A gang of obnoxious teenagers led by vicious sociopath Dickens (a marvelously odious portrayal by Christopher Stryker) decide to play a cruel prank on uptight biology teacher Miss Brooke Storm (a fine and credible performance by Maureen Mooney). However, when said prank goes awry, Storm exacts a harsh revenge on the kids for messing with her. Director Douglas Grossman, who also co-wrote the clever and blithely nasty script with Leo Evans, relates the mean-spirited premise at a steady pace, maintains a rough gritty tone throughout, generates a good deal of suspense, and delivers a nice smattering of tasty gratuitous female nudity as well as several jolting outbursts of savage violence (the pencil in the head gag rates as the definite gruesome highlight). Moreover, the characters are believably drawn and the plot has a few neat unexpected twists that tweak the standard slasher formula in a crafty and surprising way. The solid acting by the game no-name cast helps a lot: Christopher Cousins as meek jock Jon-Jon, Millie Prezioso as wicked, yet enticing slut Queenie, Jason Brill as gross fat jerk Smiler, Kathryn Rossetter as the sympathetic Coach Sandy Hand, and J.R. Horne as the ramrod Coach Heaton. Steven Fierberg's fairly polished cinematography offers a few pleasingly atmospheric shots. Both the roaring trashy rock soundtrack and the funky-throbbing score by Rich Macary and Chris Hyams hit the right-on pulsating spot. Good warped fun.

A little known, low-budget horror flick, Hell High actually has more in common with the vengeance exploitation films of the '70's than with the teen slashers that were so popular during its time.

When trouble making teens decide to terrorize their teacher, they go over board with some murderous consequences!

With a compelling story, moody atmosphere, and a good cast, Hell High (which has little to do with its title) is a horror film that manages to over come the limitations of its low budget. Even still, the film is pretty well made for a B horror flick. The music score and filming locations aren't bad either.

The cast of unknowns is pretty good. Maureen Mooney does a good turn as the tormented teacher. Christopher Cousins isn't half bad as a reluctant teen assailant. Best of all though is the late Christopher Stryker (who died of AIDS before the film could be released). He makes for a great teen bad boy and a surprisingly merciless villain! Stryker could have easily went on to bigger films.

Criticize it for what you will, but Hell High is one of the better 'lost' horror flicks of its day. It's 80's horror that takes a refreshing break from the slasher film conventions.

*** out of ****

Christopher Stryker (who died of AIDS after this film)is a troublemaker named Dickens who seeks revenge against his biology teacher, Ms Storm (Mooney) after she slaps him for being an obnoxious tool, throwing test papers in the air as a means to make her angry. Christopher Cousins is Jon-Jon, an ex-football player who lost his girl to the team's star jock, joining Dickens' bunch of misfits for the hell of it. The other members of Dickens' brood are the slutty Queenie, aware of her appetite for sex and Smiler, the overweight stooge who is often shown stuffing his face. Dickens, who spends his time often contemplating what his next prank will be, decides to first peep on Storm and then gather up some slop from the nearby swamp for an epic tribute to his biology teacher, his unpleasant feelings for her unleashed with the kind of mischief he's famous for. What commences, the four involved, bombarding Storm's home with muddy swamp goo, bouncing on her roof with Halloween masks, drives the teacher over the edge, a night of murder resulting.

According to Joe Bob Briggs, the film was made in like 1985, only to be released as the slasher genre was on its' last legs, soon to stagnate until SCREAM brought a resurgence. Atypical of the genre, the four kids cause the teacher to go berserk, a psychological trauma from the past awakening the beast in the woman. For tits and violence, HELL HIGH delivers, but there isn't as much high school in the movie as you might expect. Stryker stands out from the cast as the burdensome sociopath, while the others lend support in their immoral behavior. No one, except Mooney's Ms Storm comes across sympathetically. Even Cousins, who only cares about his own hide, isn't a hero, smiling at the end when his framing of the football player works! Stone bashing to the skull, pencil to the skull, spike and fireplace poker impalements, even a throat knife slicing for good measure. Plenty of body double work during the nude scenes. Might be a sleeper for slasher fans looking for a movie that does stray from the formula at times. Most memorable scene could be when Dickens plans to rape Storm only for Queen to interrupt, showing him how to really grope a woman!