NIGHT SCHOOL (1981)

 

(a.k.a. TERROR EYES; director: Ken Hughes. Screenwriter: Ruth Avergon.)

Review

Boston, Massachusetts. A teacher’s aide (Anne Baron, played by Meb Boden) at the Jack ‘n’ Jill Daycare Center, is beheaded by a black-clad, black-helmeted motorcyclist wielding a recurved blade (a kukri, sometimes called a Gurkha blade). The investigators on the scene note that the killing is similar to another recent murder. Given the nature of the crimes, lead investigative cops, Lt. Judd Austin (Leonard Mann) and Taj (Joseph R. Sicari), are drawn to Wendell College where womanizing anthropology professor Vincent Millett (Drew Snyder, FIRESTARTER, 1984) teaches a course on tribal rituals, which introduces them to Millett’s research assistant, Eleanor Adjai (Rachel Ward, THE FINAL TERROR, 1983)—this visit deepens Austin’s suspicions about Millett. It seems that the murderer either works at or attends Wendell. The pool of suspects widens when a creepy busboy (Gary, played by Bill McCann) at a local diner is introduced as well.

More women in the area are decapitated, as Austina and Taj further investigate clues and suspects, and eventually figure out who did it.

This solid, occasionally suspenseful police procedural/slasher film shows a bit of blood and severed heads but rarely shows actual violence (lots of shots leading up to attacks, freeze frames and cutaways), and the killer is relatively easy to spot if you’re familiar with the genre. What makes NIGHT SCHOOL a gem of a slasher flick is its playful touches of macabre humor, good acting, well-sketched characters, lack of gratuitous violence, effective soundtrack (courtesy of Brad Fiedel), twisty/bizarre-ish ending, and its competent crew. It probably won’t win many awards (it won a few small ones when it came out) but it might provide tightly edited hour and a half entertainment for you, if you keep your expectations modest.

 

Deep(er) filmic dive

NIGHT SCHOOL is Rachel Ward’s feature debut, and director Ken Hughes’s final movie, in a forty-eight-film career that includes THE IPCRESS FILE (1965, he was an uncredited writer).

Though a perforated hockey mask is shown in Gary’s room, it’s probably not a reference to Jason Voorhees from the FRIDAY THE 13^th films. Jason’s iconic mask (its first version) wasn’t introduced to the summer-set franchise until FRIDAY THE 13^th PART 3 (1982).

 

NIGHT has two minor players from JAWS (1975) in its cast: Belle McDonald, who played Marjorie Armand in NIGHT, was an uncredited Mrs. Posner in the JAWS; Edward Chalmers Jr., a “Construction Worker” in NIGHT, was also uncredited in JAWS— he played Mr. Denherder in that blockbuster film.

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 3: BETTER WATCH OUT! (1989)

 

(a.k.a. SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT III: BETTER WATCH OUT!. Director/co-screenwriter/uncredited co-editor: Monte Hellman. Co-screenwriters: Rex Weiner, Arthur Gorson, and uncredited Melissa Hellman.)

 

Review

Christmas Eve. Ricky Caldwell, killer from SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2 (1987), has been in a coma for six years, after being shot by the cops at the end of the previous film. A clear dome has been attached to the top of his head, exposing his brain to open view—not logical, considering all his bullet wounds were in his torso, but never mind about that—and an oddball doctor, Dr. Newberry (Richard Beymer), has been using a blind clairvoyant woman, Laura Anderson (Samantha Scully, BLOODSUCKERS, 1987) to try and rouse Caldwell from his six-year slumber.

Laura, often angry and sarcastic, has traded dream memories with Ricky (played by Bill Moseley, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, 1986—in SILENT 2, Ricky was played by Eric Freeman). These mingled memories and emotions stir them more than the doctor or Laura suspect, though the young woman, disturbed by what she’s experienced with Ricky, is ready to quit the experiments. Later that day, Ricky wakes and kills Danny, a drunken, mean-spirited hospital Santa (SILENT 3 director/co-screenwriter/co-editor Monte Hellman), and a b*tchy hospital receptionist (Isabel Cooley) before escaping the institution.

Laura arrives at her grandmother’s house with her brother, Chris (Eric DaRe, CRITTERS 4, 1992), and his new girlfriend, Jerri (Laura Harring, billed as Laura Herring), the latter of whom Laura openly dislikes. Their “Granny” (Elizabeth Hoffman, FEAR NO EVIL, 1981) is strangely absent from her house and they look for her. They’re unaware that Ricky, triggered by taunts and the color red, has slashed and decapitated his way to their current location.

Ricky’s bloody trek has not gone unnoticed by others. He’s being pursued by an intrepid cop, Lt. Connely (Robert Culp, SANTA’S SLAY, 2005) and Dr. Newberry, who are not far behind them. Will they find Granny safe and whole, and can they survive Ricky’s second-time-‘round murder spree?

Though director Hellman and Ed Rothkowitz show strong editing chops and the behind-the-scenes crew knew what they were doing, the often brightly (often whitely) lit movie lacks suspense (sometimes bordering on tedious) and the dream sequences aren’t particularly disturbing. The gore quotient is low but effective. This isn’t the worst horror movie I’ve seen, far from it, but it’s probably one that only die-hard Monte Hellman and/or SILENT franchise fans might appreciate. Followed by SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION (1990).

 

Other actors worth noting

Melissa Hellman (daughter of director Monte Hellman and uncredited SILENT 3 co-screenwriter) played “Dr. Newberry’s Assistant”.

Leonard Mann (NIGHT SCHOOL, 1981) played “Laura’s Psychiatrist”.

Carlos Palomino (IT’S ALIVE III: ISLAND OF THE ALIVE, 1987) played “Truck Driver”.

Jim Ladd (TO DIE FOR, 1988) played “Newscaster”.

Richard N. Gladstein (SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION, 1990) played “Detective”.

Dave Mount Jr., billed as Dave Mount (PUMPKINHEAD II; BLOOD WINGS, production assistant, 1993), played “Policeman”.

 

Deep(er) filmic dive

Eric DaRe, who played Samantha’s brother in SILENT 3, also appeared in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s TWIN PEAKS (1989-91), along with Richard Beymer, who played Dr. Newberry in SILENT 3.

Further David Lynch connection: Laura Harring, who played Jerri, Chris’s girlfriend, in SILENT 3, also appeared in Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001) and INLAND EMPIRE (2005).

 

Richard N. Gladstein, who played a “Detective” in SILENT 3, was also an executive producer for the film. He also produced/acted in SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION (1990) and SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 5: THE TOYMAKER (1991).

 

Hellman was not a fan of the original SILENT 3 script, so he requested original co-screenwriter Arthur Gorson work on a new screenplay with another writer, Max Weiner. (The other original screenwriter, Steven Gaydos, went uncredited for his work.). Later Hellman, and his daughter (Melissa) tweaked the rewrite—SILENT 3’s original script became the screenplay for SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION, 1990.

 

The movie the gas station attendant (and later Laura and Chris) watch on TV is THE TERROR (1963, directed by Roger Corman, Francis Ford Coppola, Jack Hale, and uncredited Monte Hellman).