High School Hellcats

"High School Hellcats" doesn't quite live up to the title, but it turns out that it's a pretty good movie, especially for its time. Coming from the American-International production team of Nicholson and Zarkoff, it surpasses the standards of most of their efforts. Where I expected lines to make me laugh out loud and a plot that exaggerated the idea of girl groups controlling each other through peer pressure, this film was actually plotted in a nice straightforward way, and lacking any sort of twist or turn, it wasn't entirely predictable either. The script served the story without reaching for shocks to sell itself, and the acting was far from exciting, but also conveyed the proper moods and expressions for the story.

It would be too much to say I liked the movie. It's just watchable. The only intrigue is the dated ideas in the story and setting, but other than that, it manages to succeed in all the basics of the craft of filmmaking. Maybe Nicholson and Zarkoff's best, in that respect, even though they have others that are more fun for being much worse.

New high school student, Joyce Martin (Yvonne Lime) is just trying to get along. Unfortunately, she's on the radar of the troublemaking, all-female gang of the title.

Poor Joyce gets into some trouble of her own by violating the school's "no slacks" policy! Luckily, she meets the dreamy Mike Landers (Brett Halsey) at the local malt shop. Alas, he seems powerless against the magnetic pull of the gang gals!

Unbeknownst to Mike or Joyce's oblivious parents, she's falling ever deeper into the dark netherworld of THE HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS!

They smoke! They drink! They steal! They wear slacks!

Soon, Joyce is running with the pack, much to Mike's chagrin. Will Joyce ever return to her goody-three-shoes ways, or will she follow these hellions on their road to perdition?

This is a fantabulous, drive-in ready, AIP release! A gift from the gods for lovers of the "Juvenile Delinquent" sub-genre!...

Joyce's dad spends most of his waking hours with his nose buried in a newspaper, complaining about nothing in particular, and using a suspicious amount of time commenting on his daughter's lipstick color and states of undress. Mama likes to play bridge and then come home to prepare her culinary specialty, Swanson's Turkey Roll with Assorted Vegetables and Asparagus Upside Down Cake TV dinner. Is it any wonder only child Joyce is drawn to the local high school girl group, the Hellcats. The Hellcats specialize in such deep criminal depravities as smoking, drinking, wearing slacks, and shoplifting $1.98 earrings from the local five and dime. Ma Barkers they ain't. But eventually something serious enough does happens that it makes Joyce have second thoughts about the path she is on.

Not quite funny enough to be camp, not quite bad enough to be a total waste, this is another in the series of where did the parents go wrong with their teens and thank goodness it only takes one death to turn things around. Not bad for the genre and entertaining for those who enjoy watching a lot of nose cone bras maneuvering around in tight spaces. And since it only runs 69 minutes, you don't feel too guilty, having spent such a short amount of time watching it.

I recall when I first saw this movie. I was in college (1993) and AMC showed it one late night. I was so very taken by this movie. Of course, by today's standards it would be boring, but it was CLASSIC. Shear and utter nostalgia! The acting was interesting, but the plot was explosive. The relationship between Joyce and Mike was magical. The Hellcats were the first pink ladies! They were bad to the bone and yet they were still pretty wholesome. By 1958 standards, I am sure that the movie ruffled a few feathers. I searched for years trying to find the movie. I never knew the name. I even searched IMDB.COM and could not find the name of this movie. Finally, about a year ago - AMC showed it again. I LOVE HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS. It takes you back to a period when simple acts of indecency (and murder) were shocking. Today those things are a "way of life" in society. HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS reminded me of a more simple time, a time that I wish still existed.

Jana Lund is probably the best reason for seeing this film. She's gorgeous and exciting. And Yvonne Lime is adorable. The first ten minutes or so are a riot, with a classroom scene that must have inspired John Waters for his classroom scene in "Female Trouble." The rest of it goes downhill and lacks any credible "teenage" reality. Also Jana unfortunately gets killed off halfway through the film.