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Happy Birthday to Me |  | Director: J. Lee Thompson
Actors: Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland (II)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.94
Buy New: $13.95
as of 11/27/2009 01:24 CST details
You Save: $5.99 (30%)
New (8) Used (12) from $6.15
Seller: bab407online
Rating:  122 reviews
Sales Rank: 24944
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Japanese (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 99
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 110 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: D06014D
ISBN: 1404959807
UPC: 043396060142
EAN: 9781404959804
ASIN: B0002VYOVS
Theatrical Release Date: May 15, 1981
Release Date: October 26, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Happy Birthday to Me typifies the horror genre prior to the self-reflection and irony that saturated the genre in the late '80s and '90s. A solid cast, decent acting, a well-written script, and relatively high production values result in a solid movie that is engaging on its own in addition to offering a glimpse into the history of '80s horror. The plot follows the rules of the genre (later parodied in such films as the Scream and Scary Movie series). A number of teenagers (played by actors who appear visibly older than their characters) from an elite prep school get into mischievous sexual situations fueled by alcohol and pot smoking. As teens start to disappear, murdered in a variety of violent ways, the film suggests a number of suspects. Is the killer the troubled star played by Melissa Sue Anderson who lost her overbearing, social-climbing mother in a car accident that she survived? Or is it the stern school mistress, the wacky, cool social clown, the social misfit, or none of the above? The film keeps you guessing until the final scene. Happy Birthday is a must-see for serious fans of the horror genre and this release is a solid digital mastering of the movie. Hardcore fans should note that the DVD release was not able to secure the rights to the original soundtrack so this version features an alternate soundtrack of largely nondescript '80s electronic music. --Brian Saltzman
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 122
 Bad Slasher film! November 24, 2009
J. Stotts
I am a big fan of alot of 80's slasher films. This is one I had not seen and was eager to check it out. First, the film is very slow and really does not show anything, there is s stupid backstory about brainsurgery, and bad acting. I give it one star for the good film score. Skip this one and check out Tourist Trap.
 Very well done forgotten slasher November 9, 2009
Joker (Michigan)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My first exposure to this movie was back in 1981 when I saw the tail end of it at my friend's house. His sister was watching it when I walked into the room. I remember seeing the birthday cake and its lit candles and Melissa Sue Anderson singing, "Happy Birthday...to me" to herself. That's an image I haven't forgotten. This is one of those horror movies that will stay with you. Even though it was just the ending I saw, it sparked a curiosity to see it in its entirety.
This movie was very well done. Good acting, a good score, good makeup, good special effects, and above all, a good story. This movie stars Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls from Little House On The Prairie). A lot of people can't believe she did a horror film. I can. It was a chance for her to shed her clean "Little House" image and enter the twentieth century - and in a horror film, no less. She drops a few swear words, drops her underpants, and gives one great performance as Ginny, a new student at Crawford Academy. She wants to be accepted amongst the popular people at her school. A number of these people end up being killed. But who is the killer? This movie will keep you guessing all the way through as to who the killer is. This movie is a horror mystery, basically. It has a lot of twists and turns. Ginny had been involved in a serious accident in the past that required brain surgery, so her mental state and lack of memeory could explain her fellow students' disappearances and murders. Ginny thinks she is the one who's killing her friends. She's lost her mind and can't remember very much. Ginny's 18th birthday is days away. What kind of birthday party will she have? Watch to find out.
This movie has certain elements to it that remind me of other horror movies, such as Carrie, Halloween, and Friday The 13th. Yet, it is very unique in itself. During the late seventies and early eighties there was a flood of horror movies that were imitations of Halloween, and a lot of them made holidays or special occasions dangerous, just like Halloween made Halloween night dangerous in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Some of these movies were My Bloody Valentine, April Fools Day, Silent Night Deadly Night, New Years Evil, Happy Birthday To Me, Friday The 13th, Prom Night, etc. Actually, Black Christmas (1974) was the first holiday horror movie. But Happy Birthday To Me is strong and stands apart from some of the low budget slashers or slasher movies with bad acting, such as Friday The 13th Parts I and II, for example. This movie has depth, whereas some of the above mentioned movies lack depth. This movie also stars the legendary Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland, Tracy Bregman, and Lisa Langlois. I don't want to give away too much of the movie. You'll have to see it to solve the mystery.
If you want to see a well done slasher film from the golden age of horror films, then Happy Birthday To Me is highly recommended.
Wow, better than I expected it to be. November 3, 2009
Cory LaFerriere
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I picked this movie up, having read some decent things about it online. Most of my experience with old slasher flicks is that they are filled with exceptionally bad acting, so I was pleasantly surprised that all around the acting was pretty good. The quality of the picture was also far better than I've come to expect when watching older horror films, so that was a nice surprise as well. I felt like I was watching a more recent movie the whole time. The plot is good enough to pull you in, but the twists it takes keep you guessing until the end, even if at some points you think you understand what is going on. I got a great deal on this DVD and thought I was paying a nice cheap price for what would be an ok movie, and instead I got a great one. The makers of this one really got it right!
Starz/Anchore Bay 10/13/2009 November 3, 2009
Azure1 (USA)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
So is this the Version with the original music? Has anyone purchessed it yet?
5 Stars for Original Version Only
Another chance for underrated slasher October 24, 2009
Ronald L. Ferrell Jr. (McDermott,Ohio)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RJESMDATMR4Z5
Showing reviews 1-5 of 122
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