Return to Horror High poster & wallpaper

George Clooney, Maureen McCormick, Alex Rocco

A few years ago, a mysterious serial-killer caused panic on Crippen High School. The killer was never caught. A movie company, Cosmic Pictures, has decided to make a feature movie about these events -...( read more  read more... ) on location, at the now abandoned school. Since members of cast and crew disappear without a trace, it seems as if history is repeating itself...

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31% liked it

3,589 ratings

R, 95 min.

Directed by: Bill Froehlich

Release Date: January 1, 1987

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DVD Release Date: November 27, 2001

Stats: 176 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (176)

  • stopitgoaway
    September 8, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    A film crew is making a sleazy low-budget horror flick at Crippen High School. This location hides a terrible past, where a few years ago a series of brutal murders occurred and the killer was never captured. Strangely enough members of the cast and crew start disappearing and on...( read more) the minds of certain cast members is that it's happening all over again.

    Huh? Yep, huh? "Return to Horror High" is a hokey low-budget tongue-in-cheek slasher that peculiarly rips on its genre in a very confusing muddle of ideas and bizarre pathways. There's just too much going on, as the illogical story switches back and forth in a rather disjointed manner. The reason for this messy situation can be attributed to story moving between the police investigation, that of the crew actually making the horror flick with killer knocking them off and then the murders the film is based on. That's quite handful and when they gel into one. You're left rather bemused by it all and at times it hard to tell when it's just a film within a film moment. It can get tediously bog down (especially the awkward romance link) by its chattiness and little action. The "Scooby Doo" mystery piles on the red herrings and the lambs for the slaughter, but it's nothing we haven't watched before. What I found to lift this outrageously silly comic horror was that it has a real good time mocking that of stereotypes and clichés and there are a couple of fun hammy performances from the elastic cast. It simply plays for one big wicked joke.

    The story's structure and overall editing might be a choppy mess, on the other-hand the production was well prepared and the setting was atmospheric. A spine-tingling score that tries to keep you on edge combined with sweeping semi-doco cinematography and gloomy lighting made that factor passable. Although the embarrassingly cheese-filled 80s soundtrack can destroy the mood in certain scenes and the humour can over-rail the menace it tries to build in the opening half of the film. On a whole, it can be lacking, but director Bill Froelich delivers some inventive flushes in a few piercing scenes. A lot of blood (if "fake" movie blood) is splashed about and nudity is dished up in minor bursts. On the other spectre, suspense is quite minimal and clumsy false jumps only reveal the real one with dire results. Actually it can get unpredictable in spontaneous spurts. The ridiculously out-there climax only proves so when it builds up towards its final outcome. This big twist is easy to understand, but how it came to be doesn't make a whole lotta' sense.

    The humour is quite overwrought in its not-so-subtle style, but these playful jests in the dialogues do have its shining light. Alex Rocco gets most of the best lines and is real treat as the flat-out, obnoxious, slime ball producer. Also the likes of Maureen McCormick as the hot and bothered cop raises a few chuckles and Lori Lethin's feisty awe only engages. While, the acting teeters on lousy, the over-exaggerated turns only enhances the film's eccentric energy and likability. Oh yeah, I actually found the characters rather likable. I'm sure some people will be waiting for George Clooney to hit the screen and you don't have to wait for long, but then again he bites the dust after only about 15 minutes into the flick. Even if it was only a tiny part, his charisma was evident early on.

    This spoof isn't always on the mark, but it passes time decently enough.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    June 25, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    A fun school slasher film. Inconsistent and cheap with some WTF? killing scenes. The plot takes some outrageous twists and turns, trying to confuse, but I stuck with it all the way through for the atmosphere. There are some great scenes, paired with some cheesy acting and dialogu...( read more)e. Nice cheap appearances by George Clooney, Maureen McCormick and Alex Rocco. This film promises a great massacre but only gives us some bits and pieces. There's no real cohesive plot, only a series of set-piece killings. Hysterical schlock horror curiosity from the 80's. I laughed.
  • PC79
    November 16, 2006
    PC79
    Low budget filming that does actually turn out pretty good.
  • John2223
    October 3, 2009
    John2223
    Senseless, boring, not funny, not horror, not gory.
  • Lerch0783
    January 11, 2009
    Lerch0783
    A very enjoyable 80's cheesy horror film. I was very entertained throughout the movie. It is cheesy as hell and a lot of people can't handle the good ole cheesy horror films....but I sure do. ;)
  • grayavec
    March 24, 2009
    grayavec
    I liked the twist ending.
  • slasherfilmsareback
    December 26, 2008
    slasherfilmsareback
    This movie is so dumb I feel asleep over 1/2 into it. Noted for being George Clooney's first film role and he dies First! Not recomended.
  • carolynmj19774
    November 4, 2008
    carolynmj19774
    I watched this and was surprised to see Maureen McCormick in it. She didn't even play a big role and neither did George Clooney. I wonder why they are listed as the top names of this film....This movie was CHEESY!!!!
  • HarleenQuinzel
    October 12, 2008
    HarleenQuinzel
    I dunno, I had a tough time gettin into it. I preferred Student Bodies, the film which I very often confuse with Return to Horror High.
  • ryan21fan
    September 4, 2008
    ryan21fan
    An ok horror movie, with early roles for George Clooney & Maureen McCormick!

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