School's Out (1999) why the U.S. DVD release?

As for an explanation for the DVD release I certainly understand the economic reasons one might put it out. Buy low, sell high. That's why I want to get into horror production. As to why Fangoria would put their name on this movie, I kept wondering about that throughout the film. Fortunately as a DVD extra they provided an article on the merits of this movie, an article that kept me shaking my head in disbelief.

They compared this movie to the works of my favorite directors, Bava, Argento, and Michele Soavi, in particular of course bringing up Soavi's Stage Fright. The term, coined by the director of School's Out, 'teen giallo'. I have seen the Scream teen genre of horror combined with the giallo once before, in the French year 2000 film, Deep in the Woods. That movie actually works, and is very similar to Soavi's Stage Fright. My problem with School's Out being called a giallo. It's that I love giallos and I really hated School's Out.


directed by Robert Sigl - American and European (with sequel...) DVDs
Sure there are some 'stylish' elements to School's Out. The killers harlequin costume is undeniably interesting, the setting is good, and they try to go for some dramatic kills, but when I was watching this movie I was not thinking 'giallo influence', I was thinking 'stupid characters, stupid twist plot, boring shit'. This movie is not well written. I know the same can be said of some giallos where the resolutions sometimes don't add up, but at least they keep you entertained on the way there. The scissor killings in School's Out suck and I think the movie gets it's 'R' for dirty dialogue and not bloodshed. The language does not translate well either. At one pointed we here that the killer "rapes women with scissors" and I thought boy is this going to turn into a sicko movie, but actually scissor insertion was not what the dialogue was referring too and in fact there are no on-screen rape scenes in this movie.

In another instance a character refers to having diarrhea from drinking cheep bear, but when he gets to the shitter after a run, we see him lift the cover while facing forward and then here a puking sound. Bad translation from the German to English. The dubbing is horrendous as well, not something I mind in a 70's movie, but today, come on.

The top kill in School's Out is a kid being impaled on the nose of a stuffed sword fish. Stylish, or stupid as shit?

Apparently the director was worried when this was being made that it would bare similarities to the American movie Urban Legend that was in production at the same time. If that's not reason enough to skip this movie, I don't know what is.

I really wish I could find that Fangoria article on line for you guys, it really is funny. The good news is that this means I won't be linking to Fangoria two posts in a row. That would be a disgrace.



I'm sorry about this one honey, are you every gonna let me buy $2 DVDs at DVD Planet again?

It's ok dear I forgive you this time because you got other $2 dvds that were actually good, so I have not yet lost all hope!

Were you bored to death or what? I was not thinking Deep Red when I saw this movie, were you? Did it remind you of Urban Legend?

(spoiler) Although I must say I was bored to death, and it actually reminded me of a very bad version of Scream. With the killer being their friend in the end (I told you it would be a friend!).

Why do you have to knock the fashion of the German teens? They can't help it if they don't know how to dress American!

The fashion was terrible 90's style even though it was a 2000 movie. Come on, they could have done a lot better. I mean European fashion is great, and their fashion was SHIT. Very disappointed in the fashion department I must say!