Hell High Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1989

Hell High is one of the more obscure and underrated B-movie horror flicks of the 1980's, due largely to the fact it was released after the genre's commercial popularity took a nosedive. Despite its bad timing, Hell High was an original film that wasn't afraid to turn some of the horror conventions on their head. Find out what happens when a group of cocky teens pushes a meek science high school teacher into a psychotic rage…

When Brooke Storm was a young girl she loved nothing more than to play with her dolls in a rickety shack situated within a swamp. One day two horny teenagers disrupt her playtime, and even worse… they rip the head off her doll! Well, no little girl is going to put up with having her dolls decapitated, so as the two teens hop on a motorcycle Brooke unexpectedly slings some mud in the rider's face. Unfortunately that sets into motion a tragic accident that takes the lives of the two teens in a bloody and brutal fashion.

Fast forward eighteen years later and we find that Brooke (Maureen Mooney) is now a shy and unassuming science teacher struggling to maintain control of her classroom. As with all cinematic 80's teenagers, her students are a rowdy bunch. One in particular is a thorn in her side: Dickens (Christopher Stryker), an incorrigible and fearless bully.

When Brooke seemingly makes him loose face within the classroom, Dickens vows to make her pay. Together with three buddies – Jon-Jon (Christopher Cousins), Queenie (Millie Prezioso) and Smiler (Jason Brill) – Dickens and company sneak to Brooke's house during the dead of night and scare her half to death.

Their crude and mean-spirited behavior shatters Brooke's hold to sanity as it invokes horrid memories of the two teens she accidentally killed as a kid. Dickens' gang soon learns what happens when you push a harried teacher over the edge.

Hell High proceeds at a more deliberate pace than many slasher films. Although we are presented with two satisfying deaths during the movie's opening, after that the film concentrates on fleshing out the eccentric teacher as well as the teen protagonists. This is normally a gamble, but in the case of Hell High the gamble paid off since the characters serve as more than brainless fodder.

That isn't to say Hell High doesn't contain its share of idiocy – the main protagonists still commit those insanely stupid actions that horror fans love to jeer. The film also presents quirky situations that would never happen in real life. Since I can hear the skeptics demanding proof of this statement, I'll cite an example.

Shortly after the kids pull their cruel joke on Brooke, a fellow teacher visits and finds Brooke cowering in a traumatized state. The house is in disarray, the windows are broken, Brooke is a mess… so what does the visitor do? Call the police? Heck no! She cleans Brooke up, puts her to bed and pops a Quaalude in her mouth so she goes to sleep!

Like most low-budget horror flicks, Hell High features a cast of no-name actors that neither stands out nor disappoints. Stryker was notable for his ability to portray an absolutely repugnant little bully – viewers will likely want to smack the tar out of him from the very first minute. But that works for the movie! The rest of the actors fit their roles well enough too.

Hell High might be a bit of a maverick, but ultimately it delivers the goods horror fans seek: decent gore, a good slab of gratuitous nudity and some atmospheric moments.

Movie rating: 6 stars

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DVD

Other Resources:

Hell High IMDb Page

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