‘Happy Birthday to Me’: This Gory ’80s Slasher is a Must-Watch for a Shocking Friday Night
Unexpected turns have long been used in horror movies to astound viewers. Shocking narrative was established by classics like ‘Psycho’, ‘Carnival of Souls’, and ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’. This style was carried over into later movies like ‘Se7en’ and ‘The Sixth Sense’. Filmmakers leaned more into twists as horror developed, creating memorable climaxes in films like ‘The Others’, ‘The Village’, and ‘The Mist’. Carefully positioned hints that keep viewers guessing until the stunning truth is ultimately revealed are the secret to a great twist.
‘Happy Birthday to Me’ (1981), a low-budget slasher helmed by J. Lee Thompson, is a prime example. It seems to follow the same pattern on the surface—Ginny (Melissa Sue Anderson) observes her friends being killed off one by one in the run-up to her birthday. However, there is an intriguing psychological puzzle hidden beneath the typical slasher clichés. Ginny is forced to face hidden anguish after a near-fatal accident brings up her suppressed memories. The movie explores buried pasts and painful self-discovery, which is a theme shared by ‘Us’ and ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’.
Image Courtesy: Bloody Disgusting
Ginny’s breakdown in unfiltered, emotional anguish during a therapy session is one of the film’s most impactful scenes. In a surprisingly multi-layered performance, Melissa Sue Anderson evokes the intensity of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘Hereditary’. ‘Happy Birthday to Me’ blends gory deaths with surprisingly in-depth character analysis, in contrast to many slashers of its era.
Death via scarf caught in a motorcycle wheel, skull crushed by gym weights, and neck pierced by a veggie kabob are all inventive and startling deaths. The film’s breathtaking conclusion, however, is its real high point. Its last minutes solidify its status as one of the greatest twist endings in horror history, much like ‘Sleepaway Camp’ and ‘April Fool’s Day’. It’s a slasher that goes above and beyond what is anticipated, making it a memorable Friday night viewing experience.
–Farheen Ali
