Still probably my favorite vintage movie that played at any BNAT. There is no reason for this to be as good as it is. A former “video nasty” powered by two absolutely unhinged performances (Susan Tyrrell and, to a lesser degree, Bo Svenson), it’s part slasher, part after-school special. It’s also an uncharacteristically sympathetic (certainly for the time) portrayal of gay characters. Coach Landers is the real hero of the movie and it’s the homophobes who are the villains. It starts with an almost Final Destination-esque action/horror sequence. It has one of my favorite lines EVER (“College is for rich kids and people with brains. You wouldn’t fit in there.”). And every single moment after Aunt Cheryl cuts her hair is 24 karat GOLD. I finally cracked the seal on my Code Red Blu of this, and it looks incredible (though I'm still partial to the VHS version, which seems like the most appropriate way to experience this).
Played at BNAT 6 (2004)
Trailers: The Corruption of Chris Miller, Angel (1984)
I’m always surprised by how thoughtful and artistic this actually is because I always lump it in with other exploitation movies and the story seems ripe for exploitation. But as shocking as so much of this movie is, it takes its characters and story dead serious. And the filmmakers are flexing their muscles and being inspired by all the new wave films coming out of the 60s, which you can see in the editing and the nonlinear storytelling. (I just had a thought that this would make an interesting double with Poor Pretty Eddie, but I don’t think I could bring myself to do it. :P) I recently got the Blu-ray, which really brings out how beautiful and colorful it is. Marcia Forbes, in her only film role, gives a genuinely great performance and plays the lead role with a childlike naivety that is never over-the-top or a joke. The ending is one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve EVER seen. Still. Unforgettable.
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