Directed by
Bruce Pittman
Made by
The Samuel Goldwyn Company
In 1957, during a high school prom, Billy Nordham discovers his date, Mary Lou Maloney, in a compromising position with another student, Buddy Cooper. This betrayal leads to a bitter breakup, as Mary Lou admits she was merely using him for popularity. In a fit of rage, Billy decides to disrupt the ceremony by throwing a stink bomb onto the stage. However, his prank goes horribly wrong as the bomb ignites Mary Lou’s dress, leading to her tragic death in front of a shocked audience. In her final moments, she locks eyes with her assailant, Billy.
Fast forward 30 years, we meet Vicki Carpenter, who searches for a dress in the school prop room after her overly strict mother denies her a new one. In her quest, Vicki stumbles upon a trunk filled with the cape and crown meant for Mary Lou, unknowingly unleashing her vengeful spirit as she leaves the items behind overnight. That fateful night, Vicki’s friend Jess becomes the first victim of the resurrected Mary Lou when she attempts to take the jewels from the crown; tragically, her death is misconstrued as a suicide attributed to an unwanted pregnancy.
As Vicki confronts increasingly surreal and disturbing visions involving Mary Lou, she reaches out to Buddy, who is now a priest. The situation escalates when Buddy’s bible unexpectedly ignites after he tries to bless Mary Lou’s grave, sending him into a panic. He turns to Billy, who has become the high school principal for help, but Billy dismisses Buddy’s claims of Mary Lou’s return.
Vicki finds herself in detention after unintentionally slapping her rival, Kelly Henenlotter, during another of her hallucinations. In this detention, Vicki unwittingly becomes possessed by Mary Lou as she literally pulls the spirit through a blackboard that transforms into a whirlpool. Later, she confronts Buddy at church and, under the influence of Mary Lou, kills him before anyone can step in to help.
The next day, Vicki’s friends begin to notice her drastic change in behavior and fashion. One of them, Monica, confronts her in the locker room, only to meet a swift demise. Vicki embraces her dark transformation, taunting Billy about her possession, while he discovers Mary Lou’s corpse is mysteriously missing from her grave, replaced by Buddy’s.
At the prom, desperate for the title of prom queen, Kelly seduces Josh, who has control over the voting results. When he manipulates the votes to make Kelly the winner, Vicki, now fully aligned with Mary Lou’s spirit, retaliates by electrocution through his computer, reversing the outcome. As Vicki is crowned prom queen, Billy, in a fit of desperation, shoots her multiple times in front of the horrified crowd. Immediately after, the fully resurrected Mary Lou bursts forth from Vicki, unleashing chaos and claiming Kelly as yet another victim.
As Mary Lou’s wrath escalates, she sets her sights on Craig, Billy’s son, chasing him into the prop room with a malevolent intent to drag him to the underworld using the trunk that once contained her spirit. In a surprising turn, Billy intervenes with Mary Lou’s crown, seemingly pacifying her horrific spree. Once free of possession, Vicki emerges from the trunk, reuniting with Craig, while Billy offers to drive them home, assuring their safety. However, in a chilling twist, once they are all in the car, Billy reveals that he, too, is now possessed by Mary Lou, leaving Vicki and Craig in sheer terror as he drives off into the night.
High School Prom Betrayal
In 1957, during a high school prom, Billy Nordham discovers his date, Mary Lou Maloney, in a compromising position with Buddy Cooper. This shocking revelation results in a bitter breakup, leaving Billy heartbroken and enraged, as he learns that Mary Lou was using him merely for popularity.
The Stink Bomb Incident
In retaliation for Mary Lou's betrayal, Billy throws a stink bomb onto the stage during the prom ceremony. Unfortunately, the prank backfires when the bomb ignites Mary Lou’s dress, leading to her tragic death in front of a horrified audience, forever binding their fates.
30 Years Later - Vicki's Quest
Fast forward to 1987, and we meet Vicki Carpenter searching for a dress in the school prop room after her strict mother denies her a new one. During her search, she accidentally discovers a trunk filled with Mary Lou's cape and crown, unwittingly triggering the resurgence of Mary Lou's vengeful spirit.
The First Victim
That fateful night, Vicki's friend Jess becomes the first casualty of Mary Lou’s vengeful return. In a misguided attempt to take jewels from the crown, Jess meets a tragic fate, which is later wrongfully deemed a suicide linked to an unwanted pregnancy.
Buddy the Priest
As Vicki grapples with disturbing visions of Mary Lou, she reaches out to Buddy Cooper, who is now a priest. However, the tension rises when Buddy's Bible ignites unexpectedly while attempting to bless Mary Lou’s grave, leading him to seek Billy’s help.
Detention and Possession
After unintentionally slapping her rival Kelly, Vicki finds herself in detention. In a shocking turn of events, Mary Lou's spirit possesses Vicki during this time, pulling her through a blackboard that transforms into a whirlpool, intensifying her transformation.
Confrontation at Church
Under Mary Lou’s influence, Vicki confronts Buddy at church resulting in a tragic turn where she kills him. This act further deepens Mary Lou's hold on Vicki, reflecting the chaos that is unraveling around her.
Drastic Changes and Friend's Fate
The next day, Vicki's friends notice her drastically altered behavior and fashion sense. When Monica confronts her in the locker room, she falls victim to the dark forces surrounding Vicki, meeting a swift demise as a result of Mary Lou's possession.
The Prom Queen Scheme
At the prom, Kelly seduces Josh, who manipulates voting results to make her the prom queen. Vicki, now completely aligned with Mary Lou, retaliates by using electricity to reverse the outcome, resulting in her crowning as prom queen.
The Fiery Descent
Vicki’s crowning is cut short when Billy, in a fit of desperation, shoots her multiple times in front of a terrified audience. In this moment, Mary Lou fully resurrects from Vicki, releasing chaos at the prom and claiming Kelly as her next victim.
Craig's Danger
As Mary Lou's wrath intensifies, she targets Craig, Billy's son, dragging him into the prop room with malicious intent. In a surprising moment, Billy intervenes, using Mary Lou's crown to seemingly calm the situation while seeking to protect his son.
The Chilling Twist
After restoring order, Vicki emerges from the trunk and reunites with Craig. However, in a shocking reveal, Billy acknowledges that he too is now possessed by Mary Lou, sending Vicki and Craig into sheer terror as he drives them into the dark night.
Vicki Carpenter
Vicki is a high school senior who transitions from an obedient daughter to a vessel of Mary Lou's vengeful spirit. Her character illustrates the struggles of teenage identity and the desire for acceptance, culminating in a dark transformation as she grapples with her limits and the influence of Mary Lou.
Billy Nordham
Billy is portrayed as a troubled individual haunted by his actions during the original prom night. As the current high school principal, he represents the weight of guilt and the pursuit of redemption, ultimately succumbing to possession himself and revealing the cyclical nature of trauma.
Mary Lou Maloney
Mary Lou is the vengeful spirit whose tragic past drives the horror of the film. Originally a character seeking popularity, her transformation posthumously reflects on the darker sides of human ambition and the consequences of superficial desires.
Time period
1957, 1987
The film spans two significant time periods: the original tragic prom night in 1957 and the resurgence of Mary Lou's spirit in 1987. The 1950s are characterized by traditional values and teenage innocence, while the 1980s reflect a more rebellious youth culture, amplifying the horror elements and dark comedy motifs.
Location
High School, Prom Venue
The movie primarily takes place in a high school and its prom venue, a setting where teenage emotions and social dynamics play out. The high school serves as the backdrop for both past and present events, encapsulating themes of betrayal, ambition, and revenge, while the prom venue becomes the site of a tragic culmination of these themes.
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Betrayal
Betrayal is a central theme, illustrated through Billy's discovery of Mary Lou's deceitful behavior and her superficial motives. This betrayal not only leads to tragic consequences for both Mary Lou and Billy, but also sets in motion the vengeful spirit that haunts the subsequent events of the film.
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Vengeance
The theme of vengeance dominates the storyline as Mary Lou’s spirit seeks retribution for her untimely death. Her return proves destructive to those who wronged her, showcasing the consequences of unresolved pain and the horror that ensues when hauntings blend with teenage life.
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Possession
The film explores themes of possession, both literal and metaphorical, as Vicki becomes the vessel for Mary Lou’s spirit. This possession signifies a transformation and loss of control, highlighting the dangers of external influences on identity and personal choice.
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