Final Exam (1981) The Forgotten 'Halloween' Inspired Slasher | Review/Retrospective
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- It's always a great day when I get to review an 80s SLASHER, especially one for 1981. Final Exam takes a bevy of cues from Halloween, but also creates its own voice thanks to the embedded southern likability factor, and a ruthless killer. #FinalExam #Horror
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It was fun playing the "Killer" in Final Exam. So glad a lot people liked it. Wish it was more popular to get it into a Con some day.
Fantastic job good sir!
Thank you.@@DrumdumsMovieReviews
And Yes I did catch the arrow. As a real marital artist I wanted to show that it could be done. Jerry Rushing who plays the coach is a North Carolina archery champ he fired the arrow up at me. We practiced outside for a couple hours but I couldn't catch the arrow. All I could do is knock down. Jimmy Huston told me "If we have to we'll throe it at you"> I said no - I have to try. He said "OK ...it's a thousand dollars a take...Up to you". When we finally got to the arrow scene Jerry shot it up at me and that was the key. Outside all I could see was a pinpoint coming toward me and I couldn't grab it in time. In the tower it was coming up at me at angle and I saw the whole arrow. I grabbed it on the first try and was so happy i ruined the take by yelling out "YES"! Caught if 5 out of 7 times.@@DrumdumsMovieReviews
You looked a bit like anton chigurc from no country for old men a bit in this movie, you were a highlight of the film though!
The more you review 1981 horror movies the more I believe how right you are, Lee !!!!!! 1981 was the best year for horror, so many classics, Halloween 2, Friday the 13th part 2, the prowler, my bloody Valentine, the evil dead, the funhouse, etc !!!!!! Crazy !!!!!
Prowler reimagining might be happening.
Yeah man it's a stellar year.
Eyes Of A Stranger.
@@jamespope7669wait bitch what?! I never knew that that would be so cool
Please do these 80's slashers retrospectives more often, like once a week/2 weeks. I love them so much and all those teen slashers mean so much to me :)
Will do...and thank you!
Man, I'm an 80's guy big into horror and never heard of this one. Thanks Lee, gonna give it a watch!
Welcome!
Check it out. Bad and lame but fun and entertaining👍
1981 and 1980s in general was the prime decade for slashing films and horror films. All of us fans know this and we really appreciate you Lee for reviewing some of these retro movies. Keep up the good work.
Plenty more to come!
Love when you deep dive into my territory, early 80s flicks. Is Final Exam good? No. Is it fun to watch? Yes!
Thank you Joe!
Final Exam is bloody great and I wish that a sequel would happen. 😀👍
I think there trying to get a sequel made now
Oh the 1980s was the Golden Age of the slasher movie.
Yes the 80s will never be topped in terms of Horror. Especially slashers.
Been waiting on this one. Great review
Thank you!!
Thank you for reviewing this. It is one that alot of people don't remember. I saw this at a drive in movie theater in 1981. I always liked how the killer just showed up and started killing.
Damn you saw this at the drive-in? So jealous!!
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Under the moonlight in Lexington Ky. 1981 was one hell of a year for Horror. I was seeing something new every weekend
Thanks for convincing me to give this one a chance. I watched it and really enjoyed it.
Welcome Rick!
Final Exam along with Dorm that dripped blood, Graduation day, Splatter University, Rush week, Slaughter High, Girls nite out, Night school, Cheerleader camp, Initiation, Happy birthday to me, Tourist trap, Madman, Hell night, Fatal games, were all fun. These are the movies that should get the reboot/reimagine treatment.
So many great ones. I have Dorm that Dripped Blood on blu. Still need to watch it.
Great review! You beat me to it (working on my own retrospective for July). Something must be in the air ....
Awesome brother! Can’t wait for your retrospective!
Final Exam has been a part of my collection for some time now. great fun!
I bought the blu-ray immediately after watching it on Shudder Mason.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews A worthy addition to the Drumdums library of horrors.
I love a good 80s slasher. This one has been on radar as well. So now thanks to you I'll have to check it out
I think you'll dig it.
I just recently watched this one. That staged school shooting though. It's Halloween at college. I think I'm going to revisit all of the 80's and early 90's college slashers.
Radish Girl for life over here! Saw this on VHS at a sleepover and joined the fanclub😂
Nice Katie!!
Just watched this for this first time tonight and your review nailed it! I’m getting the Blu Ray, for the reason you mentioned. this seems like a movie that could slip through time.
Yeah man now more than ever we need to buy those deep cuts. Who knows how long they'll be around.
Another possible Randy Meeks inspiration is Mike from the 1991 horror movie There’s Nothing Out There”. Great B horror comedy about a group of high school friends who encounter a deadly alien frog while on spring break.
Ooh I'll have to look that one up.
I've never even heard of this. Will check out tonight 😊
Do it!
Nice Review Mr. Lee
I Hope You Continue Reviewing These Old 80’s Forgotten Gems
I Have Seen This
I Remember The Whole Fake Shooting Scene
I Don’t Think They’d Ever Try To Recreate That
In A Way I Think This Movie Inadvertently Predicted The Future In A Strange Way
Makes My Head Wobble Thinking About It
Thanks For The Info About It Being On Shudder
I Think I’m Due For A Rewatch
Yeah as a high school student in the 80s myself, I don't remember too many school shootings happening back then.
1981 is the year!!!! Gonna watch this 🍿
Yes. Can't beat 81. Don't even try.
Just finished watching this! Lots of fun
Definitely!
Randy listed the Final Exam as an iconic horror movie while on the phone with Ghostface right before his death in Scream 2. I wonder if Wes Craven did that purpose.
That's too cool.
That gymnasium scene and kill with the scoreboard is still effective to this day...one of the coolest scenes in slasher history!!
Yes and I heard the actor was actually choking. Pretty crazy.
Great review, dude. Funnily enough, when I watched it again on Saturday I laughed out loud at that Radish line.
Dark Force Entertainment has just released it in 4K. The PQ is superb but they didn't port over the extras from the Scream Factory, so it's worth owning both copies anyway.
I also have that Slumber Party Massacre 2 and 3 double feature and it's SEALED. Not because I want to sell it but because I had seen them both recently before buying it and hadn't the urge to revisit.
Now I'm sitting on gold. 🤣
Yeah man I'm so glad I bought SPM 2 and 3 right before they skyrocketed in price. I had heard that they were going OOP so I jumped immediately. Got it for $20. I'll look for that Final Exam 4K. "I can't BELIEVE you said that."
I love these bad 80s slashers. I have this in my collection. 👍🏼🔪
Me too man. My 80s slasher collection is growing for sure.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Nice! I did a few videos showing some of my movies if you want to check it out. And every Friday, I release a video short of a horror movie that I feel deserves more attention. I call it Horror Friday. I also ranked Halloween and Friday the 13th franchises and Metallica and Megadeth albums. I'm not good like you. I just do it for fun. Cheers, Lee!
What a great film, i never saw this one until around 3 years ago when i went on a major slasher revival in lockdown. Absolutely love this movie, have all the copies (VHS, DVD, Bluray and finally got the 4k release) great review, anyone who hasnt seen this movie needs too!
I need to get the VHS. A slasher essential for sure.
Fun review Lee, I always like seeing reviews on older films👍
Me too Travis. Thank you!
LET'S GOOOOO I be watching this movie on here an FINALLY it gets reviews 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
What's up brother?!
Another fun video 👍
I just picked this up on laserdisc a few weeks ago. Always liked it. I watched it the other night as a double feature with…..Madman! 😊
That's a great double feature!
Just wanted to comment, i sought out and watched this movie because of your review. thank you.
Awesome! Glad I could help.
Holy Shit, ur right!!!! Back in the 80's they really went for it. This movie could NEVER be made today. Classic 80's!!!
Haha truth!
The Mutilator is great too!
Definitely.
Weirdly enough this was one of the first Slashers i had ever watched whilst getting into the genre after being bored of normal horrors of the early 2000s 😅😅😅 I still love it 😎🙏
Nice!
Thank you for the review. I like this movie for the amazing early 80s college preppy fashion. And I have a big crush for the blonde bully
Thanks for watching!
Cool, I just saw this a few months back and it's surprisingly good! 2 movies from the 80's I never hear about anymore are Dreamscape(1984) and The Sender(1982). Both are great and need some love! Great vid as always! cheers
I need to look those up. Never heard of them.
I remember watching this a few years ago and being pleasantly surprised. The faux school shooting scene was hard to watch, but other than that, it was a fun slasher
Yeah crazy scene for sure.
Without Warning 1980. Found it!!! One of my 1st vhs movies ever and it's so cool. Forgot the title for a lifetime. If you haven't seen it this is must see horror movie.
Sounds very familiar actually.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews ua-cam.com/video/yGEcgVetlrk/v-deo.html
Is just great time.
I always saw this movie in video clubs back in the VHS era but never rented it. Good review and cool video Lee!👉😃👈
I would love to get this one on VHS.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews 👍
I will check it out. I never got around to watching this one, because I heard it was boring. Since you reviewed it. I will take a look.
Definitely not boring.
Final Exam was my first R rated Horror film in the theaters...I was 12! Awesome flick...nameless , motives less killer...still one of the best!!
9:18 look at him here!
He looks just like Scream6's Ethan Landry.
Curly hair, light shirt, dark blue haringtonesque jacket, I wonder if that's on purpouse...
I see it!
That right little brother, she kicks his ass
Hey sis! Love you. I have a new Becky review coming this month. They made a sequel.
Actress SHERRY WILLIS-BURCH who played VIVIA in The 1986 HORROR Flick "KILLER PARTY" is also in FINAL EXAM 😃🤘☠️
Yes she is! Loved her in Killer Party.
I absolutely love this channel. I need to become a member. LEE Rocks!!! (Almost as much as tool, but far better than Cody Leech)
Mike there's no need to throw mud at others. Cody's doing just fine.
Hope all is well Lee!
You too man!
Nice to FINALLY see a positive review for “Final Exam”. I love this slasher. Blind bought it from Scream Factory several years ago (despite horrendous warnings/reviews) and I found it super fun. Loved the character of Radish (a pre-Randy type character) and just found the whole thing to be a fun / well-made slasher flick. Not sure why it gets so much hate!
Yeah you could do a LOT worse for 80s slashers.
Saw Final Exam on Shutter a few weeks ago. Yeah, I liked it.
I remember my final Biology exam was canceled because somebody called in a bomb threat.
Damn! I remember those bomb threats.
Janet played vivea in killer party one of your favorites Lee
Yes sir she sure did.
My experience is somewhat similar to yours. I'm not quite sure, though, whether or not I'd heard of it prior to this video. I looked it up on UA-cam before watching your review and watched it. It's not bad. I am also a Southerner, South Louisiana, Cajun Country. The accents made me feel right at home. I mean, South La., and N.C. differ, but Southern drawls, all the same! Looking to get it online on DVD.
Yeah I dig those southern slashers.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Totally! Nothin' like a lil' down home!
She was so fast with that knife at the end Jumpscare, lmao
Haha truth!
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Maybe even the O.G. Sidney Prescott
I always seen this cover at the video store but never rented it.
Get on that GT!!
It is a great movie well worth watching!
Indeed.
This is a fun slasher movie, and would be a favorite but the lack of any gore or blood really brings this movie down a lot
If you are just in the mood for some nice tension, this will fill that cup nicely.
Final Exam is bloody and interesting.
Yessum!
I remember renting this on video back in 1990 or so at 10 years old. All I recall is the killer wasn't identified or given a motive, and a fake Columbine style fake out shooting. Crazy to think about now! And the guy shooting at him with an arrow.
Yep. Still can't believe they faked a school shooting to cheat on a test.
I definitely enjoyed Final Exam and always appreciated since I first saw in 2008 on the rare Bci/Eclipse dvd when it finally came out on dvd in the US. I know most people don’t care for the movie and always shit on it because the killer had no motive for his killings, had no name or a backstory, in my opinion he didn’t need all that. Which to me that is scarier. You just have some random serial killer targeting a university for no reason other than just to kill for his enjoyment just because he can. To me that’s not far fetched. He was an anonymous type killer that we actually see in a slasher movie. Much like the killer somewhat in High Tension before the twist.
I really dug it.
I think I've seen this movie, but don't remember a thing about it. I watch a lot of horror too, so it's kind of hard to remember everything. The footage from the movie seems sort of familiar, but I might've watched this in the first half of the 2010's and forgot all about it. Also, the movie is free to watch on UA-cam. So you don't really need Shudder. And I think the channel I found it on has permission to post it on UA-cam for free.
I would get Shudder for the better transfer though, or better yet the blu-ray.
You'll be surprised. It is often that other actresses' screams are used for multiple people in horror movies.
I wouldn't doubt it.
For some reason 1981 is a classic year for good slashers - Night school (1981), Graduation Day (1981), Bloody Birthday (1981), Eyes of a stranger (1981) and loads more.
Yes it's the only year I've done a top 10 for, and I still haven't seen everything.
I might have to rewatch this one. I don’t remember it being as good as you seem to think it is, but I like that. I like that it might be time to re-evaluate it. I remember thinking it was a bit pedestrian and safe (not much blood or gore, if I remember correctly), yet still somewhat fun. Maybe it’ll be more fun upon a rewatch!
I gave it two watches and it seem to click a lot more on the second watch. Really enjoyed it.
It's happening; the psychopaths are here! - Radish.
Boom!
Final Exam..is chezzy asf ..but is good ole 80s slasher flick in the era of Friday the 13th..ya i saw it in SHUDDER list 2...watch a new flick just came out to SHUDDER call >> Nocebo..is a dark horror/ Thriller & things gets Unfolded in end & says WTF, actually this kinda of matter is true happens things like that in 3rd world countries off & on , i liked it well acted it & was good👍
Yeah it fits right in with those.
I've had this slasher in my collection for 2 decades from dvd to blu ray, its one of the weaker ones of the 80s but still fun to watch some of the stuff they pulled in that film you can definitely not do today. Also Raddish is such a tattletale 😂
May i recommend more obscure slashers like Intruder from 1989 and The dorm that dripped blood? Intruder has Sam Raimi as a grocery store worker😂
I really dig some aspects of it so much. The quirky characters, the score.
I liked it as an early 80's slasher, but I like to know why the killer did what they did.
I like that no motive is given honestly.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews No motive is scary for sure, but I always liked to know a little bit about the killer.
@@juanizquierdo1737The final girl (Courtney) said that a woman killed herself in the past (suicide) I thought the killer was
the father or the brother of the suicidal woman and he wanted revenge!!
@@sakischaris5475 thanks for the info. I must have missed it.
@@juanizquierdo1737 51:45 ua-cam.com/video/CvQeK_FNxcE/v-deo.htmlsi=4B4oVr8h9XVlt6Kq
I know this one has been on my to-watch list for a while, i think you might have helped push it near the top of the list.
Give it a go Jon!
I plan to. I just started a movie blog, i might even do a review on this in a few weeks.
sorry this movie's only saving grace is that awesome gary scott score that you've got going with your video the vinyl is very hard to find but i recommend it it's a great gem!
Yeah the score is excellent!
Psysical media is doing well. Final exam have been re-released on 4K UHD by Dark force entertainment.
Yes I've heard that it's on 4K now. Nice.
I'm going to give Sean Cunningham some slack and quote him as saying "let's capitalize on Halloween" rather than rip off even though that's what he says in interviews. F13th jumps on the slasher formula but if it's a rip off, so is Halloween. Have to check out Final Exam if you check out Magic with Anthony Hopkins. If you don't love it I owe you a Coke. (also on Shudder and SHout!)
Friday the 13th is just as important as Halloween in my book.
I first watched this back in 2018 I think because that was the year I started going crazy with the 80's slashers.
At first I didn't like it that much, but then I watched the video on it from GoodBad Flicks and now it's one of my favorites.
I'm gonna give a hot take here and say I like it better than Halloween. Nothing happens in that movie but it's only popular because of the theme music and Micheal Myers. He's got that iconic mask, but I think the killer in Final Exam is scarier. 🙄
Dark Force just released this on 4k
Ooh nice!
First
I bought final exam by accident I thought it was the film called night school. Turns out final exam is really good and night school is a lot worse. Haha.
Haha luckily I've never saw Night School.
As an 80s horror fan Final Exam kind of bored me to death the story didn't really engage me with the college students and I remember by the hour mark of the film. Thinking to myself "When is someone going to die in this movie?" the one kill that made zero sense to me was the student who was tied to a tree the killer cuts him loose, climbs the tree, and drops down to kill him. Why not just kill him while he's tied to the tree I'm not really sure if I'd give Final Exam another watch given the large gap between kills.
Hmm. I was never bored once. Surprised actually. By Wildman and the school shooting.
The final girl (Courtney) said that a woman killed herself in the past (suicide) I thought the killer was
the father or the brother of the suicidal woman and he wanted revenge!!
Oh really? I didn't even catch that haha.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews 51:45 ua-cam.com/video/CvQeK_FNxcE/v-deo.htmlsi=4B4oVr8h9XVlt6Kq
looks like a good time. dont believe ive ever seen this one...ill check it out soon..oh and Lee, question...You mention the acting being like porn acting. How do you know this? LOL!! you ole dog you hahaha.... Thanks for the video Lee..
I have no idea how I knew that. :p
This flick is so lousy, but entertaining. Radish 😆 The Final Girl is so lame, not even charming, but the killer is good. Overall, I recommend it as a fun and entertaining 80s Horror flick👍
What?! I loved Courtney. Very charming. And Lisa and Janet.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Dude, she was so lame, all she does is complain about either not being able to study or just wanting to study and not being able to party. Her friends were cool tho. They even went down the old "all jocks are purely evil sociopaths" trope of the 80s with Wildman 😆 At least she stabbed the Killer and took care of his ass at the end, unlike Strode who always gets saved by Loomis, took her 13 films to finally get it right...and let's face it, she should have died too 😆 but I digress. Haven't watched in a few years, maybe a refresher is in order 🔪🤔
how about 2008’s Let The Right One In and the 2010 remake
Both are great. Need to cover them.
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews go for it
What eighties/late seventies slasher doesn't start out with the ambiguous teen sex scene? Ex. (Blood Rage,The Town That Dreaded Sundown,The Prowler).😂 I'm sure I've seen it sometime over the years;just not that memorable to me,compared to: Just Before Dawn,The Initiation,Pieces,My Bloody Valentine....but I'm sure JUST GOOD SOFT R FUN!!!
That would be a great top 10!
@@DrumdumsMovieReviews Hell yeah! The greatest Soft R slashers.... Giallo would definitely represent;wait a minute;more like soft X. 😄
Man that catch look mad fake ain’t no way you believe that “legend” 😂
I think it was sped up.
I looked it up on imdb, and in the trivia section, it spoke about how the killer\actor caught the arrow, and about how Cecile screamed so well, that her scream was overdubbed elsewhere in the film.