History YMMV / HelloMaryLouPromNightII

* EvilIsSexy: Mary Lou, an attractive (both in her original body and [[spoiler:Vicki's]]), promiscuous DepravedBisexual who gets a full frontal scene [[spoiler:while riding around in Vicki's body and [[GirlOnGirlIsHot trying to seduce Monica in the shower]].]]

** Having Mary Lou (who's meant to be a DepravedBisexual) as the only LGBT character in the film isn't likely something that would fly nowadays.

* ValuesDissonance: Audiences in the Eighties were probably supposed to take Kelly's humiliation after giving in to Josh's demands for SexForServices as an appropriate comeuppance for a mean girl. Today, it creates sympathy for a character who's probably not supposed to be sympathetic. By the same token, Josh comes off less as a roguish scamp putting one over on a stuck up princess and more like a sexual predator.
** Although Kelly is written and played with strongly sympathetic elements, and her sadness, hesitation and disgust at both the proposal and failed outcome of Josh's [[SexForServices price]] are PlayedStraight.
** Having Mary Lou (who's meant to be an evil pervert type of character) as [[UnfortunateImplications the only LGBT character in the film]] isn't likely something that would fly nowadays.
* TheWoobie: Vicki is a NiceGirl who undergoes some nasty HauntedHeroine and BreakTheCutie experiences. At the start of the movie, she has to deal with an overbearing mother, but things really go downhill for her once Mary Lou returns. Her best friend brutally dies in an apparent suicide. She is plagued by creepy visions and nightmares before being possessed by Mary Lou, who uses her body to attack Vicky's parents, boyfriend, and friends. She gets shot while she's possessed, and even after surviving and getting back to normal, she gets dragged off to an uncertain fate by Mary Lou's next possession victim.

* EvilIsPetty: Is. It. ''Ever''. A vengeful spirit whose sole ambitions are to claim her Prom Queen crown and reap revenge.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Mary Lou ''might'' have been intended as a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds, given her CruelAndUnusualDeath as well as being trapped as a VengefulGhost for decades. Considering, though, that she kills a bunch of innocent people who had nothing to do with her death, seemingly [[ForTheEvulz just for fun]], it's unlikely the audience will have any sympathy for her by the end.

** Having Mary Lou (who's meant to be an evil pervert type of character) as [[UnfortunateImplications the only LGBT character in the film]] isn't likely something that would fly nowadays.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: For many fans, Kelly and Monica provide the best parts of the movie, with both being liked for being decently complex characters and having some great lines.

* HesJustHiding
** The pool of blood after [[spoiler: Monica is crushed in the locker]] might have just signified a bad injury given the amount of room in the locker vs how far back the metal was pushed. The fact that her death isn't mentioned later (in universe likely due to happening so soon before the prom) helps.
** [[spoiler: Kelly's]] death could have been survivable in real-life (and it didn't look like she was fully impaled either).

* HilariousInHindsight: There was a [[Film/{{SusieQ}} certain other film made later]] about a ghost girl named after a famous song. Though in that movie it's a ''nice'' ghost.

** [[spoiler: Kelly's]] death could have been survivable in real-life (and it dint' look like she was fully impaled either).
** Finally, while [[spoiler: Craig, Vicky and Billy]] are last seen helpless prisoners of Mary Lou, the fact that she isn't trapped in hell at the beginning of the next movie could imply that they triumphed over her.

* HilariousInHindsight: There was a [[Film/{{SusieQ}} certain other film made later]] about a ghost girl named after a famous song. Though in that movie it's a ''nice'' ghost.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: For many fans, Kelly and/or Monica provide the best parts of the movie, with both being liked for being decently complex characters and having some great lines.

** Although Kelly is written and played with strongly sympathetic elements, and her sadness at both the proposal and failed outcome of Josh's [[SexForServices price]] are PlayedStraight.

** [[spoiler: Kelly's]] death could have been survivable in real-life ( although in real life such a flimsy piece of decoration might not have been able to impale her in the first place).

* JerkassWoobie: Kelly is an asshole, no question. But it's hard not to feel sorry for her seeing how humiliated she is after giving Josh his SexForServices, and her look of "I went through that for nothing?" when Vicki is announced as prom queen is even worse. While vicious to Vicki and Monica, Kelly's perfectly friendly approach to everyone else, and attempt to bribe Josh to rig the votes, hint a desperation to be [[IJustWantToBeLoved liked]] and [[IJustWantToBeSpecial adulated]]. While Josh wryly suggests her higher social station, she [[{{Shipping}} seems genuinely fond of him]]. On reading on the computer screen his [[SexForServices price of fellatio]], her look of forlorn humiliation further indicates that she does indeed have a heart. On finding she went through with it for nothing, her devastated expression may well provoke a strong urge to hug her.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: While her venom toward Vicki and extravagant bid to win the prom queen vote might indicate a comedic [[AlphaBitch antagonist]], there’s a warmth to Kelly’s cheery front of self-confidence, and her hidden insecurity is played poignantly [[PlayedStraight straight]]. Her fruitless concession to Josh’s [[SexForServices price of fellatio]] in exchange for rigging the votes might have been seen as BlackComedy LaserGuidedKarma for her SpeakIllOfTheDead jibe, were it not for her [[{{Tearjerker}} quietly devastated]] reaction to losing a desperately sought [[IJustWantToBeLoved esteem]] and [[IJustWantToBeSpecial adulation.]]

** Was Josh extorting Kelly for sex and taunting her that she hadn't won a display of his general personality or was he lashing out and projecting towards the popular girls apparently after being stood up by his own date, Monica.

* JerkassWoobie: Kelly is an asshole, no question. But it's hard not to feel sorry for her seeing how humiliated she is after giving Josh his SexForServices, and her look of "I went through that for nothing?" when Vicki is announced as prom queen is even worse.
** While vicious to Vicki and Monica, Kelly's perfectly friendly approach to everyone else, and attempt to bribe Josh to rig the votes, hint a desperation to be [[IJustWantToBeLoved liked]] and [[IJustWantToBeSpecial adulated]]. While Josh wryly suggests her higher social station, she [[{{Shipping}} seems genuinely fond of him]]. On reading on the computer screen his [[SexForServices price of fellatio]], her look of forlorn humiliation further indicates that she does indeed have a heart. On finding she went through with it for nothing, her devastated expression may well provoke a strong urge to hug her.

* Was Mary Lou always so evil? Or was she more just a typical AlphaBitch who was driven insane by her tragic death and being trapped as a ghost for 30 years?

* HilariousInHindsight: There was a [[''Film/SuzyQ'' certain other film made later]] about a ghost girl named after a famous song. Though in that movie it's a ''nice'' ghost.

* HilariousInHindsight: There was a [[Film/SuzyQ certain other film made later]] about a ghost girl named after a famous song. Though in that movie it's a ''nice'' ghost.

* HilariousInHindsight: There was a [[Film/{{SuzyQ}} certain other film made later]] about a ghost girl named after a famous song. Though in that movie it's a ''nice'' ghost.