History Film / PromNight1980

* FamousLastWords: "Saw it, saw it all. They did it, they killed her. They killed Robin! Robin!" [[spoiler:Alex Hammond]]

** [[spoiler:Nick]] is the only one of the four targets who doesn’t answer the phone and doesn't find his photo in his locker. He winds up being the only survivor.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: The main conflict. [[spoiler:Did Wendy, Nick, Kelly, and Jude hurt Alex by killing Robin? Undeniably. Do they deserve to die? Debatable.]]

* DeathOfAChild: The film opens with the accidental death of Robin Hammond.

* EveryoneIsASuspect: The killer was introduced via a shadow standing over Robin Hammond's body, so someone found the body and knows who killed her, but who?

* ProneToTears: Kelly, as shown when she starts to cry right after Robin is killed. In her last scene when Drew leaves her, she's about to start crying but doesn’t get very far before [[spoiler:the killer comes up behind her and cuts her throat]].

** [[spoiler:Nick]] is the only one of the four targets who doesn’t answer the phone and doesn't find his photo in his locker. [[spoiler:He]] winds up being the only survivor.

** [[spoiler:The principal, Mr. Hammond,]] has a strong motive since the deceased Robin was [[spoiler:his]] child, not to mention that [[spoiler:Hammond]] confiscated the ski mask worn earlier by [[spoiler:Lou Farmer]]. Later, [[spoiler:Mr. Hammond]] also conveniently disappears once the masked killer begins murdering students around the school grounds.
** [[spoiler:The bad boy Lou]] is a notably violent character and owns a ski mask that the killer wears. Wendy also believes that [[spoiler:he]] is behind the HarassingPhoneCall she received.

** [[spoiler:Alex's complaint that he smells like a girl's locker room. While treated as a "not liking girly stuff" moment, we learn that Alex '''was'' in the girl's locker room since he smashed all the mirrors and took one of the shards to use as a weapon.]]

* ImprovisedWeapon: The killer breaks a mirror in the girls' changing room, and uses one of its shards to kill Kelly and Jude.

* ProneToTears: Kelly, as shown when she starts to cry right after Robin is killed. In her last scene when Drew leaves her, she’s about to start crying but doesn’t get very far before [[spoiler:the killer comes up behind her and cuts her throat]].

** [[spoiler:Alex taking a job as the secondary DJ. The DJ’s box is the highest point in the dance room, meaning that Alex has a vantage point where he can keep tabs on everyone.]]

* TheSeventies: The prologue is set in 1974. The main events of the film are technically set in TheEighties, but because it's only 1980, it still has strong 70's vibes, complete with a disco soundtrack. Notably, the movie was still filmed in late Summer 1979.

* HarassingPhoneCall: The killer makes threatening phone calls to his soon-to-be victims. [[spoiler: The only one who doesn’t answer their phone call is Nick, who becomes the sole survivor.]]

* SlashedThroat: Kelly meets her death by getting her throat cut with a mirror shard.

* CampingACrapper: The killer makes his first attempt to kill Wendy while she’s in the bathroom applying mascara.

* CassandraTruth: Sykes tries to warn the party guests about the killer, but he is so drunk that he is taken away to the police.

* BareYouMidriff: About halfway through the film, Wendy is shown lying on her bed, with her shirt open and abdomen exposed.

* ActorAllusion: This wasn't the first SlasherFilm starring Creator/JamieLeeCurtis that involved [[Film/Halloween1978 an escaped homicidal maniac]]. Though said homicidal maniac turns out to be a RedHerring.

** The weird [[spoiler:[[CrustyCaretaker Mr. Sykes]]]] is rumored to be a [[ThePeepingTom Peeping Tom]] who spies on the female students in the gym lockers. There is also a scence in which [[spoiler:Mr. Sykes]] cleans up the broken glass, which the killer sent to each of the victims.
** [[spoiler:The principal, Mr. Hammond,]] has a strong motive since the deceased Robin was [[spoiler:his]] child, not to mention that [[spoiler:Hammond]] confiscated the ski mask worn earlier by [[spoiler:Lou Farmer]]. Later, [[spoiler:Mr.Hammond]] also conveniently disappears once the masked killer begins murdering students around the school grounds.
** [[spoiler:The bad boy Lou]] is a notably violent character and owns a ski mask that the killer wears.

** The escaped psychopath [[spoiler:Leonard Murch]], who got the blame for Robin's death six years ago, has a strong motive to be the killer—getting revenge against the kids who let him take the fall for a crime he didn't commit.
** The weird [[spoiler:[[CrustyCaretaker Mr. Sykes]]]] is rumored to be a [[ThePeepingTom peeping tom]].
** [[spoiler:The principal, Mr. Hammond,]] has a strong motive since the deceased Robin was [[spoiler:his]] child, not to mention that [[spoiler:Hammond]] has access to the ski mask worn earlier by [[spoiler:Lou.]] Later, [[spoiler:Mr.Hammond]] also conveniently disappears once the killings around the school grounds start occurring.
** [[spoiler:The bad boy Lou]] is a notably violent character.

** [[spoiler: Alex throws a dirty look when Lou and Wendy enter the prom. On the first watch we think he's glaring at Lou, for their fight earlier. But on the second, it's clear he's actually glaring at Wendy because he plans on killing her]].

* RedHerring: [[spoiler:The escaped psychopath Leonard Murch (who got the blame for Robin's death six years ago and has a strong motive to be the killer - getting revenge against the kids who let him take the fall for a crime he didn't commit), the weird [[CrustyCaretaker Mr. Sykes]] and Kim's father, who likewise would have a strong motive and conveniently disappears once the killings around the school grounds are discovered]].

* FamousLastWords: "I know. They did it. They killed her! Robin! Robin!" [[spoiler:Alex Hammond]]

** [[spoiler:Nick]] is the only one of the four targets who doesn’t answer the phone. [[spoiler:He]] winds up being the only survivor.

* MaleGaze: We get two gratuitous shots of camera following a female character's behind.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: When the children leave after Robin is killed, a shadow appears over Robin's body indicating that they are the killer. At the very end of the film, this shot is shown again but [[spoiler:the camera moves up to reveal that the person who found Robin was Alex]].

* TheSeventies: The prologue is set in 1973. The main events of the film are technically set in TheEighties, but because it's only 1980, it still has strong 70's vibes, complete with a disco soundtrack. Notably, the movie was still filmed in late Summer 1979.

* CoolBigSis: Kim to Alex.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We are not told where [[spoiler:Kim's dad has disappeared to at the end of the movie]].

* AssholeVictim: Wendy and Lou, who conspire to ruin the prom crowning of Nick and Kim for their own ends.
** Also, the guy who was wrongfully charged with killing Robin. Although he was innocent of that particular crime, he's still a rapist.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[spoiler:Easygoing Alex, who seems perfectly happy helping with the lighting at the prom rather than attending with a date. He's the killer.]]

* RedHerring: [[spoiler:The escaped psychopath Leonard Murch (who got the blame for Robin's death six years ago and has a strong motive to be the killer - getting revenge against the kids who let him take the fall for a crime he didn't commit), the weird [[CrustyCaretaker Mr. Sykes]] and Kim's father, who conveniently disappears once the killings around the schoolgrounds are discovered]].

* FamousLastWords: “I know they did it. They did it. They killed her! Robin! Robin!” [[spoiler:Alex Hammond]]

* InMediasRes: An example that doesn't become apparent until TheReveal, but [[spoiler:after Alex is seen at the school, the phone calls are made to each of the targets]].

* LadyInRed: Wendy's outfit for the prom is a glittery red dress.

* DeathOfAChild: The film opens with the accidental death of Robin.