Massacre At Central High [1980] [DVD]

David (Derrel Maury) is the new kid at Central High. He has an old buddy there, though, who promises to make sure he fits in – it's really important that he fit in because not fitting in means nothing but trouble. Good ole Mark (Andrew Stevens) just happens to be one of the in crowd. He, Bruce (Ray Underwood), Craig (Steve Bond), and Paul (Damon Douglas) are a little junta of four who basically terrorize everyone else in the entire school. They're not just bullies, though – they're arrogant, preppy bullies. They quite literally run the school – as you watch the film, you can't help but notice there is not a single adult to be seen anywhere. No parents, no teachers, no cops. That's why the gang can do things like vandalize vehicles, trash the library, beat up anyone they choose, and even attempt to rape two girls with no consequences whatsoever. But now, the times they are a'changin', as David names himself Mr. Consequences and goes about seeking revenge for a friendly little accident that left him unable to vent his anger through those daily runs he loves so much.

The preppy bullies start going down hard and fast, and the deaths are really rather impressive (but not very gory). Since there are no adults to be found (not until the very end of the film, anyway), life just goes on – no funerals, no psychological counseling, no investigations – just nada, zilch. Those who start to worry about their own pathetic little lives just go to the beach to forget their troubles. Pretty soon, the whole atmosphere at the school changes. The formerly oppressed are living it up, enjoying their newfound freedom from bullying. That lasts about one day. That's when the oppressed start morphing into oppressors, the student body divides into several power-hungry cliques, and almost overnight a new batch of low-life bullies are bossing their way around the school. It's really rather depressing, but – unfortunately – it's also quite believable. Give someone his freedom, and the odds are about even that he'll just turn around and try to deny some other poor sap of his freedom. It doesn't say much for our society, does it?

What's a violent revolutionary to do but continue to attack the cancer growing amongst the body politic – even if it ultimately means killing the patient? In other words, the killings continue. What about David and Mark, though? Will their friendship keep them from killing each other? And what of Theresa (Kimberly Beck, who some might recognize from her role in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) – you just knew there had to be a lovers' triangle in here somewhere, didn't you?

Massacre at Central High is just a little bit this and that. Revenge stands atop the list, but you've got your standard nudie exploitation scenes, and let's not forget the ambiguous political overtones: fascism is bad – check; overthrowing the oppressors and standing up for the little guy is good – check; the socialist revolution is doomed to failure – yep, that's a big affirmative on that one. Basically, all we learn is that people just aren't any good – well, that and the fact that a town without any adult presence or authority (especially of the policing variety) is just not a good environment to grow up in.