Bernadette (Lesleh Donaldson) is almost strangled and relieved to see someone she knows. But, it is a short relief as she is slashed with a razor. So opens a classic slasher film.

This is Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Sue Anderson's first starring role in a film, and, ignoring Skatetown U.S.A., her first film outside of TV.

Someone upsets Virginia (Anderson) and he is dispatched quickly. By whom? Is it the creepy guy Alfred (Jack Blum) that hangs around the Top Ten? Soon another gets a weight dropped on his balls with disastrous results.

Well, at least we know who the murderer is with a little pruning, a tasty shish kabob, and a quick dip, as we saw who did two of them - or did we? It is certainly a mystery why there are no bodies.

The shower scene was very unsatisfying.

I may take a lot of grief for saying this, but I firmly believe that Happy Birthday to Me is one of most intelligent and well acted slasher films of the 80's. I think the reason that it never made as much of an impact as films like Friday the 13th and Prom Night, which were released around the same time, is that is was just TOO intelligent for its time. It was released around the time when gore and body count is what made a slasher succeed. HBTM relied on plot twists and character development. This film is comparable to something that would be released and be successful today, where plot twists are what make a "slasher movie." Melissa Sue Anderson gives a excellent performance as Virginia, a member of the elite "Crawford 10" who suffered injuries in a car accident just months before the start of the film. At the approach of her 16th birthday, her fellow classmates begin to get butchered. Yes, a lot of things about this film are very confusing, and the ending can be tricky at best to figure out, but overall it plays out well and provides just enough gore and suspense to satisfy the slasher fans, but also tries to appeal to those who want more than just a bunch of murders on film. Highly recommended. Intelligent, and very well acted by Melissa Sue Anderson. Just remember this film was made in 1981. Way ahead of its time.

I am not the type person to watch slasher films...I just don't enjoy the genre. So, as you read this review, keep this in mind.... I am not the target audience for "Happy Birthday to Me". So why did I see it? Well, I've seen 81 of the 88 films Glenn Ford has made and it's one of the few I haven't seen.

The film is a Canadian production, so I guess having Canadian-born Ford in the film is appropriate. However, despite receiving second billing, the guy is barely in the movie and he's listed second to fool folks into seeing the picture.

The story is set at some prep school where suddenly lots of students are being murdered...very brutally. And, considering most of the victims seem like real jerks (common to slasher films),there's a certain schadenfreude in watching their demise. I don't want to say more about the plot, as it might give away story points.

So is this any good? Well, for the genre it's pretty good...which still doesn't exactly make it a classic! Ater all, the genre is pretty simple....some psycho kills off young jerks one by one. It is what it is...and what you'd expect from such a film...including a surprise as to who is actually doing all the killings...whether it makes much sense or not.