The amazing similarities between "Heathers" and "Massacre at Central" High cannot be denied.
Apart from the ritual killing of school bullies, and the final death scene, the main female character seemed to be wearing exactly the same dress as Winona Ryder did in one scene!
Anyone spot any other similarities?
heathers was a spoof of this movie.
shareI definitely wouldn't say HEATHERS is a "spoof." But yes, the similarities are definitely there. I'd guess HEATHERS was meant to be an homage of sorts.
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sayuri28, please read what a spoof is, education is a good thing . . .
spoof – noun
1. a mocking imitation of someone or something, usually light and good-humored; lampoon or parody: The show was a spoof of college life.
2. a hoax; prank.
–verb (used with object)
3. to mock (something or someone) lightly and good-humoredly; kid.
4. to fool by a hoax; play a trick on, esp. one intended to deceive.
–verb (used without object)
5. to scoff at something lightly and good-humoredly; kid: The campus paper was always spoofing about the regulations.
I have enough faith in my judgment to recognize a stinker.
"Heathers" clearly stole both the main story and its literally explosive ending from "Massacre at Central High."
"Warren Oates died for our sins"
Woodyanders wrote...
"Heathers" clearly stole both the main story and its literally explosive ending from "Massacre at Central High."
I agree. I didn't even think of it until I saw "Heathers" recently.
I've been looking for a copy of "Massacre at Central High." Anyone know if it may be coming on DVD via Code Red, Blue Underground etc? It would be a perfect release.
I think the key reason "Massacre at Central High" hasn't come out on DVD yet is because of its uncannily prescient similarities to the notorious Columbine incident. What really ticks me off is that we've got several movies already made about 9/11, but folks are still too upset about Columbine to let it go and hence allow this film to get the deluxe Special Edition DVD treatment that it deserves. Moreover, it might just be because no one has found a print that's in good enough shape to transfer to DVD. The key reason why "Night of the Comet" has yet to get issued on DVD is because the original negative got destroyed in a warehouse fire. A similar fate might have befallen the negative to "Massacre at Central High." The sad fact is that good quality prints of low-budget films from the 70's and other eras past are pretty hard to find.
"Warren Oates died for our sins"
The original negative of "Night of the Comet" got destroyed in a fire? Damn! That sucks, I love that film. I only thought much older films (like "The Honeymoon" the lost sequel to von Stroheim's "The Wedding March") would get that fate. Fav line from Night of the Comet: "I'm not crazy, I just don't give a *beep*
shareNight of the Comet is on dvd. Just look it up on Amazon.
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Just because a film is on DVD doesn't mean the master isn't lost. For example, one of the blu-ray editions of "Star Wars" includes the original theatrical version (No "A New Hope" in the opening scroll, Greedo doesn't shoot...). However, it's taken from the laserdisc edition, since it appears Lucas has had all the original prints destroyed.
The version on DVD might have come from a distribution print, or maybe even 1/4" tape that HBO ran.
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Philo's Law: To learn from your mistakes, you have to realize you're making mistakes.
i like Massacre but i found Heathers awesome! i'd watch heathers over it, i think its better in its own right (its my fave movie of all time)P, but horror wise this movie is pretty good, even by todays standards it would scare people.
shareI recall when "Heathers" came out that there was an interview with either the director or screenwriter where he pretty much said that this movie was a big inspiration for "Heathers". Still, this movie wasn't a comedy or even a black comedy like "Heathers" (even if it has a few comical scenes).
People throw around the word "rip-off" too much. There are very few movies that are TOTALLY original. And the most original thing about this movie isn't the high school revenge plot, but that it was supposed to be some kind of political allegory by a Dutch director that had as much to do with actual American teenagers as "Animal Farm" had to do with actual animals.
I'm having this debate on Wikipedia right now with someone who seems in denial that the two films are related. In J.R. Bowie's book about Heathers, Daniel Waters claims he hadn't actually seen Massacre when writing the script for Heathers, but admits he had read the chapter about Massacre in Danny Peary's book Cult Movies, and this may have "subconsciously" influenced him. (Like how George Harrison subconsciously borrowed the tune of "My Sweet Lord" from the Chiffons' "He's So Fine", perhaps.)
Man, I've been pointing that out for years.
The big difference is that MASSACRE was entertaining, while HEATHERS sucked.
I like "Heathers" but not as much as MACH. I think a lot of the MACH dialogue is corny, probably thanks to writer/director Rene Daalder being Dutch and therefore not that familiar with American teenage slang. But the corny dialogue is part of the movie's charm! Those of us who are fans of the movie often quote some of the worst lines to each other! "Our of my way before I clobber you!"
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