Horror

Graduation Day

- The Class of ‘81 is running out of time!

After the death of a high school track star during a race, a mysterious killer in a fencing mask begins murdering her friends and teachers.

Release Date : 1981-05-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Troma Entertainment

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Coach George Michaels

Original Name : Christopher George

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anne Ramstead

Original Name : Patch Mackenzie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kevin Badger

Original Name : E. Danny Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blondie

Original Name : E.J. Peaker

Gender : Female

Character Name : Principal Guglione

Original Name : Michael Pataki

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Roberts

Original Name : Richard Balin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Insp. Halliday

Original Name : Carmen Argenziano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dolores

Original Name : Linnea Quigley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tony

Original Name : Billy Hufsey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Officer MacGregor

Original Name : Virgil Frye

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sally

Original Name : Denise Cheshire

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doris

Original Name : Vanna White

Gender : Female

Character Name : Elaine Ramstead

Original Name : Beverly Dixon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ronald Corliss

Original Name : Hal Bokar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Badger

Original Name : Viola Kates Stimpson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Truck Driver

Original Name : Patrick Wright

Gender : Male

Character Name : Diana

Original Name : Erica Hope

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joanne

Original Name : Karen Abbott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Laura

Original Name : Ruth Ann Llorens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pete

Original Name : Tom Hintnaus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ralph

Original Name : Carl Rey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Aaron Butler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Singer

Original Name : Grant Loud

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paula Brentwood

Original Name : Linda Shayne

Gender : Female

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

**_Schlocky 1981 high school slasher, but entertaining_** After a high school girl falls dead from a blood clot during a 200-meter race, members of the track team are slain one-by-one. Patch Mackenzie plays the dead student’s sister, returning from the military, while Christopher George plays the harsh coach. E. Danny Murphy is on hand as the girl’s grieving boyfriend. “Graduation Day” (1981) is a cheap slasher that only cost $250,000. The high school setting is great for the genre, but “Prom Night” (1980) beat it to the theaters by 9.5 months whereas the parody “Student Bodies” (1981) debuted a few months after “Graduation Day.” Although not technically slashers, high school horror flicks “Carrie” (1976) and “Christine” (1983) are cut from the same cloth in spirit. The difference is that those films had considerable budgets while “Graduation Day” is decidedly low-rent; and it shows. Another issue is that the creators couldn't make up their minds if this was going to be a serious slasher or a campy parody. So they walked the balance beam between the two and it's an off-kilter vibe. But I got used to it and enjoyed the movie for what it is, a schlocky early 80's high school slasher. There are a several highlights on the female front, including Linnea Quigley (Dolores), Karen Abbott (Joanne) and Denise Cheshire (gymnast Sally). Even Vanna White shows up (Doris). The movie is overlong at 1 hour, 37 minutes, which is a tad too long to sustain a cut-rate fun slasher. Likewise, seven and a half minutes was probably a little too lengthy for the live performance of the song "Gangster Rock" by Felony, but it is a driving hard rock ditty and the sequence perks up the film. Besides, the movie kept switching between the live song/roller skating to the slayings in the nearby woods. Thus it’s assumed that the song either ran more around 5 minutes or the band simply did a longer rendition for the live setting, possibly because it was their local hit. Unfortunately, the lead singer, Jeffrey Scott Spry, committed suicide in March, 1992. Remember this: Once you’re dead, you’re dead for a looong time. The film was shot at La Cañada High School, La Cañada Flintridge, California, and nearby Pasadena (houses). GRADE: C+

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

_**Fun low-rent slasher schlock from the early-80s**_ GRADE: C+