A killer takes revenge against a track team in Herb Freed’s 1981 slasher Graduation Day, re-released on Blu-ray by Troma Entertainment this month.
Graduation Day, from 1981, falls into that fascinating period when slashers start to figure out what they are and how they work. While other similar films led the way, John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978 really brought it all to the forefront. But the follow-ups really cemented the Dead Teenager subgenre. It’s interesting how many early ones were still figuring out how to connect the parts, which made the storytelling awkward and the kills feel less like murder set pieces. Look at today’s Graduation Day, along with The Prowler, Happy Birthday to Me, My Bloody Valentine (a favorite of this era, a legitimate classic although not teens either), and so many more; Student Bodies was a parody that got this opening salvo of the slasher perfect. The leanness of Friday the 13th Part II (my favorite of that series) and Halloween II made that second shift and brought it to what worked. Damn, 1981 was a banner year for the subgenre. That’s not to say I dislike Graduation Day, directed by Herb Freed and written by Freed with Anne Matisse; I like it a good deal and requested this disc for review knowing that; but those expecting more in what followed might be let down.
It’s been a few weeks since a high school senior died while crossing the finish line at a track and field meet. Pushed too hard, a blood clot dislodged, and well, that’s it. But someone thinks the rest of the team needs to pay. As her sister, Navy Ensign Anne Ramstead, comes into town, the revenge starts. It’s not long before students start to be killed, sometimes in ways that match their world, sometimes just because. They get whittled down, with the others barely noticing or pushing off any missing kids (look, I am a teacher – there’s no way this would fly this way in 2026), leading to an insane series of climaxes.
Look, it’s an early slasher released by Troma. Is Graduation Day good? Maybe not in a fully technical sense. But for what it is, as part of the genre at this time? Is it an entertaining slasher of its time? Heck yes. It’s got what makes these awesome. Inane kills based on pure chance! A slipshod mystery plot! The world’s worst adults: whether it be the principal who shrugs off 6 kids missing, the cop who half-ass investigates, or the jerk of a teacher grumbling his way through it all. Leering at teenagers! An overal skeeziness! Kills that are rather silly? Very. An interesting giallo touch of black gloves and revenge motive? Yuppers. Where it might break out from the pack (track and field joke!) is the odd choices in shots from the cinematographer Daniel Yarussi and the editing. If you’re photosensitive, be wary. Editor Martin Jay Sadoff and director Freed opt to have a flipbookesque cuts to the killer, the dead girl, the photo, and more in the kill/intenseity sequences. It’s a nice stylistic touch that makes a memorable addition.
While much of the cast is a bunch of one-and-dones (where their IMDb photo is a still from this movie), there are some interesting notes. Linnea Quigley is one of two actresses to play Dolores after the first was fired for refusing nudity, and we know Quigley won’t hesitate to go topless. Touch guy character actor Christopher George, who also appears in gonzo slasher Pieces a year later, is the ass of a coach who really is the main character. Michael Patiki of Halloween 4, Delinquent Schoolgirls, and Ren & Stimpy is the awful principal! And let me buy a vowel for Vanna White! Patch Mackenzie plays the Final Girl very well, though I wish she had more to do.
Graduation Day is an interesting early slasher, with a few takeaways as a solid stepping stone into genre tropes. It has some wonderfully odd moments, interesting kills, and strange performances. It’s a good one for what it is.
The Packaging and Presentation
Troma puts Graduation Day on a single Blu-ray. The disc image is a close-up of the poster image. The single-sided sleeve in the clear Blu-ray case features the poster image. It opens with the Toxie vs Russia short of modern Troma releases. As a transfer, Vinegar Syndrome’s 2021 release remains. It’s fine. Better than the VHS I remember from my youth, but it shows the damage and faded look of both the cheap production and the film stock not being kind to it. It does the job, but nothing special. In English, with no subtitles.
The Features
Like Frightmare and Luther the Geek from earlier this year, Graduation Day is another disc where Troma mostly regains the disc rights from Vinegar Syndrome, ports over everything from the earlier 2014 disc, updates it in 2021, and adds Troma-based features. So everything but some of the Troma-based extras is archival.
Commentaries
1 – Producer David Baughn
Baughn gives the more technical, “how did we do it” style, talking about the production challenges, the actors, and the special effects. How a film comes together from the ground up; a solid track.
2 – The Hysteria Continues
The podcast group, who also cover many other Vinegar Syndrome flicks, leads the overall discussion. They get into the fun of the movie as a viewer, its history in the subgenre, and lovingly riff on it.
Lloyd Kaufman Intro
In a cap and gown, in front of “Yale” (where he actually did go), aka some public school in NYC, Uncle Lloyd introduces the film with this trademark irrelevance (3m)
Surviving the class of 81.
Director Herb Freed gets into his own history, how he approached the slasher and the horror film on the whole. Good stuff (13m)
Acting Out in School
Patch MacKenzie talks about her time on the film (a little contentious) and how it’s been the touchpoint for most people she comes across, despite a long career. 9m
Graduation Day Blues
David Baughn returns to repeat much of the track but gets into working with Russ Meyer! Cool! (11m)
Cutting Class
Editor Martin Jay Sadoff discusses the eclectic editing. As noted above, some interesting choices give the film a bit more. (7m)
Trailer
SO SPOILER. Want to know who dies, how, and the killer without watching the other 98 minutes? Here ya go (2m)
Image note: That’s Vanna White on the right.
Linnea Quigley
Interviewed at a Troma event by Sgt. Kabukiman: Quigley talks about how she got the part, replacing another, and some vomiting! An early role for her; it’s cool to look back.
Troma-based extras
The same as the other recent Troma releases (see HERE) plus
Cannibal Lesbian Hoedown (2001)
A video with plenty of boobs and blood, directed by Lloyd (2m)
Final Thoughts
Graduation Day is a solid early slasher, making a mark in the burgeoning sub-genre. While it transfers the previous Vinegar Syndrome disc, that disc was loaded as is this one. Check it out.