Massacre at Central High (1976)

A high school transfer student, pushed to the edge by a trio of brutal bullies, resorts to murder to reclaim the school from oppression, and later turns against the students wanting to fill the vacuum of their oppressors.

Director:

Rene Daalder (as Renee Daalder)

Writer:

Rene Daalder (as Renee Daalder)

Stars:

Derrel Maury, Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Derrel Maury	...	David
Andrew Stevens	...	Mark
Robert Carradine	...	Spoony
Kimberly Beck	...	Theresa
Ray Underwood	...	Bruce
Steve Bond	...	Craig
Rex Steven Sikes	...	Rodney (as Steve Sikes)
Lani O'Grady	...	Jane
Damon Douglas	...	Paul
Dennis Kort	...	Arthur
Cheryl Smith	...	Mary (as Rainbeaux Smith)
Jeffrey Winner	...	Oscar
Tom Logan	...	Harvey (as Thomas Logan)

Storyline

David is the new kid at Central High. The only person he knows is Mark, who runs with the local toughs led by Bruce. Mark and David share a bond from years before when David came to Mark's aid when Mark was being beaten by school bullies. David keeps his distance, preferring not to join the "club." He tries to convince the other students not to be pushed around, and intervenes once too often on their behalf. When he directly becomes a victim of Bruce's gang, David orchestrates a plan that causes an attrition problem among the members of the clique. Mark worries for his safety, even though he and David were once friends.

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Plot Keywords:

threesome | murder of a nude woman | bully | murder | revenge | 

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Taglines:

9 Already Killed! Who Will Be Next?

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blackboard Massacre

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Evan

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Derrel Maury has stated that the message of the movie is "Power Corrupts" and do the right thing.

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Goofs

When the van is parked atop the hill, above the beach, a huge boom mic is clearly visible above

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Quotes

Paul: What are YOU gonna do, sit there and die?

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Connections

Referenced in Best of the Worst: Deadly Prey, Hard Ticket to Hawaii, and Miami Connection (2013)

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Soundtracks

Crossroads
Music by Tommy Leonetti
Lyrics by Jill Williams

User Reviews

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All I can say is, "Massacre at Central High," in all its grainy, distinctly-1970's glory, makes "Carrie" look like a sugarcoated After-School Special. The plot deals with a lanky, odd-looking kid who's transferred to a new school where a former friend (Andrew Stevens, of "The Fury") happens to be attending; he's disgusted with the way a gang of bullies prey on the weak, and starts eliminating the gang, one person at a time. Yet after he kills the last thug, the geeks become power-hungry and, in a sadly ironic twist, wind up being just as brutal and reprehensible as their deceased tormentors. "Massacre at Central High" is a highly engrossing revenge flick that actually rises above the standards of the genre, combining the horror of the teenage years with a strong political subtext. The movie is indeed an adolescent nightmare where adults aren't even featured until the final scene--instead of focusing on the tired "the-parents-have-lost-control" theme, writer-director Renee Daadler opts to filter everything--rape, violence, class war--through the eyes of vulnerable youth, thus making the film that much more horrifying and convincing. Kudos. 3.5 stars out of 5