Class Of Nuke 'Em High (1986)

Cast: Janelle Brady, Gil Brenton and Robert Prichard

Writers: Richard W. Haines, Mark Rudnitsky, Lloyd Kaufman, Stuart Strutin

Directors: Richard W. Haines, Michael Herz, Samuel Weil (aka Lloyd Kaufman)

Remember back when TV was cool? I do, MTV played music, USA had "Up All Night", TNT had "Monstervision" and so on. During the summer time Cinemax used to have a month of Troma, where every Weds evening they would give if I recall one or two terrific Tromasterpieces. One Faithful evening, seeing at my young age I was exposed to "The Toxic Avenger" and it turned me into the Tromaniac I am today, I had the opportunity to watch "Class of Nuke 'Em High". Knowing it was from the creators of "The Toxic Avenger" I knew it would be nice and violent and of course goofy and cheesy, just the way I like it. Sure enough it further sucked me into the world of Troma and helped mold my rotten mind for the future.

The film is set in the mythical town of Tromaville, NJ at Tromaville High School, which is near a nuclear power plant that seems to be effecting the school and pupils of the school. The honor society, now a gang of vicious cretins called the Cretins, are forcing their drugs upon students and causing bad in the school. Soon enough they purchase some super weed from their connect at the power plant and call it an atomic high and start to sell it off. It isn't before long that an unsuspecting couple get their virginal hands on the weed and smoke only to have a night of awesome sex followed by days of nightmares, odd transformations and sickness, which leads them and the school into bigger troubles than they can handle.

The plot is great in my opinion, it's such a different take on High school B movies, most are slashers of some sort, which isn't a bad thing, but this one is totally outrageous, different, and definitely a Troma film. I like the characters in the film both good and bad. They all have something to offer and grow attached to, even if it is something radioactive. The Cretins, lead by Spike (Robert Prichard) offer up everything from beautiful and tough girls to pierced wackos and a tranny. While Warren (Gil Brenton0 and friends have their cheerleader, bozo buddies and air headed girlies. The dialog brings each of these characters their own persona that you can't help but love if you're a fan of the cult that is.

The death toll, is pretty high though the film isn't as gory as "The Toxic Avenger" it has it's share of nasty and odd. From oversized erections to instant pregnant belly, to a fist being shoved down someones throat and so on. You have all the right fixings of what makes this film an instant Troma classic. The rest of the fx are of course signature as well, with the green foaming and so on it just Screams Troma in every way and it looks great to boot.

Overall, I hold this film, with many other B films dear to my heart and am very glad to have experienced this at a young age. It's fun, nasty, weird and just Troma at it's finest and I highly recommend to any Troma fan whom shamefully may have not seen this flick. Which is highly unlikely since netflix exists. I miss the frustrating times I had looking for Troma titles and other great film selections as well. Sure I love the fact that I can get them in my hands and part of my collection now with no problem, but the venture was the game of "seek and ye shall find" and with most great movie markets shut down, it's kind of sad. Though the knock at my door with a package of goods is still one of rewarding factors. One rewarding factor is that Class of Nuke 'Em High gets five cretins out of five.

5/5