HF: The JLC1980 Trio

 In 1980, Jamie Lee Curtis appeared in three horror films. I watched them to celebrate this anniversary.

THE FOG

(John Carpenter)

I've seen this now about half a dozen times and it has become one of my favorites. Carpenter was really on a roll as a filmmaker from the mid 70's to mid 80's, and it's telling how great that roll was when this is regarded as the lowest point of that run. On the eve of its centennial ghosts come in the form of a mysterious fog to the California town of Antonio Bay. Curtis plays a hitchhiker forced into the chaos, and it's a nice supporting role. If there is a lead, it's Adrienne Barbeau. As the iconic night disc jockey broadcasting from the town's lighthouse, she brings elegance and vulnerability to the proceedings. It's one of my favorite performances of the genre, a statement I don't make lightly. The themes of the film, of America atoning for its violent past, play even better today. The cinematography, score, and Carpenter's direction give it a timelessness, like a classic ghost story passed down through generations. Also with Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh, and Hal Holbrook: GRADE: A 

PROM NIGHT

(Paul Lynch)

I watched this at some point during the slasher boom of the late 90's, and was thoroughly unimpressed. Given two plus decades went by, I decided to give it another chance. While I'm still not really a fan, I probably enjoyed it slightly more this time. I think most of the film just doesn't work, but it does come together in the final act. It just takes too long to get there. A few years after a young girl was killed in a prank, the pranksters are being killed one by one on the night of their high school prom. Jamie is the likeable final girl in this very Canadian production. Some memorable death sequences, but it's all too little, too late. It's at least better than 2008's awful remake. Leslie Nielsen also appears, and then kinda just disappears. He's actually pretty compelling in more serious roles. GRADE: C+

TERROR TRAIN

(Roger Spottiswoode)

Another Canadian production, another prank gone wrong, another whodunit, and Jamie yet again as the Final Girl. Interesting to note that this film came out three months after Prom Night. There she plays a high school student and here she's about to graduate college. Range! I saw about 40 minutes of this 15-ish years ago, I'm still not sure why I didn't finish it. I think I was just very tired at the time? This is a much more enjoyable 80's slasher flick about a fraternity's graduating party on a train where a killer lurks. It does have that problem that film's set on a train have where it seems like the "car" they are in is way too wide. Terror Train has its pleasures and the twist is clever even if the third act is a little too drawn out. Ben Johnson, David Copperfield, and horror hunk Hart Bochner also appear. GRADE: B