Exam were stage actors cast in Los Angeles, California. The film's lead, Cecile Bagdadi, was cast after she was seen performing in a production of Faces on the Wall at the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles. The film was shot over a period of six weeks from September 15, 1980 to October 25, 1980 at E.O. Studios in Shelby, North Carolina. Additional photography took place at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina, and Isothermal Community College in Spindale, North Carolina. The film's budget was approximately $363,000. Release Box office Final Exam received a limited regional release on February 27, 1981, screening in St. Louis, Missouri and Dayton, Ohio. It continued to screen regionally throughout the spring before having its Los Angeles premiere on June 5. The film was a minor commercial success, grossing $1.3 million in the United States. Per a June 26 report from Variety, the film was ranked number 7 at the U.S. box office at that date. Critical response Hal Lipper of Dayton Daily News compared the film positively to Halloween (1978) stating that he found the film to be "slicker" and "better acted" than the latter but less scary due to the killer frequently being shown. Lipper also went on to praise the camerawork: "A welcome addition to Final Exam, however is its competent camerawork. It's a polished, professional effort that bellies its $363,000 budget, although a couple of hand-held camera shots at the film's finale might have heightened its impact". He then wrote that the performances of Bagdadi and Rice were highlights of the film. Linda Gross of The Los Angeles Times gave the film a middling review, noting that it "vacillate[s] between the college-prank humor of an Animal House and a killer-thriller like Prom Night". Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune deemed the film a "rip-off" of Halloween (1978), characterized by "standard stalking-shots as the camera rolls in on the girls as they cower in terror in hallways and classrooms". TV Guide called the film "dull" and "virtually bloodless", panning the film's dialogue heavy scenes. The Baltimore Evening Suns Lou Cedrone panned the film, writing: "The script never explains who the murderer is or why he's doing the killing... The most horrifying thing about it is the behavior of the fraternity boys, and the only really commendable thing about it is that the killings are handled with restraint". The Courier-Journals Gregg Swem noted that