Released: March 27, 1986
Director: Fred Walton
Screenplay: Danilo Bach
Tagline: "Don't let the joke be on you"
Cast:
Deborah Foreman as Buffy/Muffy St. John
Amy Steel as Kit Graham
Ken Olandt as Rob Ferris
Deborah Goodrich as Nikki Brashares
Leah Pinsent as Nan Youngblood
Clayton Rohner as Chaz Vyshinski
Thomas F. Wilson as Arch Cummings
Griffin O'Neal as Skip St. John
It's easy to classify the 1980's as the decade of the slasher film. The boom noticeably started with John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) and was further propelled to success by Friday the 13th (1980) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), not to mention each of their many sequels and knock-offs. A string of holiday-themed horror also sprung up around this time, most of them slashers, and there did not seem to be a holiday on the calendar that was immune to having a maniac serial killer stake claim to it. April Fool's Day, helmed by Fred Walton, director of the original When a Stranger Calls (1979), was one of many such films, but was better than most.
The film centers around a group of college students heading to their wealthy friend's island summer home to enjoy Spring Break. Of course, the island is only accessible by ferry, and when a series of April Fool's pranks go awry, a boat-hand is seriously injured and rushed to the hospital. From there, the mood begins to darken after one of the friends goes missing. The group splits up (because of course they do--it's a slasher movie from the 80's, let's be real), but the search only results in more guests missing…but their heads turn up in due time.
The film succeeds thanks to the efforts of the cast and the writing. The dialogue is clever at most points, and the characters are well-written and realistic enough that you come to like them even if they're not the most admirable of people. Most of the actors were horror regulars (Amy Steel from Friday the 13th fame) or unknowns, and this works to the film's advantage. Deborah Foreman's underrated performance is a fun viewing experience, balancing out sweetness and quirkiness in a way that has become all too familiar now.
"Three cheers for mullets and no muscle tone!
We love the 80's!"
As the body count rises and things escalate into a frenzied chase around the house, April Fool's Day moves into new waters and uncharted territory, throwing in twists, turns, red herrings, and surprise endings. Yes, that's plural. The ultimate revelation of the film has divided horror fans for years, either completely turning off some viewers, or sealing their dedication entirely. The twist is well-written, and is almost certain to surprise you, and offers a unique viewing experience in that you feel stuck, unable to move or think, for a solid 60 seconds after the final twist is unraveled.
Regardless of the ending, the film has a lot working for it, including an eerie soundtrack and a fast-paced script that turns the movie into an Agatha Christie novel on steroids. The only fault lies in some of the larger moments of tension, where the execution just misses the mark and leaves the viewer's heart rate ramped up without payoff. This is a dangerous drawback to have, however, especially in the horror genre, and it's likely what relegated April Fool's Day to the under-the-radar-hidden-gem corner of the world of horror. Not that that's an inherently bad corner to be in.
All in all, April Fool's Day is a great starter film for the horror newbie, or the practical jokester, though just be sure that you can outsmart anyone you watch this movie with, as it certainly gives one ideas…
"Play nice today, children…"
April Fool's Day (1986)
5-Totally Terrifying
4-Crazy Creepy
3-Fairly Frightening
2-Slightly Scary
1-Hardly Horror
