I had a dog named “Muffy” once.
April Fool’s Day (1986)
Directed By: Fred Walton
The Prologue
After the list of Top 10 Slashers of the 80s were voted on by all of YOU, April Fool’s Day from 1986 made the list. Now this got my attention due mostly to the fact that I had never seen it. Of course I’ve heard of it before now, just never got around to watching it. But thanks to one friend and podcast listener named, Mike, I now have the chance to check this out because he sent it to me. The result of me watching this film was a little mixed. And I plan to get well into why I found it to be mixed. So, if you love this film (and apparently a ton of you do), I expect comments or emails defending your stance on this movie.
The Movie
A group of eight college friends gather together at an island mansion belonging to heiress Muffy St. John to celebrate their final year of school. They soon discover that each has a hidden secret from their past which is revealed, and soon after, they turn up dead. Yet, are they really dead? Or is it just part of some very real and cruel April Fool’s jokes? The hostess, Muffy, is the only one who apparently knows what’s going on. But then again, is it really her doing the killing?
April Fool’s Day starts off good and harmless enough. We are introduced to the characters, most a little on the annoying side of things, but whatever. They are on their way to a big party with their pal Muffy (I had a dog named Muffy once), and the tricks and the pranks are already in full effect. So, after a few of these it really steps up it’s game when something horrific does happen. You might think think things are up and cooking from that point, but things do slow down a bit as the plot for the rest of the film is setup a bit more. It was here that I was already starting to be a little bored, but I did hang in there due to the film’s cool atmosphere that it did seem to have.
A little ways after things are setup more, or according to the film the next day, things do get going better. People are getting killed, drama is starting to fully set in with some clues of a much more sinister plot, and it’s kinda fun overall. The fun is a little dwindled when the kills are more prop filled than gore filled. But I suppose you can take that and the fact that the character of Muffy seems rather bipolar at random times and connect it to the ending later. And before I get to the ending I will admit that the majority of what is seen before is a little slow and lite on gore, but fun and pretty nifty none the less (for the most part). But now let’s get to that ending, shall we?
I won’t spoil it, but I want to make it clear that I don’t just hate this ending, I LOATH it. Maybe it fits in with the film’s title and it’s a nice little twist that you never see coming, I’ll at least give it that. But it doesn’t add up overall and sets up a far more elaborate situation than I think is anywhere near the realm of possibilities. Forget logic, forget common sense, because we have tossed it all away from a cute little wink wink ending. And as “cute” and “clever” as some might think the ending is, I think it dragged everything we have saw before that point down until it’s pointless. Still, all things considered, I wouldn’t call this movie a bad movie. I just think it could have been much better if it had left the tricks in the bad and been more straight forward.
The Conclusion
Is it bad? Not really. But I don’t think I’d have this anywhere near an 80′s top 20, much less the Top 10. Some tricks catch the viewer off guard and this one does do that. It’s just that I feel it might hurt it more than it helps it in the full picture of things. Still, not a bad movie. And thanks a lot, Mike, for being kind enough to send this one my way.
The Rating (6.5/10)
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