Slaughter High

Eight American high school graduates return to their now-defunct school for a 5-year reunion celebration. Unfortunately for them the nerd they picked on and inadvertently ruined is also there with fatal revenge in mind.

The dilapidated school building that "Slaughter High" (1986) is mostly set recalls "Death Tunnel" (2005), but "Slaughter High" is subpar by comparison; it lacks the professionalism and aesthetics of that later film. Whether you like "Death Tunnel" or not is a different story, but it IS professionally made with awesome visuals, state-of-the-art editing, a superlative female cast and excellent score/soundtrack.

So "Slaughter High" is a decidedly Grade B 80's slasher in production values; and arguably Grade C. It's marred by a dated score and a little camp, particularly the nerd, but is otherwise decent for what it is. Everyone involved knew it wasn't a top-of-the-line production, but gave it their best to entertain the audience. The ending features an original twist that is done much better a year later in "Slumber Party Massacre II."

The beautiful Caroline Munro was a little long in the tooth at 36 (during shooting) to play a high school senior and early 20's B-movie actress by the second act, but her attractive vibrancy pulls it off. Nevertheless, her heyday was the 70s and her star was falling at this point, which didn't seem to bother her a bit. Kelly Baker is worth mentioning as Nancy while Carmine Iannaccone is charismatic as Skip.

Simon Scudamore, the actor who plays the nerd unfortunately committed suicide after the completion of the movie on November 21, 1984, an apparently intentional drug overdose.

The film runs 1 hour, 30 minutes; it was shot in England as follows: St. Marylebone Grammar School, London (interiors of school); Holloway Sanatorium, Surrey (exteriors of school); London (interior and exterior of apartment); and Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey (the road where the car breaks down).

GRADE: C

Saw this film years ago on video and found a cheap copy of it recently.Yeah i know they're not exactly the right age for the parts they're playing and of course most of the cast can't disguise their British accents but i still like it for a laugh!

Some of the murder scenes are inventive though how did he know they'd end up on the bed or taking a bath???!!!!

Ending is a bit strange and sorry to hear about the suicide of the guy who played Marty.Otherwise an enjoyable film not to be taken seriously!

This film is the epitome of bad 80's slasher films: a decent idea that comes out really bad and rips off good slasher films in the process.

Marty, the stereotypical high-school nerd, is horribly disfigured in an accident caused by a prank gone too far. Years later, Marty invites the pranksters back to their old high school for a reunion. One by one, Marty stalks and murders them.

Sounds pretty good but given the bad script, bad acting, bad special effects and no trace of suspense, the film is nothing but a cheesy gore-fest littered with numerous plot holes. The illogical behavior of the characters is bad enough, but the dialogue is just plain painful to witness. Even if you like bad B-movies, this one is still awful.

I paid $1 for this movie in one of those dollar stores and would really like my money back.

Stephen Minasian and Dick Randall, who also helped to bring us the original "Friday the 13th" and the notorious "Pieces", strike again with more ridiculous 80s slasher cheese. Cruel high school students play a prank on pathetic Marty (Simon Scuddamore), after which he becomes permanently disfigured. 10 years later, these same jerks attend their high school reunion, despite the fact that they're the only ones who show up, and the school looks like it's been shut for years. It seems that Marty, who now wears a joker / jester costume, is out for some sweet revenge, and fortunately for him, his victims tend to be *idiots*!

Minasian and Randall sure know how to give the audience what they want. Randall (who also appears on screen, as Caroline Munros' agent) deliver to us nudity, gore, creative kills - a spiked beer, electrocution, an acid bath - and some genuine atmosphere in this fairly enjoyable flick. The good thing is that the three credited writers / directors (George Dugdale, Mark Ezra, and Peter Mackenzie Litten), know full well that their film is blatantly cheesy, that their script is not so hot, and that the majority of their actors are not overflowing with talent. Perhaps the oddest touch is seeing veteran British sex symbol Caroline Munro play one of the worlds' oldest high school students. As usual, she's a joy to look at, and she must do most of the running around (and screaming) while the demented Marty stays close on her tail.

Dugdale, Ezra, and Litten waste little time, getting to the humiliation of Marty quickly, and rarely offering a let-up until the end. Overall, this is an amiable slasher that is never taken really seriously, and it creates good vibes for its entire 91 minute run time.

Young Scuddamore is memorable as the antagonist, although he sadly committed suicide in real life after the picture was released, so he was never able to see this picture become a sort-of cult favourite over the last three decades.

Seven out of 10.

I loved this movie.It is about Marty(Simon Scuddamore)a nerd that all the girls and jocks pick on.Things go too far when a prank backfires and disfigure's Marty's face for life!It's five years later and Marty is back,killing them one by one at an abandoned mansion.I have heard many rumors about Simon Scuddamore,like he committed suicide shortly after SLAUGHTER HIGH was released,he lived in Dayton,Ohio,he was 29 years old when he committed suicide,his stepfather abused him when he was a child(part of why he killed himself)and he was in an asylum.I enjoyed this movie very much,the only thing I don't like about it is when they tricked Marty into getting naked at the beginning of the movie.

JACOB YOUNG