Happy Birthday to Me

Certain films somehow manage to transcend mere popularity and achieve the much lauded status of cult classic. A movie of this sort retains its audience throughout the passage of time frequently gathering a new generation of fans. There are representatives of cult classics in just about every imaginable genre but it does seem the horror films are disproportionately represented. There is just something about watching a good, old fashion ‘slasher’ flick with some friends on a dark, stormy night. Add some beer and pizza and you got yourself an entertaining evening. There doesn’t appear to be quantifiable criteria to determine cult classic status; it depends more on the way the audience reacts than the particulars of cinematic construction. One such movie is now approaching its thirtieth year and has received a new DVD release; ‘Happy Birthday to Me’. This movie earned it illustrious place in the genre by the employment of a few plot twists and the inclusion of just enough of a mystery that puts it a cut above (pun intended) the usual slash and dash flick that has unfortunately become the dominate motif for the horror genre. The movie also managed to cast an actor from the golden age of Hollywood, Glen Ford, providing a little in the way of credibility to the movie. Like most cult classics this one has struggled to maintain a viewership outside the avid fan base. Many of the hard core, mainstream horror fan community hold the film in a degree of disregard but after giving it a chance I did feel it has its merits and provides a refreshing alternative to the mindless carnage and torture popularized by the more recent ‘Saw’ ‘and ‘ Hostel’ ilk of horror flick. This new DVD release has been targeted towards those out there who hold this movie with at least some degree of regard. Normally I feel it is cheating to include the box cover art along with the extras, in this case the artwork used is from one of the more noteworthy scenes in the movie replacing the bland cover used in the release from just a few years ago. The original sound track has been included which is certain to make the fans happy.

The screenplay was provided by John C.W. Saxton based on a story of his devising. Saxton had a few projects besides this but his list of credits is somewhat limited. One of the more positive aspects of this script is how it does endeavor to relate a story instead of just using the plot as a scaffold to tie together the inevitable and required gory scenes, the screenplay is reminiscent of those old EC horror comics that we hid from pour mothers, the horror in this story is more in line with a dash of very dark humor. This story presents the sinister side of the age old sociological phenomena of teenage girl cliques. The story takes films like ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Drams Queen’ to their deadliest depths. The use of even a modicum of plot twist enables the movie to separate itself from most of the genre and therefore away from the expectation of horror buffs. This may have contributed to the lackluster comments the film has generally garnered. This is undeserved since the flick does have something substantial to offer the audience.

Ginny Wainwright (Melissa Sue Anderson) would appear to have everything going for her. She is pretty, smart and comes from a wealthy, socially established family. Ginny attends the prestigious Crawford Academy as a senior and far more importantly the ‘Top Ten’; the cream of the crop, the elite students in an elite school. The group contains the biggest snobs on campus who gather at a local hangout, the Silent Woman, nightly to express their self proclaimed superiority. On her way to one such gathering Bernadette O'Hara (Lesleh Donaldson) is approached by a menacing figure whose identity is hidden from the viewers. The frighten girl manages to get away by playing dead and runs off, thinking she is saved by a familiar face only to discover that person is the killer. Just this inclusion of a touch of mystery id welcomed after sitting through and endless queue of mindless slaughter. There are also some nicely played variations on plot devices that have become hackney. For example elite teens always require some form of death defying pranks. Here on involving playing chicken with a raiding drawbridge Ginny was reluctant but forced by the others in the group and was badly injured. This required questionable, experimental brain surgery to save her life. It also opens up a plethora of possibilities regarding the identity or at least the nature of the mysterious killer. There is enough time given to allow the audience to form some doubts; much preferred over the usual back woods, inbred serial killers that relish killing off uppity teens. Points should be given to the film for the imaginative means of killing off the characters one by one this may not be the best the genre has to offer and some will find it a bit dated but it offers better than usual entertainment value.

Posted 10/11/09