I guess I don't think it needs to be here, but I.

Feel like it's very cruel for a slasher.

Like, I wasn't expecting.

And the death itself is kind of the type you reserve for somebody that's maybe, like, mean.

You know what?

Like.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Feels over the top.

Not only does she hang herself or get hung.

Kind of choked out.

She gets flung out a window, which is.

She almost.

Yeah.

And she almost gets decapitated by that, like, paper cutter.

We get teased by another kill, but they're like, we don't have the budget for this.

So it felt like that.

My only.

Yeah.

The funniest thing in the.

The Joe Bob thing is he called it death.

Death by producer.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's like, yeah, this would be the cool one if we take her out with the.

The paper cutter.

But we don't have paper cutter money.

We.

We have other stuff we have to do.

So instead we'll hang her from this light and then fling her out the window.

Because that.

That's just a mannequin.

We can do that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I guess the only thing I can think of is it is establishing Mary Lou and that what I think Jess's crime was was taking the jewels off her tiara.

That was.

Right.

Like, I feel like that was why she was taken out.

I'm like, okay, then that fits her character.

It's a cr.

But it's not because of, like, anything she did except for not knowing, like, is tiara Sash is haunted.

She would not know.

Yeah.

Because I'm trying to figure out, like, what this film's.

And I don't have an answer.

I probably need to watch it more, like, commenting on.

About sex.

I mean, it's the 80s, right?

Right.

Spoiler alert.

But like to the end, which surprised me.

Vicki and her boyfriend like survive.

Yeah.

It's surprising that he survived.

I was waiting for him to die several times.

Yeah.

Because that's not typical of the archetype.

Yeah.

But they actually.

He kind of.

Yes.

They don't break that rule.

He respects her.

Yeah.

I also think he becomes like the final boy because what.

The one thing that's odd about this is our final girl is also the killer.

Is also the killer.

So that gets muddied.

Like she's also the instrument of.

Of Mary Lou's revenge, you know?

Yeah.

Because I feel like Mary Lou, I'm like, okay, you would be fine with Jess because she's not having premarital sex.

Having a good time.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I just feel like.

Yeah.

Judgment on that.

She doesn't have any judgment on that.

It's.

You removed the.

Yeah.

Like the very cheap looking jewels.

But they were her.

I really do think it always comes back for Mary Lou in that like that moment was taken from her because that entire night was like whatever.

Like she didn't care about either of these dudes.

Right.

But she did care about being prom queen.

So she was not able to have that full moment.

So I really think that's because at the end that's kind of what brings it together.

Right.

When she get.

So I think.

Yeah.

I think Jess took those, those.

Those jewels and that's why she was a problem where she had to go.

Which is petty as shit.

But also a. Mary Lou's a high schooler.

She's a 30 year old ghost high schooler.

So fair enough.

That started as a bitch.

Complimentary.

Yeah.

You know.

Right.

And I, I can't imagine like.

Yeah.

30 Years in the.

The Foot Locker really mellow you out any.

Yeah.

So yeah.

And it's also just a really great contrast because Vicky is like a poodle of a girl.

She's just like.

Yeah.

She's just like a sweet milk toast.

You know, she's wearing the mom jeans.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So it's really a great performance chance too.

So as Mary Lou still starts kind of slowly kind of taking over Vicki.

Like you get to see her bursting out of like the.

The girl who wears like pink pastel lipstick all of a sudden calling someone a.

Right.

Which is always fun because everyone.

The bully.

Right.

So like, like half the fun of this film is just watching her.

Like there's something enjoyable about watching Vicky kind of like get a back about a ghost assisted backbone, you know, because like all of a sudden People kind of treated her like crap or nothing.

Is kind of like, mary Lou ain't gonna take that.

She doesn't care if it's 87.

She's gonna.

She's gonna still go see a later alligator and slap people the heck out.

Of her hair, though.

That kind of cracked me off.

That was hilarious.

What are you doing?

I'll fix this.

Why do I know more about the 80s than you?

Yeah, right.

It's like, this is.

I can't deal with this.

And then immediately puts her hair up in the next scene.

But neither here nor.

I think she's just enjoying, like, oh, man, it's been a while since I've been able to do my hair or anybody's hair.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So Jess dies, right?

Then we're just kind of getting.

The possession is slowly taking place.

And so the scares are more.

So, like, Vicki going, bye, bye, And.

And Miriam coming out.

We.

We get, like, one.

There's a lot of really cool, surreal scenes in here.

Like, this is one of my favorite things in the film is it just kind of goes hard.

So you start seeing Vicki starting to, like, see things weird.

You know, and she's having a couple moments.

She's drinking out of a water fountain, and it's blood.

And it's interesting because she kind of occasionally gets put into this, like, almost dream realm.

And I'm curious if that's, like.

Again, they never explained this, but it's like, is that where Vicky goes when Mary Lou comes out?

Maybe it's cool either way.

It's.

It's interesting because it struck me, and I was like, why is that?

It's the same people that did the effects for Nightmare on Elm Street.

Yeah, yeah.

Especially the.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The blackboard one, which we'll talk about.

Yeah.

There's a lot of echoes when it goes into that kind of CBC hellscape where it's like, oh, no, this is definitely influenced by that.

Oh, yeah.

Well, I was.

Was.

I. I was reading about this.

They said, super interesting that there's, like, seven years between this and the original Prom Night.

And of course, this was never written as a Prom Night sequel.

It was literally a separate movie called the Haunting of Hamilton High.

That.

Yeah.

But also what you can see is the style between a much more classic slasher that Prom Night is and seven years later how everything is very nightmare on Elm street, surreal dreamscape, because this is a slasher, but it's also like a supernatural revenge film.

Like, it's not as clear cut, you know?

Yeah.

And I like, I. I am a fan of the weird dreamy that's in.

And there's very unique kills.

Oh, okay.

I know our.

I don't know which physic.

There's a bunch of kills.

And I don't know if we're going to tell them in the right order, but I do like that the priest, our.

Our friend Buddy starts freaking the out.

Like, Mary Lou's back.

Oh, no, come on.

This cross will save me.

Hey, guess what?

Mary Lou don't give a shit.

He tells Bill because, yeah, two of them are freaking out about it.

And Bill, you know, is just like, all right, whatever.

Like, it's not real.

Right.

Or is he?

And at that point, yeah, he's.

He's not quite a hundred percent on the.

Mary Lou's back.

Yep.

And Buddy is just.

You need to prepare, you know, My faith will save me.

It's like, oh, Buddy,.

He tries to do like an exorcism and stuff.

And like, the Bible does not care because, like, he's trying to fight her that way.

Like an exorcism kind of situation.

Yeah, because I'm.

This is like the horse thing happened, right?

The horse in her room just before the possession is like, really, like, taking over.

Like, Vicky's kind of gone.

So it's like the creepy rocking horse in her room.

Oh, my God.

Oh, God, the tongue.

This is like the design of this thing where it just starts as.

Oh, my God.

Here's the thing.

I think it's just generally creepy that Vicki's got like this, like, rocking horse in her bedroom.

That's just weird to begin with.

But when its eyes turn red and it becomes this latex puppet and it's got this tongue that sticks out and wiggles.

I'm like, this is the best movie ever made.

Oh.

When it just.

The eyes start moving and it's like.

And it gets the angry eyebrows.

And I was like, no, no, no,.

We don't need this.

Yeah.

And that's coupled with her like, oh, I'm doing this, like, pencil sketch of myself.

And then she looks again and it's Mary Lou.

I'm like, here we go.

Here we go.

A wonderful drawing of her.

So I love what Mary Lou does is.

You know what I should do?

I should go to confession again.

That's one of my favorite things.

Because she is walked in that.

What happens is.

Oh, God.

Right.

Because Vicky the volleyball slammed in the face by Kelly with a volleyball.

And then her boyfriend Craig takes her home and her dad's like, we should take you to go see a doctor.

Because she lies and says that she fainted.

And her mother's like, no, she needs the Lord.

Mary Lou does not respect the Lord.

No.

And so then the carousel horse thing, I think happens and then she.

Yeah, she's like, well, yep.

Like you're saying, I'm gonna go do one of my favorite things.

Yeah.

Now with a personal touch, like, she did that to a stranger priest.

Now she's like, oh, hey, my ex side thing at the prom.

Right.

Like he didn't.

He didn't step forward once.

So I love that we get that echo of the confessional scene where he's like, oh, oh.

Because he figures it out pretty quick.

They're like, oh, no, Mary Lou's in there.

And yeah, I guess he doesn't have to be guilty anymore.

So that's.

That's good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He'll never have to be guilty again.

No, it's like there's no, you know, heaven or hell or something.

The worst thing about it is that there's.

Yeah.

Wings on the angel or whatever.

Yeah, yeah.

She's having such a good time.

She's like, I've waited 30 years for this.

This is fantastic.

She nails the one liner game.

She really.

Oh, my God.

Right?

Workshop those things.

Yeah, she had time.

She was thinking like, okay, when I get out of here, I'm possessing the first high schooler I see.

Quippy.

Yeah.

I like the thing that she could sense Billy was there.

She's like, the audacity.

The audacity of this asshole burying the.

Priest in her grave.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Because we find later when Billy's like, you know how I'm gonna deal with this?

I'm gonna dig up her corpse.

That'll do something.

Then I'll know that she's actually there.

Oh, God.

Instead it's like, hey, it's my love.

It's my rival dead.

Oops.

Holds him and he's sobbing.

Yeah, yeah.

He's like angry and then he holds him.

Yeah, it was pretty solid.

I appreciate that.

It's great work for Michael Ironside.

There's a reason he's in all these like low budge Canadian things.

Oh, yeah, He's.

He's having good I.

Now I'm.

I'm timeline wise.

All these like, really cool, fun, surreal kills.

The locker one.

Yeah.

With her.

Her.

Like her.

Not her new wave friend, but her like, more like regular.

Well, not chill.

Because she's.

She's the one who will tell a guy to, like, get out of here, asshole.

And then wonder why she doesn't have a date to the problem.

Which is adorable.

Hilarious.

Yes.

One of the funniest parts of the movie.

I don't know why anybody asks me.

Doesn't ask me.

Yeah.

Because there's an extended kind of stalking scene.

Because at this point, Vicki's fully possessed.

And I'll give the movie.

You know how I appreciate consensual boobs.

Yes.

And this is.

Yeah, this is just.

They just happen to be in the high school shower and bad Vicky.

Uh, well, I'm sorry.

Mary Louise has no qualms about just walking around fully nude stalking Vicky's friend.

And it's a pretty tense scene.

Yeah.

Like, because it's all through the lockers of, like, the changing.

Yeah.

And of course, you're very vulnerable after a shower, and the form of your naked friend is.

Is stalking you.

That's.

There's a lot going on.

There's so, like, her friend.

Because the nerdy guy that the friend is kind of into is like, she's possessed.

She's acting weird.

Something's going on.

He knows horror films, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And, oh, because she tells, like, Mary Lou tells her friend off for trying to be like, oh, it's the three of us, you know, you being Craig.

And it's like, no, girl, he's not.

So she's starting to realize, like, something is actually wrong.

And then a creepy science teacher, like, seals.

Oh, yeah.

And this gets a Bunsen burn to.

The crotch, I believe.

Powers are kind of coming in here.

I'm not gonna complain about that.

Use of the psychic powers.

Yeah.

Burn them.

But now she starts to realize that she's in danger, so.

Yes.

Yes.

When they go into the shower, you know, she.

The friend kind of tells.

Yeah.

Off and then stalks off into this shower.

And then.

Oh, Mary Lou is a.

An evil bisexual who.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah, right.

That scene went a little intense.

I'm like, is this, like.

Does this turn like.

Like, toxic Yuri for a second?

Like, what just happened here for a second?

Oh, my equal opportunity.

Oh, I wonder if there's some au to.

I'm sure there is.

Anyway, that scene went way different.

Yes.

And then, like, you're saying.

Then the stalking scene where she's like, okay.

Nope, it's.

It's gotten too weird.

Too much.

I know I'm in danger and I.

Do not want to kiss her, but.

I. I love or like, the classic.

Where do you go?

I'll just hide in the locker.

Right, Because.

But now you are trapped.

And there's that whole thing where you're, like, holding her breath.

And then.

And then, like.

Like, Mary Lou's just, like, running her fingers along the locker.

That's Mary Lou.

That's not Vicky Gold and Red.

And they're just like.

It's silly.

But, Gary, when.

When she's like, obviously she knows where she is, and she just goes like a whop bomb, a loop bomb, a lot bamboo.

And then crushes, like, with her psychic powers, the entire row of, like, lockers just crush in.

And then just, like, foamy blood comes out.

I'm like, ah.

So she also had, like, a quip for that.

She planned ahead with a song from her time period, you know, really a top 10 hit.

And I was like, oh, that's.

Oh.

But, like, that's clever and scary and just really well done, you know?

Like, it's not gory in that, like, all you see is blood coming out of it.

But you're like, Mary Lou is, like,.

Looking into the camera at you breaking the fourth wall.

It's like, yeah, you thought I was gonna walk by?

No, no, no.

These kids could just go to hell.

I don't care.

They're not my friends.

I have no friends.

I'm Mary Lou.

The only thing I want is a tiara.

Yeah, yeah.

And then right after that, she goes and tries to sleep with Craig, who her boyfriend, who was immediately like, this is getting weird.

This is not you.

Like, stop.

Yeah.

Who is also the son of Billy, the principal, which I think is interesting.

To match it, she's going for her old flames son, which.

Wow, Mary Lou, I. I appreciate the game.

Anyways.

She devolves anyways.

He's like, no.

Yeah.

It gets worse from there.

Yeah, it gets worse.

It gets worse.

But I appreciate the.

The pettiness of it.

Not just that it's Vicky's boyfriend, but.

Oh, oh, you're connected to Billy.

Oh, good.

I'm gonna mess him up and his.

And his son.

Because, like, you know, at this point, everybody's fair game, which I appreciate at that point.

Are we ready for prom?

Well, she goes and tells Billy, and.

She's kind of talking about Craig.

Reveals tense as if he's dead.

Yeah.

Yeah.

In the movie, Craig's so cool.

What'd he want to be?

Yeah.

Oh, she is.

Yeah.

Yep.

Yep.

So he believes.

Now, everybody, our friend Bill has now kind of realized, oh, oh, no.

Oh, no.

Sins of the past.

Huh.

Sins of the past are here.

Is that when she goes home?

Yes.

She gets ready.

Because the custom.

Bill, like, I love this.

I can't let my son get involved.

I'll protect him by smacking him with my shoe falls on cot.

Act of a loving dad right here.

You know what?

Here's the thing.

Are they Tim's chunks?

I feel like this is in character with Bill because I don't think he's the best at improvising as we've seen.

I think this is just in character.

He's.

He's.

He's doing the best he can, and that's not good.

He's been wearing those orthotics for 20 years and just realizes this is his moment to shine.

But.

Yeah, because I said when she gets back and she gets her.

She's getting ready for.

For prom, and then she kisses her dad.

Yeah.

There's that whole weird.

She's back on the.

The characters for a while.

Caressing it.

Caressing.

You know, just really.

They're friends now.

Really good friends.

Very.

Yeah.

Close.

Closer than you want them to be.

And he's talking about how hard he worked to take her mom to prom.

And then she just lays one on him.

And then the mom walks in and sees and is horrified and calling her all sorts of names.

Yep.

Yep.

She gets blasted through the front door because Mary Lou does not have time for this.

And be honest, I bet Vicki liked it a bit, too.

Yeah.

I don't think Vicky was against her mom being blasted through the front door.

She's probably like, okay, I'll give you that one.

Mary Alou.

I'll give you that one.

That was for both of us.

It's.

It's fitting for her to get blown through the door.

Like a quiet riot video.

Yeah.

I think that.

Really?

Really.

Yeah.

And now the big day.

And I love.

Oh, God.

You know what?

We forgot one of the really cool images.

The chalkboard.

Yeah, yeah.

As a part of Vicki's descent into Mary Ludum, there is just this great effect, which is like.

It's a blackboard in the classroom where she's in.

And at first you just see, like, I think it's chalk is writing, like, help me on it.

Like, oh.

And she goes up and like.

Yeah.

Like as if someone's on the other side.

Right.

And she goes up to touch it, and all of a sudden it starts swirling like a whirlpool, and she falls into the chalkboard.

Oh, you're right.

The hand hurts.

Right, right, right, right, right.

Which makes sense because the Guy did this effect besides he designed Freddy's glove, but he also did the wall effect in the first one of when Freddy's pushing out over.

So that makes sense that he would know how to do, like, the, like, stretchy thing.

So it's.

It's very effective.

It really.

It shows, like, that she's kind of losing touch with reality.

Mary Lou's messing with her mind pretty hard.

So I just.

I want to.

I want to spotlight that one because that's one of my favorite scenes.

Because it's just.

Why out of nowhere?

But it's just perfect.

It's one of, again, this dream nightmare.

I'm just messing with Vicki at this point because I can.

This one's for funsies.

And that's.

That's really where the.

The switch flips completely because she ends up submerging.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then it's.

Mary Lou's in full control at that point.

She is reborn, baptized into bitchdom.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

So now she's ready for prom.

So now she's like, that's it.

And the.

Along with the 80s pastels and Vicky's bedroom and her friend Jess's new wave, the neons at this prom.

Fantastic.

Yeah.

I'm like, oh, this is the 80s.

I feel like it's not.

Well, because it was made in 87.

It doesn't feel fake.

80S.

It feels like 80s.

80S.

Yeah.

You know, legit.

It's legit.

It feels legit.

It's like what this high school could afford and still esthetically produce, you know,.

It feels a lot like the malls at the time.

Like, my memory of the mall is exactly that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

There's stars and neon.

I think there are some grids.

Yeah.

There's gotta be in there somewhere.

There's no lasers because lasers were expensive.

But laser lights, definitely some neon.

Neon for sure.

A dangerous neon.

Then we get.

Oh, oh, God, I forgot the nerd's name already.

I'm sorry, buddy.

Josh.

I'm never gonna remember that.

Yeah, I think so.

We'll call him.

But I love.

Yeah, I love this 80s subplot of computers for tailing the votes.

Computers.

But it's like, oh, my.

It's the computers I used in grade school.

Because it's, like, the one color.

And like, it's the doc.

Dot, dot, Matrix style printing.

It's like.

I think I had that, like, art program where you had the little, like, stars.

Like, it looked very familiar.

It was really reminding me of, like.

Yeah.

And so he's that's his job.

Because he's the nerd.

Even go over that.

Kelly, the actual 80s high school bully, wants this so bad that she went to him to offer him money to cheat and he typed something out.

And it's the 80s, so you can probably guess what he asked for.

And she stormed out.

And that was earlier in the film.

Earlier, yes.

He had had plans to go with Vicki's friend who got crushed in the lockers.

They had a cute Monica going on.

Yeah.

And yeah, that doesn't happen.

Life's a joke.

And then you croak.

That's when he's perfect.

That's his.

Yeah.

Well, she.

Oh, is it.

Kelly comes back while he's at the computer because it's the night of.

She is unsure.

Like now.

Like, I got to make sure.

And something happens.

Which has a cute callback later.

What if Kelly is not announced as the winner?

I'll save it.

It's.

It lets you know exactly what happened.

So he's just like, you know, oh, that's fine.

I'll just type a new.

Because it's a computer.

I don't gotta, like, recount this.

I just gotta, like, type in.

Yeah, but unfortunately, Mary Lou has computer powers.

Yeah.

Y'.

All.

She instantly knows she's in the prom room.

Right.

She's not in the computer.

She's just standing near an outlet.

And you see, like, her face just goes.

Instantly.

She knows it got changed.

Right.

So she just like touches the outlet.

Yeah.

Yes.

By the way, I want to take a moment for horror nerdery here because this is real meta.

Did you happen to notice what Kelly's last name is?

I recognized all the last names.

I have a whole note.

Yeah.

Of Carpenter, Craven, Head and Lauder, Waters, Browning.

We'll go into that.

Yeah, I was gonna say.

Should we take a minute now?

Because that's where, yeah.

Kelly's last name pops up.

And I went, hey, I turned into Leonardo DiCaprio.

Yeah.

Kelly had Lauder.

Yeah, that's the one that really gives it away.

I think that and Craven, because I think the teacher's last name was great.

So, yeah, a lot of the characters have horror and genre director last names as like a little homage, which is always cute because it's nice for when the people who are making the genre film, like, genre films.

So, yeah, there's a Waters there.