Hell High is another example of a film that is actually far better than most of the lesser-known slashers from the ’80s and has managed to slip underneath the radar for most. Arrow Video’s recent track record of bringing the obscure ’80s slashers to disc continues to grow. While their releases tend to be a bit on the pricey side, you can’t help but appreciate the effort they put into every single release, and Hell High is no exception. It’s top of the line.
As a young child, Brooke (Maureen Mooney) is responsible for the deaths of two teenagers when she throws a bucket of mud, causing them to die in a horrible accident. As an adult, she’s teaching biology in high school, still traumatized over the event. She’s not particularly liked as a teacher and several of her students, led by Dickens (Christopher Stryker), begin to terrorize and prank her, triggering something that will send her completely off the rails. She’s going to make them pay.
Is Hell High a great film? Not really, but there’s quite a bit to enjoy here, especially the performances from the two leads, Maureen Mooney and Christopher Stryker. Mooney knows when to take it over the top without being too outrageous, keeping it within the realm of reality. Often you’re almost sympathetic but where she goes makes that difficult. While her acting career was relatively short, Stryker’s would be much shorter and far more tragic.
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Having only appeared once on screen in an episode of Welcome Back, Kotter in 1977, Stryker’s big break could have been here in Hell High. Sadly, he passed in 1987 (two years before the film’s release in 1989) at the age of 27 from complications related to AIDS. His performance here was pretty believable and dynamic, and it could have led him to many great things.
Written and directed by Douglas Grossman with a script co-written by Leo Evans, the film deviates a bit from the traditional formula and, while slightly messy, still works well due in part to the casting. Grossman’s only other film credit would be as a writer on the 1984 comedy Up the Creek. He really showed confidence behind the camera you don’t often see from first-time directors.
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This Arrow Video disc is loaded with features. It includes a new audio commentary with director/producer/co-writer Douglas Grossman and cinematographer Steven Fierberg, archival introduction and audio commentary with film critic Joe Bob Briggs, a newly-filmed interview with actor Christopher Cousins, a newly-filmed interview with actress Maureen Mooney, a newly-filmed interview with composers Rich Macar and Christopher Hyams-Hart, a tour of the original Hell High filming sites with author/filmmaker Michael Gingold, a deleted scene, alternate opening titles, trailers, TV Spots, and more.
The disc also features a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Ralf Krause and an Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring liner notes by Michael Gingold, including an exclusive interview with stunt coordinator/actor Webster Whinery which is only available in the first pressing. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was jam-packed. It’s all great stuff, and slasher fans will undoubtedly get their money’s worth with this release.
