IMDb 6 1981 HD

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to Me

1981
Horror Mystery
110 min R Canada
6.02 / 10
6 IMDB

Virginia is proud that she belongs to a clique. The best students at a private school. But before her 18th birthday, a gruesome set of murders take place…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director J. Lee Thompson / Charles Braive / François Ouimet / Charles Braive / Monique Champagne / Robbie Ditchburn / Linda Browne
Starring
Melissa Sue Anderson / Glenn Ford / Lawrence Dane / Sharon Acker / Frances Hyland / Tracey E. Bregman / Jack Blum / Matt Craven

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

creepy intriguing suspenseful dated violent mysterious teen angst classic gory unsettling predictable

Reviews

P
Penelope Croft
May 23, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A standout of its time, 'Happy Birthday to Me' excels in its atmospheric tension and a narrative that keeps you guessing. The film's strength lies in its clever use of Virginia’s amnesia, making her a disquieting focal point…

A
Arthur Pendelton
May 23, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

'Happy Birthday to Me' attempts to be a clever whodunit wrapped in slasher conventions, but it doesn't quite stick the landing. The setup with a private school and a series of murders is a classic trope, and Melissa…

I
Isabelle Dubois
May 23, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This giallo-tinged slasher offers more than just gore, weaving a compelling mystery around its central character, Virginia. 'Happy Birthday to Me' smartly uses her fragmented memory as a key plot driver, making the audience question every character's motives,…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 23, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

In the crowded landscape of early 80s horror, 'Happy Birthday to Me' carves out its niche with a focus on psychological unease. The premise, centred on a private school clique and a string of murders, is inherently intriguing,…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 23, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A quintessential 80s slasher, 'Happy Birthday to Me' delivers a familiar yet effective brand of terror. Melissa Sue Anderson anchors the film as Virginia, a young woman grappling with memory loss and a disturbing series of murders amongst…

FAQs

Despite the gruesome murders, 'Happy Birthday to Me' navigates a tone that mixes genuine suspense with moments that lean into the era's teen drama. The film aims to create an atmosphere of unease within the elite school environment, juxtaposing the characters' social standings with the escalating violence. The director's approach seeks to keep the audience on edge, questioning who among the privileged group is harbouring dark secrets.