They work by day, take a full schedule of classes all night and somehow find time for study and an occasional date. Women in the evening curriculum at Boston’s distinguished Wendell College do a lot to get ahead in life. But there’s someone who will go to even greater lengths. Someone who will do anything to get a head. A killer whose m.o. is the ritualistic decapitation of victims makes terror a required course at Night School, directed by Kenneth Hughes (Casino Royale 1967) and starring Rachel Ward (The Thorn Birds; After Dark, My Sweet) in her screen debut. Leonard Mann plays the homicide lieutenant assigned to the puzzling case. He has hunches, not clues. Suspects, not evidence. And a rising body count. Finals are coming early this year at Wendell. And for those who don’t make the grade, heads will roll.

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Video Quality

Night School was released on Blu-Ray in 2017 courtesy of the Warner Archive with a lovely 1080p transfer derived from a 2K scan of the Interpositive featuring color correction and clean-up. The transfer preserves the sumptuous texture of the thick natural film grain that holds together well even against challenging backdrops. No indications of compression artifacts or banding were found throughout. There is exceptional detail ready to be observed within the apartment and in some of the school scenes. This is not the most vibrantly colorful film, but the hues achieve a favorable amount of depth that saturates the screen with great care. There is a slight skew toward the earthy side of the spectrum within the production design. Warner Archive allows this one to look really great.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a nice DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that showcases the original soundscape favorably. Dialogue is effortlessly clear without being overshadowed by sound effects like motorcycle noises. The moody score is treated respectfully and balanced well within the mix. This track provides a presentation clear of any major blemishes or digital anomalies that would compromise the viewing experience. While this may be a more reserved outing, the material deftly accomplishes everything that is asked of it. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for those who desire them.

Special Features

Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Night School is an obvious attempt to bring classic Giallo tendencies to an American audience, and for the most part, it succeeds. There is some directorial flourish that is lost when you do not have someone like Dario Argento, Sergio Martino, or Lucio Fulci behind the camera, but it is a passable facsimile that could lead curious audience members to explore the genre properly. There are some visceral kills and twists and turns that are pulled off well. The performers do a good job with what is asked of them. It is not a classic, but it is an entertaining watch. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation but nearly no special features. Recommended

Night School can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive 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.