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Tom's Guide
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 best 1980s slasher movies to watch after 'Fear Street: Prom Queen'
The 1980s were the heyday of the slasher movie, when dozens of films about masked killers slashing their way through unsuspecting, often teenage, victims made their way into theaters and onto video store shelves. That's exactly the vibe that director and co-writer Matt Palmer aims to capture in Netflix's new hit horror movie 'Fear Street: Prom Queen,' the latest installment in the 'Fear Street' franchise. 'Prom Queen' is set in 1988, and its story of a killer stalking the prom queen finalists at Shadyside High could be lifted wholesale from a 1980s slasher movie. I found 'Prom Queen' to be a fun, if disposable viewing experience, but as a longtime slasher-movie fan, I mainly felt inspired to go back and watch more of the real thing. If you're interested in checking out the origins of 'Fear Street: Prom Queen's" style, here are five of my favorite 1980s slasher movies to stream now. Easily the best '80s slasher movie (and one of the best horror movies ever made), writer-director Wes Craven's haunting, hallucinatory suburban nightmare introduces Robert Englund as supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger, a deceased child murderer who now has the ability to attack people in their dreams. Freddy is a horror icon, and Englund makes him instantly unforgettable as he terrorizes the teens of seemingly placid Springwood, Ohio. Freddy is matched by determined teenager Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), who is convinced that her classmates are being killed in their sleep, even if no one else believes her. Nancy is a fierce but vulnerable hero, and her inner strength in standing up to Freddy is what gives 'Nightmare' its emotional power. The subsequent franchise is uneven, but Craven's original film is a masterpiece. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Rent/buy at Amazon or Apple The first 'Prom Night' is a lesser Jamie Lee Curtis horror entry, but this quasi-sequel — which was originally produced as a wholly unrelated movie — is much more entertaining, with a campy sense of humor and a welcome oddball tone. It's the best prom-related slasher movie, featuring the ghost of a murdered prom queen taking her revenge 30 years later. Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Shrage) possesses the body of a current student and embarks on a reign of terror, all with the goal of being crowned prom queen once again. As in 'Fear Street: Prom Queen,' the title is worth killing for, and director Bruce Pittman stages some inventive deaths as Mary Lou murders her way back to the top of the social hierarchy. Watch on Prime Video Summer camps are a common setting for slasher movies (including 'Fear Street: 1978'), and 'Sleepaway Camp' is one of the most memorable, not just for its notorious shock ending. It's appealingly off-kilter even before then, starting with Desiree Gould's unhinged performance as the controlling aunt who sends introverted main character Angela Baker (Felissa Rose) off to sleepaway camp, where she's relentlessly bullied by the other campers. As Angela's tormentors start dying one by one, often in creatively gruesome ways, writer-director Robert Hiltzik keeps the audience on edge, questioning Angela's mental state and her status as both a victim and possible perpetrator. The movie's handling of queer identity is both bold and potentially problematic, but it looks more groundbreaking as time has gone on. The mix of sexuality, trauma and vengeance makes 'Sleepaway Camp' into a stark, brutal experience. Watch on Prime Video Noted mystery novelist Rita Mae Brown originally wrote the script for this clever film as a slasher-movie parody, and while director Amy Holden Jones presents it in a more straightforward manner, it's still full of sly humor. It might be a stretch to call 'The Slumber Party Massacre' feminist, but the filmmakers shift the perspective of the typically male-dominated genre, and there are plenty of opportunities to poke fun at the killer's very phallic weapon, a giant drill. There are also plenty of opportunities for the teen-girl characters to take their clothes off, as they get together for a sleepover at one girl's house while her parents are away. A massacre ensues, courtesy of an escaped murderer, but there are at least as many fake-outs as actual murders, and Jones maintains a playful visual style even as things get nasty. Watch on Prime Video The high point of the mostly glum 'Friday the 13th' franchise is this goofy sixth installment, which brings in self-aware humor to liven up yet another story about hockey-masked murderer Jason Voorhees taking out a series of interchangeable victims. The series has been around long enough at this point to have its own recognizable formula, and writer-director Tom McLoughlin toys with audience expectations, making cheeky references to the movie's own absurdity. McLoughlin also makes Jason (played this time by C.J. Graham) into a completely supernatural force, bypassing any need to explain his frequent resurrections. While past installments could be salacious and sexualized, 'Jason Lives' captures more of a throwback monster-movie vibe, making it almost wholesome in comparison to the frequently sleazy slasher genre. It's a lively, bright spot in a franchise that is more often grim and repetitive. Watch on Pluto TV
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
'Fear Street: Prom Queen' is a nostalgic horror that misses the slasher thrills
A terrifying scene from 'Fear Street: Prom Queen', which is set in 1988. Image: X/@mcumagik A little bit of nostalgia can be a sweet escape, but not when it's served cold and bland. "Fear Street: Prom Queen", Netflix's latest addition to the "Fear Street" franchise, tries to blend '80s camp with teen slasher horror but ends up limping somewhere between laughably corny and painfully dull. Set in 1988, the film follows Lori Granger, played by India Fowler, a shy outsider at Shadyside High with dreams of winning the coveted prom queen title. Haunted by a vicious rumour tied to her family, Lori believes that if she can snag the crown, she'll finally shake her bad rep and change her destiny. She's tired of being the town's punchline, so in a bid to reclaim her narrative, she signs up to compete against the usual suspects: the mean girl, the influencer, the try-hard, and the token rebel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Alongside her horror-loving best friend Megan (played with decent charm by Suzanna Son), Lori embarks on a journey that quickly takes a sinister turn. One by one, the prom queen hopefuls start dying because Shadyside, surprise, surprise, is cursed. Again. It all sounds promising, especially for slasher fans who enjoy a high school setting with blood-splattered prom dresses and cheesy one-liners. But where the concept screams classic horror fun, the execution is anything but. Director Matt Palmer goes for the retro look- neon lockers, dated pop hits, and big hair - but forgets the fundamental rule of horror: build tension. The film flatlines in the scares department. Death scenes feel rushed and uninspired, with little creativity or suspense. The film follows Lori Granger played by India Fowler, a shy outsider at Shadyside High with dreams of winning the coveted prom queen title. Image: X/@mcumagik The killer looks like they wandered out of a Halloween clearance bin, and even the goriest moment, someone fumbling with a door after losing their hands, is more comedic than chilling. Worse still, the characters are as bland as the plot. We're reintroduced to the typical American high school ecosystem: the stoners, the geeks, the plastic queens and the loners. There's no fresh spin, no attempt at subversion, just recycled tropes we've seen since the first Scream trailer hit the airwaves. Lori is sympathetic, sure, but her drive to become prom queen feels oddly dated and disconnected from any modern sensibility. In a world on fire, this storyline feels like it belongs in a burned-out VHS tape. Everything feels watered down. Even the big twist (yes, there's always one) is more 'meh' than 'mind-blowing.' Visually, the film does attempt to stay true to its retro setting. The outfits, neon lighting, and synth-heavy score do give a nod to '80s horror classics. But style without substance doesn't cut it. If you're going to bathe your film in nostalgia, at least give it some teeth. "Fear Street: Prom Queen" has no edge. No chills. No urgency. It feels like a horror film made by people who watched horror movies once and decided that was enough. It might appeal to fans of the franchise desperate for more content, but for everyone else, or most of us, it's a forgettable flick. In short? If you're hoping for a proper scare or even a guilty-pleasure slasher thrill, keep looking. This one's more prom fail than prom queen. Rating: ** significant flaws but some merit
Metro
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix horror sequel soars to number 1 after viewers stay up to watch
A new horror movie sequel has dominated the global charts on Netflix, despite scathing reviews and a dismal Rotten Tomatoes score. Fear Street: Prom Queen was released on the streaming service on May 23, becoming the fourth instalment of the terrifying franchise, based on RL Stine's book series. The latest slasher was set in 1988 and starred Ariana Greenblatt, Chris Klein, India Fowler, Ella Rubin, Suzanna Son and Fina Strazza, with Matt Palmer taking over as director from Leigh Janiak – who helmed the previous three. It followed students at Shadyside High as they prepared for their prom, despite dead bodies piling up around town. Fans clearly watched the new horror in their droves as it quickly topped Netflix's most-watched chart, with more than 10.7million views in the last seven days, and over 16m hours watched. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. However, the success may be a surprise as the Prom Queen sequel has been panned by critics and viewers alike, and currently commands a 27% Rotten Tomatoes score. Sharing his thoughts on the platform, Chris P fumed: 'It was like they took all the cool parts from a bunch of recent horror movies and put them all in one movie hoping it was pass as original. It didn't.' Christina B agreed: 'It was terrible. Terrible. Just. Terrible. Has absolutely nothing to do with Fear Street, or the curse, or anything. Just a basic slasher… but even then it was poorly done. 'Not even in a campy way. It was just bad. Cannot recommend, especially if you are a big fan of The Fear Street Triology [sic].' 'This show is an absolute stain on the fear street trilogy,' Alex B said. Gregg C commented: 'It's impossible to understate how bad this is.' Twitter users echoed similar sentiments, sharing their disappointment that they had stayed up for a 'snoozefest'. 'Stayed up to watch the new fear street and it was just mid,' Jenna wrote. Mika posted: 'Fear street prom queen is the worst movie I stayed up late to watch.' As Ria added: 'Fear street prom queen was a waste of time. Literally stayed up for a snoozefest.' The first three Fear Street instalments hit our screens in July 2021, with part one – set in 1994 – focusing on a group of teenagers battling against an evil force after a series of slayings. Part two was set in 1978, and returned to Shadyside as a killer began a murderous spree, while the third flick swapped between the 1600s and the 90s, showing the teens trying to save their town. More Trending The official synopsis for Fear Street: Prom Queen reads: 'Welcome back to Shadyside. 'In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school's wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. 'But when a gutsy outsider puts herself in the running, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of '88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.' Fear Street: Prom Queen is available on Netflix now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix fans rave over 'perfect cast' as The Thursday Murder Club trailer drops MORE: Matthew Goode insists Downton Abbey remark 'was not meant to be derogatory' MORE: This London Underground horror getting a reboot is your ultimate travel nightmare
The Advertiser
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Fun 80s prom slasher isn't Fear Street's crowning achievement
Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix, R, 90 minutes) 3 stars When we were all trapped in our houses during the pandemic and cinemas were strictly off-limits, Netflix dropped three horror movies in three weeks. The Fear Street trilogy was pure slasher joy, with some Stranger Things stars getting a chance to shine in a new genre, and several different time periods to revel in. The films had all the hallmarks of a slasher from the 70s or 80s and featured plenty of gnarly kills, plus some lore for the small town in which they were set, Shadyside. Four years later, we've been gifted another instalment in the franchise - Fear Street: Prom Queen. The series has previously taken us to 1994, 1978 and 1666, but this time we check into Shadyside in 1988. Prom night at Shadyside High is approaching and there are six girls vying for the coveted title of Prom Queen. But the film - written and directed by Matt Palmer, who was not previously involved in Fear Street - only really bothers to flesh out two of these contenders: protagonist Lori Granger (India Fowler) and antagonist Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza). Lori is a quiet and kind girl who is best friends with one of the class rebels, Megan (Suzanna Son). She doesn't have the vote of the popular kids or the stoners, but might pick up some of the other folks not tied to a clique. Holding her back, though, is her family history. It's long been rumoured that her mother, now a cop, murdered her father when they were both in their senior year of high school. Tiffany, meanwhile, is the typical popular girl, with a gaggle of followers trailing her like baby geese. These girls are also running for Prom Queen, but practically bow down in deference to their leader. Tiffany is wealthy and the daughter of a teacher (played by Chris Klein). She also lives right across the road from Lori. Our final potential Prom Queen is Christy (Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie), the counter culture girly with a pot dealing side hustle. She seems like the most interesting of all the contenders (a sure sign that she's not long for the world). This being a slasher, it doesn't take long for people to start dropping. And by people, we mean, of course, Prom Queen contenders. A masked figure in a red hooded rain jacket (reminiscent of that other killer fond of offing teens in I Know What You Did Last Summer) is stalking the young women, crossing out their yearbook pictures one by one as they're murdered. The film takes a little while to really warm up. The first few kills are enacted with relatively little tension. Instead of taking the time to draw the moments out and have the wannabe queens run around screaming and fighting for their lives, the first couple of kills happen in seconds. For a good 30 or 40 minutes it seems like Fear Street: Prom Queen is going to be a cinematic fizzer. The kills aren't all that engaging and the characters leave a lot to be desired. But about halfway through the actual prom, which does take up much of the runtime, things kick into gear and the film picks up. There's even a dance-off scene (which has to be the least skilled dance moment since Napoleon Dynamite) to Laura Branigan's Gloria which is fun and ridiculous. The final stretch is a pure delight for fans of the genre, with a couple of little twists and joyfully gory moments of murder and mayhem. Other actors rounding out the cast include Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Lili Taylor (The Conjuring), Ella Rubin (Until Dawn), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Rebecca Ablack (Ginny and Georgia). Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix, R, 90 minutes) 3 stars When we were all trapped in our houses during the pandemic and cinemas were strictly off-limits, Netflix dropped three horror movies in three weeks. The Fear Street trilogy was pure slasher joy, with some Stranger Things stars getting a chance to shine in a new genre, and several different time periods to revel in. The films had all the hallmarks of a slasher from the 70s or 80s and featured plenty of gnarly kills, plus some lore for the small town in which they were set, Shadyside. Four years later, we've been gifted another instalment in the franchise - Fear Street: Prom Queen. The series has previously taken us to 1994, 1978 and 1666, but this time we check into Shadyside in 1988. Prom night at Shadyside High is approaching and there are six girls vying for the coveted title of Prom Queen. But the film - written and directed by Matt Palmer, who was not previously involved in Fear Street - only really bothers to flesh out two of these contenders: protagonist Lori Granger (India Fowler) and antagonist Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza). Lori is a quiet and kind girl who is best friends with one of the class rebels, Megan (Suzanna Son). She doesn't have the vote of the popular kids or the stoners, but might pick up some of the other folks not tied to a clique. Holding her back, though, is her family history. It's long been rumoured that her mother, now a cop, murdered her father when they were both in their senior year of high school. Tiffany, meanwhile, is the typical popular girl, with a gaggle of followers trailing her like baby geese. These girls are also running for Prom Queen, but practically bow down in deference to their leader. Tiffany is wealthy and the daughter of a teacher (played by Chris Klein). She also lives right across the road from Lori. Our final potential Prom Queen is Christy (Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie), the counter culture girly with a pot dealing side hustle. She seems like the most interesting of all the contenders (a sure sign that she's not long for the world). This being a slasher, it doesn't take long for people to start dropping. And by people, we mean, of course, Prom Queen contenders. A masked figure in a red hooded rain jacket (reminiscent of that other killer fond of offing teens in I Know What You Did Last Summer) is stalking the young women, crossing out their yearbook pictures one by one as they're murdered. The film takes a little while to really warm up. The first few kills are enacted with relatively little tension. Instead of taking the time to draw the moments out and have the wannabe queens run around screaming and fighting for their lives, the first couple of kills happen in seconds. For a good 30 or 40 minutes it seems like Fear Street: Prom Queen is going to be a cinematic fizzer. The kills aren't all that engaging and the characters leave a lot to be desired. But about halfway through the actual prom, which does take up much of the runtime, things kick into gear and the film picks up. There's even a dance-off scene (which has to be the least skilled dance moment since Napoleon Dynamite) to Laura Branigan's Gloria which is fun and ridiculous. The final stretch is a pure delight for fans of the genre, with a couple of little twists and joyfully gory moments of murder and mayhem. Other actors rounding out the cast include Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Lili Taylor (The Conjuring), Ella Rubin (Until Dawn), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Rebecca Ablack (Ginny and Georgia). Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix, R, 90 minutes) 3 stars When we were all trapped in our houses during the pandemic and cinemas were strictly off-limits, Netflix dropped three horror movies in three weeks. The Fear Street trilogy was pure slasher joy, with some Stranger Things stars getting a chance to shine in a new genre, and several different time periods to revel in. The films had all the hallmarks of a slasher from the 70s or 80s and featured plenty of gnarly kills, plus some lore for the small town in which they were set, Shadyside. Four years later, we've been gifted another instalment in the franchise - Fear Street: Prom Queen. The series has previously taken us to 1994, 1978 and 1666, but this time we check into Shadyside in 1988. Prom night at Shadyside High is approaching and there are six girls vying for the coveted title of Prom Queen. But the film - written and directed by Matt Palmer, who was not previously involved in Fear Street - only really bothers to flesh out two of these contenders: protagonist Lori Granger (India Fowler) and antagonist Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza). Lori is a quiet and kind girl who is best friends with one of the class rebels, Megan (Suzanna Son). She doesn't have the vote of the popular kids or the stoners, but might pick up some of the other folks not tied to a clique. Holding her back, though, is her family history. It's long been rumoured that her mother, now a cop, murdered her father when they were both in their senior year of high school. Tiffany, meanwhile, is the typical popular girl, with a gaggle of followers trailing her like baby geese. These girls are also running for Prom Queen, but practically bow down in deference to their leader. Tiffany is wealthy and the daughter of a teacher (played by Chris Klein). She also lives right across the road from Lori. Our final potential Prom Queen is Christy (Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie), the counter culture girly with a pot dealing side hustle. She seems like the most interesting of all the contenders (a sure sign that she's not long for the world). This being a slasher, it doesn't take long for people to start dropping. And by people, we mean, of course, Prom Queen contenders. A masked figure in a red hooded rain jacket (reminiscent of that other killer fond of offing teens in I Know What You Did Last Summer) is stalking the young women, crossing out their yearbook pictures one by one as they're murdered. The film takes a little while to really warm up. The first few kills are enacted with relatively little tension. Instead of taking the time to draw the moments out and have the wannabe queens run around screaming and fighting for their lives, the first couple of kills happen in seconds. For a good 30 or 40 minutes it seems like Fear Street: Prom Queen is going to be a cinematic fizzer. The kills aren't all that engaging and the characters leave a lot to be desired. But about halfway through the actual prom, which does take up much of the runtime, things kick into gear and the film picks up. There's even a dance-off scene (which has to be the least skilled dance moment since Napoleon Dynamite) to Laura Branigan's Gloria which is fun and ridiculous. The final stretch is a pure delight for fans of the genre, with a couple of little twists and joyfully gory moments of murder and mayhem. Other actors rounding out the cast include Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Lili Taylor (The Conjuring), Ella Rubin (Until Dawn), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Rebecca Ablack (Ginny and Georgia). Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix, R, 90 minutes) 3 stars When we were all trapped in our houses during the pandemic and cinemas were strictly off-limits, Netflix dropped three horror movies in three weeks. The Fear Street trilogy was pure slasher joy, with some Stranger Things stars getting a chance to shine in a new genre, and several different time periods to revel in. The films had all the hallmarks of a slasher from the 70s or 80s and featured plenty of gnarly kills, plus some lore for the small town in which they were set, Shadyside. Four years later, we've been gifted another instalment in the franchise - Fear Street: Prom Queen. The series has previously taken us to 1994, 1978 and 1666, but this time we check into Shadyside in 1988. Prom night at Shadyside High is approaching and there are six girls vying for the coveted title of Prom Queen. But the film - written and directed by Matt Palmer, who was not previously involved in Fear Street - only really bothers to flesh out two of these contenders: protagonist Lori Granger (India Fowler) and antagonist Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza). Lori is a quiet and kind girl who is best friends with one of the class rebels, Megan (Suzanna Son). She doesn't have the vote of the popular kids or the stoners, but might pick up some of the other folks not tied to a clique. Holding her back, though, is her family history. It's long been rumoured that her mother, now a cop, murdered her father when they were both in their senior year of high school. Tiffany, meanwhile, is the typical popular girl, with a gaggle of followers trailing her like baby geese. These girls are also running for Prom Queen, but practically bow down in deference to their leader. Tiffany is wealthy and the daughter of a teacher (played by Chris Klein). She also lives right across the road from Lori. Our final potential Prom Queen is Christy (Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie), the counter culture girly with a pot dealing side hustle. She seems like the most interesting of all the contenders (a sure sign that she's not long for the world). This being a slasher, it doesn't take long for people to start dropping. And by people, we mean, of course, Prom Queen contenders. A masked figure in a red hooded rain jacket (reminiscent of that other killer fond of offing teens in I Know What You Did Last Summer) is stalking the young women, crossing out their yearbook pictures one by one as they're murdered. The film takes a little while to really warm up. The first few kills are enacted with relatively little tension. Instead of taking the time to draw the moments out and have the wannabe queens run around screaming and fighting for their lives, the first couple of kills happen in seconds. For a good 30 or 40 minutes it seems like Fear Street: Prom Queen is going to be a cinematic fizzer. The kills aren't all that engaging and the characters leave a lot to be desired. But about halfway through the actual prom, which does take up much of the runtime, things kick into gear and the film picks up. There's even a dance-off scene (which has to be the least skilled dance moment since Napoleon Dynamite) to Laura Branigan's Gloria which is fun and ridiculous. The final stretch is a pure delight for fans of the genre, with a couple of little twists and joyfully gory moments of murder and mayhem. Other actors rounding out the cast include Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Lili Taylor (The Conjuring), Ella Rubin (Until Dawn), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Rebecca Ablack (Ginny and Georgia).
Cosmopolitan
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Netflix's 'Fear Street: Prom Queen' Ending, Explained
Netflix takes viewers back to the fictional murder capital of the United States—Shadyside, Ohio—for another installment to the Fear Street movie franchise. The year is 1988, and the title of Prom Queen is up for grabs at Shadyside High. Six teens are in the running for the coveted crown: outsider Lori Granger (India Fowler), rebel Christy Renault (Ariana Greenblatt), queen bee Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza), and Tiffany's three "Wolf Pack" minions. They're also the girls at the top of the masked serial murderer's kill list. Fear Street: Prom Queen is a slasher that spares no one from the clutches of brutal, bloody murder. Innocent high schoolers and grown-ups meet their untimely, gory doom—on prom night, no less. But who survives the night? Is the killer put to justice? becomes Prom Queen?? Here's the ultimate breakdown of the end of Fear Street: Prom Queen. It doesn't take long for the Prom Queen candidate pool to dwindle. Christy already died a couple of nights before prom, and the Wolf Pack have been getting picked-off one-by-one as the senior prom goes on. First, Linda gets her guts cut out, and her date Bobby gets his hands guillotined off. Debbie dies via electrocution after her boyfriend, fifth-year senior Judd, gets his face sawn off. And Melissa—who we were just beginning to like after she stands up to Tiffany's bullying—gets an axe to the face, thanks to the tag-teaming of two red-hooded, masked killers. Lori and Tiffany are the last two girls standing, and haven't seemed to notice or care about the disappearance of their fellow candidates. They've been too busy all night, facing each other in a dance-off, gunning for the crown, and fighting over a boy named Tyler Torres (David Iacono). It's been clear throughout the movie that Tyler doesn't really want to be with Tiffany, who imposes all her expectations and plans for the future on him. He's really just with her because she rules the school. So when the queen bee gets taken down a peg after losing a dance battle with supposed cursed loser Lori, he doesn't see the need in keeping up appearances anymore. Tyler breaks things off with Tiffany, and heads straight to Lori—who he's been attracted to for some time now. Just as Tyler is about to kiss Lori on the dance floor, Lori's best friend, Megan (Suzanna Son), cuts in. Unlike Lori, she's been paying attention to the screams, the sudden disappearance of the Wolf Pack, and the glitching power lines. Instead of going to investigate with her best friend, she and Tyler head somewhere quiet where they can be alone together. The two find solace in the school's theater, backstage. Tyler wants to do more than just kissing, and Lori becomes hesitant, thinking things are moving faster than she'd like. She insists on going back to the prom, when Tyler gets abruptly stabbed in the head right before her eyes. After Tyler's death, Lori bolts precisely because her life depended on it. But she stops when she hears Megan's screams. She goes down to the basement, where her friend had just discovered the dead bodies of all the missing high schoolers and the school janitor. The two get trapped in the basement as the killer prepares to get them next. But after a close call, they make a narrow escape through a basement window—which winds up injuring Megan's hand. After surviving the near-death experience together, the besties run straight into prom to try and warn everyone else about what's going on. Just as she bursts through the doors of the gymnasium and runs into the crowd, the announcement is made that Lori Granger has won the title of Prom Queen. But instead of tears of joy, her face is running with tears from fear of the killer chasing her and Megan. She and Megan try to warn everyone, but nobody listens before the killer takes the lives of two more student, and amputates the principal. A whole fight scene ensues and Lori is once again close to the kiss of death when Megan comes to her rescue. Then, when Megan's life goes under threat, Lori uses her newly-garnered crown as a weapon and pierces the killer's eye. This is when they catch the killer, whose identity is then revealed as Dan Falconer (Chris Klein)—Tiffany's father, and teacher at Shadyside High. This comes as a shock to everyone. His reason for doing it? Dan says that his murderous rampage was all for Tiffany and his wife Nancy (Katherine Waterston), because he knew how badly they wanted to win the crown. His own wife then suggests that the school call the cops, and Dan is taken away in handcuffs. After the cops come, the dead bodies are taken away, injured people (including Megan) are taken to the hospital, and Nancy Falconer is told to hang back for questioning. This leaves Tiffany in shock and alone. When the police officers offer her a ride home, it's clear that she's still scared and in need of company, and Lori (who lives right across from her) volunteers to ride with her. In the car, we see what looks to be a change of heart in the mean girl. She apologizes to Lori, and says that the pressure from her parents to succeed and win is what got to her head. All is forgiven, and when the officers offer to keep Tiffany company, Tiffany tells Lori not to leave and the Shadyside Prom Queen decides to stay until Mrs. Falconer gets home. When Nancy Falconer gets home, the two teens are fast asleep in Tiffany's bedroom. But the sound of her climbing up the stairs wake them. She has a knife in hand, ready to finish what her husband started at the school. Both Lori and Tiffany run into another room to hide in a closet, and Tiffany goes into a scared rant which immediately shifts into a mischievous monologue. Tiffany then pulls out a small knife from behind her, and Lori quickly realizes that mother and daughter are on the same side. We find out that the real reason why they despise the Grangers, why Tiffany insists on bullying Lori, and why they want to kill her is because Lori's father (who was a handsome golden boy from uppity town Sunnyvale) left Nancy Falconer for Lori's mother Rosemary Granger. And while Rosemary (Joanne Boland) has been accused of killing the Sunnyvaler after getting her pregnant and supposedly leaving her, Nancy confesses that the truth: she had actually killed him. Just as Nancy comes in for the kill, Tiffany says she wants to do the honors. But Lori is able to gather all the strength she has to kick Tiffany of off her, which launches her arch nemesis flying down the stairwell where a falcon statue's sharp wing goes straight through her. Lori is then chased by the last Falconer standing, but she is able to grab a heavy trophy that knocks Nancy down to the ground. In the mid-credits, we see Nancy lying on the ground, bleeding from her head injury. And we see her blood pooling on the carpet forming the Witch's Mark (also known as the Devil's Mark). This is a reference to the rest of the Fear Street trilogy. It hints that Nancy is somehow connected to the Goode family, who made a deal with the devil to secure their status and the prosperity of Sunnyvale by sacrificing the lives of Shadysiders. If you want to learn more, you might want to watch the trilogy (or read through the original book series by R.L. Stine). And expect more Fear Street to come, because Netflix is set to release three more confirmed films to follow Prom Queen.
