Line #15 Film/MassacreAtCentralHigh


1	[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/massacre_at_central_high_filmposter.jpeg]]
2	''Massacre at Central High'' is a 1976 horror/thriller film written and directed by Rene Daalder.
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4	NewTransferStudent David (Derrel Maury) arrives at his new high school to find that his old friend Mark (Andrew Stevens) has fallen in with bullies Bruce (Ray Underwood), Paul (Damon Douglas), and Craig (Steve Bond). Mark tries to help David join the gang, but David refuses to put up with their treatment of the other kids, which quickly turns him into a target. After an attack leaves David with a permanent limp, he turns to murder to rid Central High of the bullies.
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6	!!''Massacre at Central High'' contains examples of:
7	* AdultsAreUseless: No adults even appear until the final scene. David won't tell anyone about the extreme bullying at Central High because "tattling's not in my nature," while Mark won't turn David in out of loyalty. Gets to ridiculous extremes after three kids are killed by explosions on campus on the same day, and there's no investigation at all.
8	* TheAllegedCar: Rodney drives a beat-up jalopy that's the only thing he can afford. After the bullies trash it, he tells David that he prefers the walk to school because the noises the old car made were driving him crazy.
9	* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: The first three boys who terrorize their classmates, especially after they disable David out of pure malice. Their victims eventually become this after their deaths and they all try to become the new top dogs. David by the end too.]]
10	* AttemptedRape: The bullies drag Mary and Jane, whom they believe are lesbians, into an empty classroom for corrective rape. They are interrupted by Theresa, who sits and watches them while they yell at her to go away, and then by David, who beats them up.
11	* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Mark won't call the police on David, even though he knows he's the killer, because David helped him out at his last school and he feels like he owes him one, especially after David's injury.
12	* BloodFromTheMouth: Paul has blood coming from his mouth as he crashes around the back of his runaway van.
13	* DiesWideOpen: Done for every victim whose face is visible.
14	* EmptySwimmingPoolDive: David kills Craig by hiding the note from the janitor saying the pool will be empty for cleaning, then turning out the lights when Craig comes to jump off the high dive. Craig doesn't even bother to check if there's any water, he just goes for it. David turns the lights back on after Craig jumps so Craig will know he's about to die.
15	* EveryCarIsAPinto: David gives Paul a TapOnTheHead, locks him in his van, and shoves it downhill. The van runs off the road, rolls down a hill, and explodes at the bottom.
16	* EvilPowerVacuum: After David kills Mark's GangOfBullies, the rest of the school devolves into a free-for-all for dominance over the school's student body, many of whom try coaxing David into joining their side.
17	* ExternalCombustion: David sets up the hot rod Rodney inherited from Bruce to explode when he turns it on, killing him.
18	* {{Foodfight}}: Enjoying their new bully-free lives, the kids start throwing food at each other during lunch.
19	* FullCircleRevolution: When the bullies are gone and the other kids are free to be themselves, David is dismayed to find that they're just as bad, with new bullies quickly stepping in to fill the power vacuum.
20	* GangOfBullies: Mark's girlfriend Theresa (Kimberly Beck) refers to them as the Little League gestapo.
21	* GroinAttack: While David fights with Bruce, Craig holds Mary and Jane by the necks until Jane hits him in the crotch, causing him to let go.
22	* GymClassHell: The bullies shove "[[HollywoodPudgy fat]]" kid Oscar onto the GymClassRopeClimb and threaten him with a knife if he can't climb high enough. When he falls, they [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown kick him]]. Afterwards, they shove him and whip him with towels in the locker room while he tries to escape.
23	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:David plans to blow up the school with a TimeBomb, killing everyone. When Theresa runs in with Mark and refuses to leave despite his warnings, David takes the bomb and runs outside, where it explodes, killing him but saving Theresa.]]
24	* HighVoltageDeath: David cuts a cord on Bruce's hang glider, causing him to crash onto high wires.
25	* LensFlare: Visible as David loads Paul into his van.
26	* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: This is how David disposes of the three bullies - hang gliding accident, swimming pool accident, van accident. His methods become a lot less subtle later on.
27	* MoralityPet: Even at his worst, David still cares for Theresa. [[spoiler:His love for her saves everyone in the school.]]
28	* SarcasticClapping: When the bullies find David trying to restore Rodney's car, they clap and call him an artist.
29	* SoundtrackDissonance: The opening credits play over shots of David running alternating with shots of cars exploding and David getting beaten up, all while the peaceful song "Crossroads" plays.
30	* StaircaseTumble: Oscar blocks Harvey's path up the stairs. When Harvey says, "Come on, Oscar, let me pass by," Oscar shoves him down the stairs, sending his books flying.
31	* TaeKwonDoor: David interrupts the rape by standing outside the door and saying "Hey, open up, it's Mark." When Paul opens the door, David hits him in the face with it.
32	* VerbThis: When Jane makes fun of Mark, Theresa says, "Ignore it." Jane says, "Ignore this!" and slaps her.
33	* WorkingOutTheirEmotions: When Theresa asks David if he has an outlet for his aggression, he tells her that he runs.

Context Film / MassacreAtCentralHigh