Massaker in Klasse 13

A real find. I remember I first read about it in "The Phantom's Ultimate Movie Guide." The title alone caught my attention as well as the review found in the book. I finally got to see it a year ago and I found it to be very intelligent and suspenseful, not to mention thought provoking. I am still contemplating the message behind the movie and that is what I love best about it. It is not blunt about what it is saying, it leaves it up to you to decide. Though technically a slasher flick, the movie is anything but routine, with plenty of twists to keep your attention. It is basically a parable of political corruption in a high school setting. It presents a high school where there is no authority and I must say that is not too unrealistic, when I got picked on by bullies in high school there seemed to be no teachers around anywhere. It was only in class when I actually saw the teachers or any other adults. The kids who were strongest physically seemed to be in charge of the halls. There were times where I wanted to just try to make a change but I felt it was futile. "Massacre At Central High" deals with such issues, but it also offers an alternative solution and the consequences of it. One of the few slasher flicks to deal effectively with real issues as well the often harsh reality that high school was for some.

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently.

This is not ur regular slasher movie inspite of the kills happening around a high skool involving teens. The swimming pool kill terrified me then. The film has lots of kills, lil nudity but the best part is the script n the characters.

The theme where the oppressed students take on the role of their bully oppressors really impressed me aft revisiting it now.

This is a VERY under-rated film that seems to have disappeared from the video shelves & will never see the likes of a DVD release...what a shame! As you may have read from previous reviews, this movie really has a hard time fitting into one category...but at the same time, the story draws you in & you find yourself identifying with many of the characters...I, myself, have never seen a copy of the unrated version (The version I have is from a WPIX New York broadcast from around 1985) but this doesn't deter from the impact this movie has on the viewer...Some type of strange social commentary? A semi-slasher-revenge plot? Actually - who knows & who cares...almost 30 years after it's release the movie is very entertaining, accomplishes what it set out to do, and is a wonderful exercise in 70's exploitation...only a few rungs higher when it comes to plot & acting...I give this flick a 5 star "groovy" ~ Let yourself go & enjoy the ride...

PS: The only thing to watch out for & skip at all costs is the lame...did I say LAME theme song from the opening & ending credits...If you already don't - this will make you want to wish that the 70's never happened (But it did...It DID...!) "You're at the crossroads of your life...the crossroads of your life and you are..." AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGHHHHH!

To hear the name of this implies it is a typical horror/slasher film and it isn't. I loved this movie when my brother, a major film buff, first introduced me to it many years ago. Massacre may have its flaws(admittedly it's not a high budget movie!) but it is surprisingly chilling and would have alot of relevence, were it to be rereleased today.

The film ruthlessly drives home to the viewer what it can be like to be a a highschool student at a school where nobody cares-the lack of any adults in the movie and many scenes of bullying and tormenting bring the point home as did another great movie "Carrie".

However, Massacre takes the premise one, two, three steps further- this isn't "Carrie" as many have said, it's more "Carrie" meets "Lord of the flies". Massacre shows the flaws of all the main characters and lets nobody off the hook. That's all I will say but if your reading this and haven't seen it check it out-it's little known but is good!

I always believed "Massacre at Central high" has always been categorized incorrectly. Despite the title, it's not a "horror" film (it's not scary and doesn't fit the mold) and it isn't a true "slasher" film. I always felt that this film was just a great drama, one where the actual killings are secondary to the messages the film has to offer for examination. I really don't like "message" or "deep" films that much, but this one is a rare exception as far as "deep" films go. The great thing about this film is, it doesn't have to be "deep" unless you deliberately look further into it.

This is really quite an intelligent film. It examines social class and status, power and authority, the rebellion and the aftermath of such rebellion. The story is very interesting - David comes to Central High, only to find his old best friend Mark is now a part of a group of four guys that pick on everyone and rule the school. David has a choice, join up or become one of the picked on. David starts showing his disdain for the group, and it's only a matter of time before the group gets fed up with giving David chance after chance, as pleaded by Mark.

David is the leader of the rebellion against the bullies, and when the problem is solved, new ones crop up because there is a void that needs to be filled - the oppressed become the new bullies and it's the start of the same cycle over again.

The examination of such nature, especially seeing the "new bullies" and how they take over the role is fascinating. One of them even buys a car from the parents of the leader of the bullies, the car belonging to their son who David has killed, to even more completely fill the role.

You never see any adults in Central High - this is intentional as the world we are seeing revolves totally around the students. Actually the only time you do see any adults is in the final sequence at the school dance, where they are very zombie-ish and lifeless, Central High being their own futureless living graveyard.

This is definitely an underrated amazing little film. A DVD release would be very much appreciated!