Retro Blood 238: Return to Horror High (1987)

Join James Kline and J.H. Alison as Retro Blood continues James Kline’s Birthday Month Picks and our month of 1980s Killer School Horror Movies with the strange meta-slasher Return to Horror High—also known in some places as Scream.

We kick things off by talking about how ahead of its time this movie really was, feeling almost like a prototype for Scream 2 years before meta horror became mainstream. We discuss the movie-within-a-movie concept, the comedy elements, and why this may be one of the earliest self-aware slashers of the ’80s. Of course, we also talk a young George Clooney showing up before becoming a Hollywood megastar.

In our Weekly History Segment, we rewind to January 9, 1987. In metal, Alison introduces the underground grunge-influenced band Skin Yard and their role in the early Seattle music scene before grunge exploded worldwide. In wrestling, James breaks down the WWF debut of Demolition and how they quickly became one of the most memorable tag teams of the late ’80s.

Then we dive into the making of the movie, discussing director Bill Froehlich, why he wanted to make a self-aware slasher comedy, and how New World Pictures gave him a modest $800,000 budget. We talk about the movie surprisingly making over a million dollars, the chaotic production style, and the cast filled with future recognizable faces.

Finally, we deliver a full breakdown of the movie, covering the murders at Crippen High, the bizarre film crew characters, the intentionally confusing structure, and the mix of horror and comedy that makes this one such a unique cult oddity.

It’s meta horror before meta horror was cool—only on Retro Blood. 🩸🎥

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