Massacre at Central High: Standard Edition – Synapse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1976
Director: Rene Daalder
Writer: Rene Daalder
Cast: Derrel Maury, Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Kimberly Beck, Ray Underwood, Steve Bond, Rex Steven Sikes, Lani O'Grady, Damon Douglas, Dennis Kort, Cheryl Smith, Jeffrey Winner, Tom Logan, Robert Newman

Release Date: September 13th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 47 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"When new student David (Derrel Maury) arrives at Central High, he discovers that it is lorded over by a gang of bullies who rule the school through intimidation and violence. David's friend Mark (Andrew Stevens, THE FURY) encourages him to join this dominant clique, but instead David stands up for their victims, and the gang cripples him in retaliation. Soon David begins taking steps to end their reign of terror permanently, setting in motion an explosive cycle of killing that may not end until no one is left to graduate!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “High-definition 1080p remaster scanned, transferred and supervised by director Renee Daalder”.

Massacre at Central High comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33 GB

Feature: 23.7 GB

Though Synapse Films takes longer than any other boutique label to get from the beginning of a project to streetdate. There is no denying that the results are usually spectacular. The source used for this transfer is in immaculate shape; color saturation, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included with this release are removable English SDH subtitles. There are no issues with distortion or background hiss; dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music from the film in the background, a radio spot (27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a TV spot (33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a documentary titled Hell in the Hallways (42 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio interview with director Renee Daalder, conducted by writer/horror historian Michael Gingold (25 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and audio interviews by Mike White (‘The Projection Booth’ Podcast), featuring interviews with actors Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Derrel Maury and Rex Steven Sikes (86 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Looking back on any film, it is easy to see how it influenced films that followed it. despite the fact that there have been numerous films set in high school. The Massacre at Central High would give a glimpse of high school life that had, at that point, never been depicted on screen. The events that take place feel normal when viewed through the lens of today's world of school shooters.

Though the score, Massacre at Central High, does a good job of reinforcing the mood. Don’t be fooled by the opening theme, which tone-wise does not give any indication of what is about to unfold. In fact, the main theme gives off the vibe that this is going to be an after-school special kind of story.

Massacre at Central High was directed by Rene Daalder, a filmmaker whose eclectic filmography does not have another film that resembles The Massacre at Central High. Notable films directed by Rene Daalder include Population: 1 and Hysteria.

The narrative pits two groups of characters against each other; the in crowd, who spend their every moment terrorizing their classmates, and the rest of the school, who are mostly made up of misfits who don’t fit in with the status quo. From there, things are shaken up after the arrival of a new kid named David, who refuses to bend to the will of the crowd, who then decide he needs to be put in his place. This then sets in motion a series of events where students are killed.

Massacre at Central High features a solid cast of actors, many of whom would go on to have lengthy careers. That said, as good as everyone is in their respective roles, no performance stands out more than Derrel Maury's as David, the new kid in town who becomes the focal point of the two groups of students at Central High. Notable cast members include Andrew Stevens (The Fury) in the role of Mark, an old friend of David’s; Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds) in the role of a loner troublemaker named Spoony; Kimberly Beck (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) in the role of Theresa, Mark’s girlfriend; Lani O'Grady (Eight is Enough) in the role of Jane; and Cheryl 'Rainbeaux' Smith (Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural) in the role of Mary.

Massacre at Central High is a film that fully exploits all of its resources. The premise is superbly realized, the well-executed narrative does a great job of building tension, and a sensational ending provides a perfect coda to the events that preceded. Other strengths include Rene Daalder’s direction, which allows the performances to take center stage, and the visuals, which also rise to the occasion. Ultimately, Massacre at Central High is an extraordinary film that exceeds the sum of its parts.

After being available in a limited-edition steelbook edition for two years, Synapse Films' excellent release of Massacre at Central High gets a standard edition Blu-ray, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer