Class of Nuke 'Em High

If only my highschool was like this...eerily predicting a violent chaotic state of highschools in the future loaded with biker gangs and mutants. I first saw this movie on USA's "Up All Night" back in the early 90's when I was about 8 years old and it became one of my favorite late night viewings especially since I was very heavy into the Toxic Crusaders. Movies like this and the Toxic Avenger played a big part in my childhood and thanks to Lloyd Kaufman's influence I am the sick demented horror fan I am today...as if it's a bad thing. 10/10

Students pick leaves from a radioactive marijuana plant located in the yard of the nuclear plant.

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs n found the creature to b a cheap copy of Alien.

Was never a fan of Troma movies in the late 80s cos they were more gross than gory.

Revisited it recently.

Their earlier effort Toxic Avenger is far superior to this one.

Funny: The comedy is wittier than you'd expect. Along with the obvious gross gags, there are some deadpan character reactions that made me laugh, like when some of the men checking the plant for radioactivity were dropping like flies and their colleagues, who were standing right beside them, didn't seem to notice or care. Also, you learn a useful lesson here: when you find a barrel full of green slime that smells bad and makes weird noises, DON'T stick your hand into it!

Sexy: The heroine is cute, but the two (or were there three?) bad girls are from another planet!

Gory: Considering the budget they probably had to work with, the gore effects are ingenious. The mutations, mutilations and monsters all look good.

I've not seen enough Troma films to compare this with, but it's fun for at least one viewing. (**1/2)

People seem to unfairly dismiss most of Troma's output. True, on the surface there is enough melting mutants, gore and exposed female flesh to appeal to the lowest common denominator, however, most Troma movies (like most good movies) make a comment on the world we live in and following the tradition of 50's radioactive monster movies, CONH explores the fears society has towards expanding and growing youth cultures who reject the ideas of the generation before them, just like the fear Rock and Roll created in the 50's that has never fully subsided and our fears about the saftey of radiation, the media and our education system. Viewed as a piece of paranoid social commentry, Class of Nukem High is a classic.

When it comes to stupid trash films, Troma have no equal; and while the vast majority of their output is absolute rubbish, now and again you'll find a few gems in the rough; and unlikely as it may seem, Class of Nuke 'Em High is one such gem. The film presents a post-apocalyptic style similar to that seen in films such as The Warriors and Escape From New York, and blends it with the idea of a school being run by several students; which is reminiscent of the hit thriller Class of 1984. This is all then mixed in with stoner culture; as its toxic weed that causes all the problems, and you have a recipe for a successful trash flick. The film opens with a 'routine nuclear evacuation drill' at Tromaville High; a school situated next to a nuclear power plant. One kid goes mental, and it's not long before we see that a local gang are buying weed from a nuclear plant worker and selling it to the kids at school. The weed grows faster than normal; and there's a reason for that, as toxic waste has contaminated it and pretty soon the kids of Tromaville High start acting rather strangely...

If this film was made by any other production company; I'd probably say it has a point to make about the advent of nuclear power, but since this is Troma it's clear that they've simply lifted a common fear and turned it into a schlock film. There's absolutely no point to it; but seeing all the general carnage is a lot of fun, and director Richard W. Haines isn't afraid to go completely over the top, despite the obvious limitations of his special effects budget. The film plays out something like a zombie movie; although there are influences from other sources, and not all the afflicted characters turn into mindless beings. The gang at the centre of the film is an interesting troupe, and their style fits the jokey tone of the film very well. It's good to see a film like this that has a sense of humour, and absolutely nothing in the film is to be taken seriously; shown best by the fact that the central location is 'Tromaville', and is the 'toxic chemical capital of the world'! The special effects towards the end get a little silly, but it's all in good fun; and while this movie won't be to everyone's tastes, if you enjoy schlock horror - you'll love this!