Yes, I know what you’re thinking; Has this guy lost his mind? but despite it’s sugary coating, Darren Stein’s 1999 movie is really a horror affair at heart.
The grim plot sees three seniors at Reagan High kidnap the most loved girl in school, only to discover that they have accidentally killed her by shoving a jawbreaker into her throat. The girls then begin a cover up, only to discover that the most unpopular girl in school has walked in on their plans, and they promise to make her popular if she agrees to keep their secret.
A fan of all things dark, Darren Stein cast Carol Kane as the crazy principal, as he had been a life long fan of her work after seeing her in ‘When a Stranger Calls’. He also cast Pam Grier who has a huge following in the exploitation and horror genres. For his trio of terror he cast ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’ star Julie Benz, Rebecca ‘Urban Legend’ Gayheart and Rose McGowan of ‘Scream’ fame who went on to star in ‘Charmed’. The girls are all great in their respective roles with Rose McGowan proving that she can play an evil little bitch exceedingly well.
The supporting cast is rounded out by horror regulars including Tatyana Ali, Ethan Erickson and even Marilyn Manson, and if you still think I’m just clutching at straws, how about the fact that every member of the Purr family was in either ‘Carrie’ or ‘The Rage: Carrie 2’.
In all seriousness though the twisted teen tale has a dark streak through it, and manages to be witty as well, making it better than your average teen comedy. The fact that the main cast list reads like a who’s who of horror only serves to make it even better.
OVERALL SUMMARY
A dark look at high school life which the cast themselves described as ‘Heathers meets Clueless’. If Anchor Bay can release ‘Heathers’ then there’s no reason why horror fans can’t enjoy this. It’s a little different to what some of you will be used to but it’s great to see so many genre regulars working together.
