“A considerable filmmaking achievement… Intelligent and uncompromising.” — Roger Ebert, Sneak Previews When new student David (Derrel Maury) arrives at Central High, he discovers that it is lorded over by a gang of bullies who rule the school through intimidation and violence. David’s friend Mark (Andrew Stevens, THE FURY) encourages him to join this dominant clique, but instead David stands up for their victims, and the gang cripples him in retaliation. Soon David begins taking steps to end their reign of terror permanently, setting in motion an explosive cycle of killing that may not end until no one is left to graduate! Co-starring Robert Carradine (REVENGE OF THE NERDS), Kimberly Beck (FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER), and Rainbeaux Smith (LEMORA: A CHILD’S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL), MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH is the startling American debut of Dutch writer/director Renee Daalder. While packing in all the sex and violence that drive-in audiences demanded, Daalder also delivers a potent allegory about fascism and power structures in a high-school world where adults are absent. A cult and critical favorite since its 1976 release (and an evident influence on the classic HEATHERS), MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH now available in this director approved restoration from Synapse Films.
For thoughts on Massacre At Central High, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Massacre At Central High comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Synapse Films with a remaster that has been scanned, transferred and supervised by director Renee Daalder. From what I have read, this restoration process had many obstacles along its journey to our shelves, but the effort has been worth it with this gorgeous presentation. From beginning to end, fans should be delighted to see there is virtually no print damage to be found. Not only that, but the transfer presents with the perfect amount of natural grain intact. You will not find any moments where things seem clumpy or swarming, instead you will get an image that is nicely resolved.
Black levels are pretty deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts, but the nighttime shots are not quite ink black. Contrast is well defined with white levels not appearing overly bright or coming close to blooming. The natural photography shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail in the various coastal environments. This also applies to enhancements when it comes to other elements such as the textures on the clothing and production design. Synapse Films has treated this one with care.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track with optional English subtitles. Much like the video portion of the disc, the film had a lot to overcome when it comes to restoring the audio, and the track sounds very good when you take into consideration the limitations of the source. Dialogue is mostly clear and stable without sound effects or the score trouncing on important information outside a handful of lines that could have been more crisply defined. The film employs some distinct sound effects such as explosions that are given the appropriate power within the mix. The environmental effects such as waves crashing on the beach are presented without issue. The score and a few of the tunes come through nicely in relation to the competing sounds. This presentation is an admirable effort from Synapse Films. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- The Projection Booth Podcast Interviews with Cast Members: Mike White of The Project Booth podcast provides a selection of interviews with cast members Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Derrel Maury and Rex Steven Sikes. Since these interviews were captured individually, none of the content is related to anything on screen, and many of the performers barely remember anything about the film. While you may not get tons of insights about the film from the subjects, there are plenty of fun anecdotes about their careers that make this a really fun listen.
- Interview with Director Renee Daalder: A 25-minute audio interview is provided which you can watch over the film with director Renee Daalder moderated by writer/horror historian Michael Gingold. In this interview, Daalder discusses how he got involved with the film, his initial issues with the script and more.
- Hell In The Hallways – All New Making Of Documentary: A nearly 43-minute documentary featuring interviews with actors Derrel Maury, Tom Logan, Rex Sikes, Robert Carradine, Andrew Stevens, and Jeffrey Winner, along with first assistant director Eugene Mazzola and cinematographer Bertram van Munster. This piece digs into the themes of the pictures, the relevance of the story, the origins of the project, the direction of Renee Daalder, the stunt work, the disagreements between the financier and the director, memories from the production and more.
- Original Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.
- TV Spot: A 33-second TV spot is provided here.
- Radio Spot: The 27-second radio spot is provided here.
- Still Gallery: A three-minute selection of stills from the production are provided here.
Final Thoughts
Massacre At Central High is a lovingly bizarre social commentary which begins as a simple takedown of bullies, but slowly evolves into a more nuanced allegory of the dangers of a power vacuum. The performances are not traditionally great, but they are memorable in their execution in a way that keeps you glued to the screen. The comical violence is a blast, as it adds to the almost dreamlike aesthetic of the entire story – almost like anything can happen. Synapse Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring an impressive A/V presentation and an array of special features not to be missed. If you appreciate an offbeat dark comedy, give this one a spin. Recommended
Massacre At Central High is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Synapse Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.