Synapse Films Brings Prom Night (1980) to 4K UHD With a World-Premiere Dolby Vision Restoration
By Lio Renwick
Synapse Films is releasing Paul Lynch's Prom Night (1980) on a 2-Disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray Limited Edition in August. The set debuts a world-premiere Dolby Vision restoration, remastered in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative. It pairs that with a new Dolby Atmos mix, built from the recently discovered original magnetic theatrical sound elements.
Prom Night is a slasher classic. Four Hamilton High students hide a terrible secret. Six years earlier, a reckless and fatal game led to the death of Robin Hammond, and someone saw what they did. Now that someone is waiting to enact gruesome revenge. A black-hooded killer slaughters the teenagers one by one at their high school prom. As the spotlight falls on the new prom king and queen, the psychopath reveals a new favorite game to play.
The restoration was meticulously remastered from the original 35mm camera negative. It's presented in 2160p on the UHD disc and 1080p on the Blu-ray, both framed at 1.78:1. Synapse Films, fresh off its 4K UHD release of The Deadly Spawn, presents the picture in Dolby Vision with HDR10 compatibility. The audio gets the same care. It draws on the original magnetic theatrical sound mix, recovered only recently, which Synapse Films used as the basis for an all-new Dolby Atmos surround remix. The original 2.0 theatrical mono is also included for purists who prefer the film as it first played.
Jamie Lee Curtis leads the cast, two years removed from her film debut in John Carpenter's Halloween. That role, together with The Fog, helped crown her as horror's original "Scream Queen." Leslie Nielsen co-stars, years before the Naked Gun series and well after Forbidden Planet.
The extras are anchored by a new audio commentary with director Paul Lynch and screenwriter William Gray, moderated by Pat Jankiewicz. A retrospective documentary, The Horrors of Hamilton High – The Making of "Prom Night," digs into the production, while Horror's Hallowed Grounds: Prom Night, hosted by Sean Clark and ScottOnTape, revisits the film's locations. Synapse Films has also assembled the additional scenes added for the television broadcast, a reel of outtakes, and a still gallery. Archival promotional material rounds things out with the original theatrical trailer plus the TV and radio spots, and optional English SDH subtitles are included.
The Limited Edition is capped at 3,000 units, and comes with new slipcase artwork by Sean Longmore and reversible cover art.
Prom Night arrives the week of August 3, 2026, though Synapse Films notes it may ship earlier depending on the factory assembly schedule. The Region Free set is available only through Synapse Films, DiabolikDVD, OrbitDVD, and select Vinegar Syndrome store locations. No major retailers such as Amazon will carry it.
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