Slaughter High Blu-ray Review!

I freely admit that for most of my pre-pubescent life, I’ve loved watching horror movies. I’m not talking about the wave of torture porn-esque titles like Hatchet, I’m referring to the fun 1980’s style of mass murdering creeps offing a selection of semi-generic cannon fodder. That’s the kind of horror I love. I’m excited then, that Vestron has been releasing a bunch of cult classics on blu-ray.

The newest feature in their collection is Slaughter High, a definite cult classic that if you haven’t seen, now is the perfect time to pop some corn and prepare to be transported back to another time in horror. It really is a time when 35 year old’s played teenagers, when killers wouldn’t die and if you don’t have sex, then you’re the hero of the story.

Carol Manning (Caroline Munro) is a high school student on the prowl, she decides to seduce the class nerd Marty (Simon Scuddamore). This is a set up of course for a prank to humiliate Marty even though he thinks he’s about to score with the hottest girl in school. It results in a really bad day for poor old Marty and he ends up in the chemistry lab where a fire leaves him worse for wear.

It’s now 10 years later and the high school is having a reunion. All of the bullies who tormented Marty are back but when they get to the school, they see it’s boarded up and closed down. Duh-duh-DUH! All of the cast starts getting offed by a man in a jester’s mask in a series of prank like murders. Is Marty getting his revenge? Who could it be behind the mask? Inquiring minds want to know!

The deaths range from silly to gross to gruesome, as the bullies start to fall by the wayside. It’s a fun kick to see how the former students will get taken down, but in all honestly, anyone can guess who the murderer is, so there’s so suspense there, which kind of takes some of the wind out of the sails for this release. Still, this film is a lot of retro fun and is a product of its time. It’s a low budget slasher film that at times you can see the budget limitations the filmmakers faced. It’s a fun watch however, and cult horror fans will love seeing it finally available on blu-ray.

Slaughter High arrives on blu-ray thanks to Vestron Video. When it comes to vintage low budget films, such as Slaughter High, when you upgrade the transfer, even to blu-ray, it’s not going to be perfect. However, here the film has never looked better. You can see the age on the picture, and the fallout in the darker scenes. To be honest though, if this particular film was crystal perfect, I don’t know if I would love this transfer. I like the fact that I can see the wear, it makes the film come alive for me in a way.

Special features on this release include:

My Days at Doddsville with Actress Caroline Munro – This is an interview with the lead actress. It’s a fun look back and worth watching.

Going to Pieces with Co-Writer and Co-Director Mark Ezra – This is another great look back with the writer and director. Everyone seems to enjoy the cult following the film has.

There is a still gallery, the original trailer and some radio spots.

Alternate Title Sequence with the original April Fool’s Day title.

There is an audio commentary with Co-Writers and Co-Directors George Dugdale and Peter Litten

Overall, Slaughter High will never be as revered in the horror community as classics like Friday The 13th or Halloween, but it’s a fun entry into the horror genre that will hopefully find a few new fans thanks to this reissue from Vestron Home Video. It’s a fun look at 1980’s horror films and definitely worth a look! Recommended!

Slaughter High is out now on Blu-ray!