From the director of 'Star of David: Beauty Hunting', and the pink masterpiece 'School of the Holy Beast' comes this eye-popping, sex & violence soaked cult film. Norifumi Suzuki's 'Terrifying Girls Highschool' is finally available on DVD, as part of the great Pinky Violence box set. Featuring two icons of pink cinema, Reiko Ike, as well as the original 'Zero Woman', Miki Sugimoto, as bad girl leaders in a high school for violent girls. Dressed in the traditional school uniforms, seeking to avenge the murder of a friend, Sugimoto is tougher than ever here. Especially great is the way Suzuki introduces each of the three girls in the beginning. We see each of them separately committing the crime that lands them in the same school, which is more like a prison. Featuring some dazzling torture set pieces, including a tense 'blood draining ceremony', genital electrocution, as well as a disturbing scene featuring a light bulb. Suzuki's trademark seems to be the bladder trick, where some hapless girl is forced to hold her water while a clock ticks in the background. I have seen 3 Suzuki films so far, and this trick is utilized in every one, and always successfully. Of course nothing can top 'Holy Beast', Suzuki's masterpiece. However I found this to be a lot more entertaining than 'Star of David', but I guess this is a matter of personal taste. TGH features some good music as well, and classical pieces are used effectively. The climactic showdown between students and riot cops is wonderful, and there is humor here and there, but not so much as to take away the power of the images. And I must mention the lesbian scenes, tastefully filmed and very erotic as well. Though the girls are beaten and often nude, they somehow always come across as tough, and never victims. That is the best thing about these films, and this quality is missing in American exploit films, where the girls are sometimes just there to be abused and undressed for the pleasure of the viewer. I only hope DVD labels like 'Panik House' and 'Tokyo Shock' keep restoring and releasing these special films. 'Terrifying Girls Highschool' looks great in it's anamorphic transfer. They are going to great lengths to release high quality products, and I look forward to future releases. Especially ones that feature Miki Sugimoto, my personal favorite bad girl of pink cinema! Incidentally, if you like 'Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs', than you should like this as well.
