March 03, 2008
Return to Horror High
"Now I gotta show ya what $17.50 and tip is worth."
Starring: George Clooney, Lori Lenthin, Maureen McCormick, Richard Brestoff, Vince Edwards
Rating: 6/10
Directed By: Bill Froehlich
Runtime: 95 minutes
Starring: George Clooney, Lori Lenthin, Maureen McCormick, Richard Brestoff, Vince Edwards
Rating: 6/10
Directed By: Bill Froehlich
Runtime: 95 minutes
In the genre of horror, nothing brings more heat than a discussion of the horror/comedy. Is horror intentionally funny? Strong arguments have been made on either side. Slither (2006), Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) and Night of the Creeps (1986) are comedies that feature a horror premise. Hatchet (2006), Feast (2005) and Wrong Turn 2 (2007) are horror films that are quite funny. Quite a few people do not like the blending of genres, preferring "straight" horror with no additives. Fortunately, those people tend to read other websites. I like my "straight" horror as much or more than the next guy. I also like my comedy/horror, good or bad. I laugh at most horrible stuff in film anyway so why not a good gutting? Or bad gutting even? In a case of "better than the Orphanage (2007) but not by much" comes Return to Horror High (1987), a movie about a movie that doesn't know if it kills or if it kills.The story: A film crew travels to Crippen High, sight of a few unsolved murders, to film a horror movie about the killings. Problems begin the very first day. Producer Harry Sleerik (Alex Rocco) cancels the hotels in a budget-saving measure so the cast and crew must now bunk in the school, lead cop Oliver (George Clooney) gets the call to be on a tv pilot and splits, the director is concerned "they're gonna hate the movie." (Sleerik's accurate reply, "Not if you give them more tits and blood."). Add the fact that Clooney doesn't leave but gets brutally murdered 12m 38s into the picture by a maniac that's picking the cast and crew off one by one... Who is responsible? Is it the producer? The creepy old principal? The stressed director? The frustrated writer? The actual cop on the scene from the original murders? Someone from the old days we don't know about yet?
The Scooby-Doo adventure that results is 90 mildly amusing minutes and some pretty average horror. Unlike Hatchet, et. al., Return to Horror High is a comedy upon which is hung a horror premise. I would argue National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982) was a definite influence on this film. Return to Horror High seems to try and generate real tension but then blows it with unfunny or mistimed gags. It's reminiscent of April Fool's Day (1986) with the blending of real and illusion. Both April Fool's Day and Return to Horror High rely on the big reveal but Horror High bounces freely back and forth between the movie being filmed and the shenanigans behind the camera, using natural scene changes to slip in and out of reality; sort of a bloody Noises Off (1992). The viewer is never quite sure where they are, contributing to some ok gags, like Sleerik almost walking in on a date-rape in progress...cut!
Alex Rocco as the sleazy producer steals the show and Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) as a blood-soaked, cleavage-bearing cop is priceless! Her delivery is funny and it's hard to shake the Brady image. The dialog is bad enough to elicit (intentional) chuckles and it lives up to the 80's excess with lots of good nudity. The best part, to me, is the staggering lack of a "Horror High" for them to return to - find that on IMDb! George Clooney, listed up-front on the box, is probably happy about his brief appearance and doesn't really talk this one up while ruining the Ocean's Eleven (1960) name. Return to Horror High is not the best horror movie but not bad either. It comes off unsuccessful when played "straight" but it's far "straighter" than a comedy; say a horror film with heavy comedic elements. Anyway, there's much worse 80's horror but also so much better. For a trashy night only.