APRIL FOOL’S DAY (director: Fred Walton; screenwriter: Danilo Bach; cinematographer: Charles Minsky; editor: Bruce Green; music: Charles Bernstein; cast: Deborah Foreman (Buffy/Muffy St John), Leah King Pinsent (Nan), Amy Steel (Kit), Griffin O’Neal (Skip St John), Clayton Rohner (Chaz), Deborah Goodrich (Nikki), Jay Baker (Harvey), Mike Nomad (Buck), Thomas F. Wilson (Arch Cummings), Ken Olandt (Rob), Tom Heaton (Constable Potter/Uncle Frank); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: R; producer: Frank Mancuso Jr.; Paramount Pictures; 1986-Canada)
“A revolting teen slasher film from north of the border, that tries its darnedest to be witty.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A revolting teen slasher film from north of the border, that tries its darnedest to be witty. American filmmaker Fred Walton (“Homewrecker”/”When A Stranger Calls”/”The Rosary Murders”) keeps things unexciting. The horror spoof screenplay by Danilo Bach is noisy and mediocre.
A bunch of joky annoying Vassar college students vacation on the weekend of April Fool’s Day on a private island’s isolated mansion to celebrate the birthday of their neurotic college friend and family mansion owner Muffy (Deborah Foreman). Some practical jokers pull some pranks on the ferry crossing, which become bloody and scary. At the mansion Buffy pulls some benign pranks to lighten the heavy mood. This gives way to heavy drinking and the guests begin vanishing one at a time. Buffy and her remaining guests huddle together, as most of her teen friends mysteriously vanish. The survivors are nervously waiting for Monday’s ferry to take them home.
A twist ending lets us understand why things became gory.
A lesser version of April Fool’s Day was made in 2008.
REVIEWED ON 4/4/2015 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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