final exam

An amateurish mix of Halloween and Animal House produced at the height of the slasher craze, Final Exam (1981) is nevertheless an appealing sort of horror film comfort food. With minimal flashes of nudity, barely any blood and a killer who couldn’t even afford a hockey mask, the film won’t earn many thrills or chills. But its nostalgic appeal is inherent in the cast of stereotypical jocks, nerds, sluts and virgins who make up the slasher mythology.

In fact, the opening sequence – with two co-eds getting busy in the backseat of a car – plays almost like the genre spoof Student Bodies which came out the same year. But Final Exam is more earnest in its attempts to craft a compelling story. That it fails to do so at almost every turn is what makes it so entertaining.

After a fraternity stages a phony terrorist attack during pledge week, the local sheriff isn’t taking calls about serial killers very seriously. Which is too bad, because a psycho actually is stalking the campus, picking off those foolish enough to get caught alone after dark. Courtney (Cecile Bagdadi) is our obvious “final girl,” not quite as good-looking or vacuous as her sorority friends. She’s surrounded by a bevy of victims, including Radish (Joel S. Rice), a serial killer obsessed geek who cries wolf one too many times.

As for the psycho himself, that might be Final Exam’s most glaring flaw. Although he’s kept off screen for most of the running time, when the knife-wielding maniac finally does appear he looks like an out-of-shape gas station attendant…minus the Captain Kirk mask. Director Jimmy Huston recreates John Carpenter’s famous Halloween score and stays out of legal trouble by shifting a note or two. But he doesn’t have enough skill to mimic much else.

To enjoy Final Exam requires a deep appreciation of the slasher film structure and all the clichés that go along with it. If this means you, then the film is akin to 1-½ hours of catching up with old friends. If not, best wait for the 30-year reunion.

Scream Factory’s blu-ray kicks off the company’s “Summer of Fear” which includes several other ‘80s favorites. If they all look as good as this, we’re in for one hell of a good time! The transfer is spot-on in almost every respect, looking equally brilliant in both day and nighttime scenes. Extras include three short interviews from cast members and an accompanying audio commentary.