April Fool's Day

If you're looking for a fun film with a lot of twists and turns, then give April Fool's Day a watch. A group of friends go to spend spring break at a friend's house on an island her family owns. Of course this vacation happens to fall on April 1st. There's definitely going to be pranks, but as someone starts picking off the friends, it's quickly becomes a nightmare.

The whole movie keeps you guessing. It's a fun slasher, but with so many surprises. It's hard to say much about this movie without spoiling it, so just take my word for it and give it a chance. There's a couple plot flaws, but it does not take away from the enjoyment of the film.

Definitely not the typical slasher fare you might expect from the 1980s, April Fool's Day takes the ordinary slasher formula and spices it up - and in the process makes a much more palatable film than most of the films it initially imitates. A group of nubile teens(OK, not so different to begin with)go to their friend's remote island home somewhere in the Northwest. Here, they laugh, have sex, joke around because it is April Fool's Day, and, oh by the way did I mention, have sex. Although this part of the movie is pretty typical, it is well-shot compared to other films of its ilk and we do get some character development(not a lot) but some. Soon, people begin to die and things get serious. For a slasher film, this movie is very well-paced and, more importantly, is not over-the-top in blood and guts. The acting is uniformly average(something a Friday the 13th films craves!). What really takes this film beyond the mundane; however, is the stylish twist at the film's end. This, almost all by itself, allows this film to rise in the ranks. The ending is deftly done and does not look foolish or silly or forced; all of these things could have easily happened. So if you are up for some slasher fun, want to see some nice looking girls(Deborah Foreman and Deborah Goodrich), and are intrigued by a creative ending - April Fool's Day is for you!

Fred Walton's "April Fool's Day" is a bit of an anomaly in the slasher genre: there's very little violence. But even so, it's pretty fun, as a bunch of friends gather at an old house for April Fool's weekend...and they start getting picked off. Who's the culprit? The movie does have a few of the things that we expect in a slasher flick (namely a sex scene), but I literally did not see the ending coming. I'd say that the best thing about the movie is the scenery: it's filmed off the coast of British Columbia, one of the most beautiful places on earth. The whole thing is worth seeing if you're into the genre, and maybe even if you aren't. Watch for Thomas F. Wilson (Biff in the "Back to the Future" franchise) in a supporting role.

One of the more fondly remembered horror entries of the '80's is this unique gem that's much more clever and amusing than the average slasher film.

Young woman invites her beloved college friends to her island home for a weekend of fun, but everything goes wrong. A freak accident occurs, mysterious things appear in the guests rooms, our hostess starts acting strangely, and bodies are starting to pile up!

With its clever combination of Agatha Christie-type mystery, teen horror film conventions, and quirky humor - it's not hard to understand why this film has developed a bit of a fan base. Even viewers who don't like horror films may find themselves enjoying this witty and twisted little venture. Director Walton does well in giving the film an air of mystery and spookiness. All the more adding to the atmosphere is the lovely music score of Charles Bernstein. The film is nicely shot in beautiful British Columbia.

The true highlight of this film though is its above-average cast. While there are really no known actors in the cast, they all deliver great performances and bring their characters to a wonderfully likable light! Deborah Foreman, in probably her best performance, is great as hostess Muffy. Ken Olandt and Amy Steel are great as a couple trying to solve the mystery of it all. Clayton Rohner and Thomas F. Wilson are a joy as two joke-happy friends. Jay Baker, Leah Pinsent, and Deborah Goodrich are equally good in their supporting roles.

As the tagliner says, April Fool's Day is certainly a 'cut' above the rest of its kind. It's a fun watch whether you enjoy the horror genre or not.

*** 1/2 out of ****

I saw this for the first time over 35 years ago (and have seen it several times since then), and have always liked it!

It's quite an intricate whodunit, with a youthful touch - giving it the appearance of being a cheap Friday The 13th ripoff.

But there are good actors here, who play interesting characters that you want to know more about, and a story that for the first time viewer is pretty damn exciting!

In a large house on an isolated island, a group of young college students gather, invited there by Muffy St John, the future heir to a family fortune. She has planned a weekend full of April fools pranks, and so have the participants.

After a while, it seems that someone is hell bent on taking the pranks to a whole other level...

Deborah Foreman, Amy Steel, Ken Olandt, Jay Baker, Deborah Goodrich, Clayton Rohner, Leah Pinsent, Tom Wilson and Griffin O'Neal inhabit the island, and it is they, and Danilo Bach's story, that make this as watchable as it actually is.

Charles Bernstein's music adds to the mood, and I wish it had been used more.

-But, having said that, the lack of music during the first half of the movie is also what creates the atmosphere. The muffled sounds of footsteps, drawers being opened, and doors being closed, as the party-goers familiarize themselves with their rooms, feel uncomfortable.

And letting them make various unpleasant discoveries in their rooms, during complete silence, is effective.

The whoduni-story should mean that the replay value is low, but I've seen this a number of times, and still think it's pretty damn entertaining.