Student body was a little gem that i actually enjoyed. Student bodies is about a serial killer who stalks students at lamab high school, while at the same time, voyeuristically watching them. Student bodies by mickey rose kristen riter, matthew. Student bodies is a 1981 american parody slasher film written and directed by mickey rose, with an uncredited michael ritchie codirecting. Student bodies was written and directed by mickey rose, who previously collaborated with woody allen on the screenplays for several of allens early films. Vintage federal glass horse head bookends mid century clear pressed glass 5. Back in 1981 a movie was released that can definitely be called the prototype for this modern trend, student bodies. Dumpkins unhealthy obsession with horse head bookends, but even those gags are run straight into the ground. A prominent feature of the film is a body count that is superimposed onscreen whenever a death. And its all delivered in perfect deadpan by a likable cast who all but disappeared after making this movie. The killer calls himself the breather, presumably because the killer is always breathing heavily.
A serial killer with his signature heavy breathing proceeds to systematically kill the students and teachers of lamab high school. Among the breathers weapons of choice are paper clips, eggplants, and wooden horse head bookends, and one of the murders is committed to commemorate jamie lee curtiss birthday. Dumpkin, a wood shop teacher with a levelheaded obsession with horse head bookends. Student bodies 1981 directed by michael ritchie, mickey. His speeches extolling the many virtues of the horse head bookend were strange, erotic and absolutely wonderful. Before you screamed, there were student bodies student bodies is a 1981 film directed by michael ritchie uncredited in that capacity, though hes sort of credited as a producer and codirected by micky rose given a full directors credit. Deader than the trees he compulsively turns into bookends.
A spoof of slasher horror films such as halloween, friday the th and prom night, student bodies was the first film to satirize the thriving slasher film genre. Joe flood gives the films funniest performance as mr. I dont have that disc handy to do a direct comparison, but comparing olive films release to some of the screenshots floating around online, it looks like theyve both been minted from the same master. He disguises his voice by talking through a rubber chicken. A horror comedy is evil dead 2 or army of darkness or return of the living dead or peter jacksons braindead aka deadalive or shaun of the dead. Kristen riter, matthew goldsby, joe flood, kevin mannis and sara eckhardt head the cast. The bulk of the film, though, is a slog through broad potty and sex jokes, surfacelevel satire, and the misplaced conviction that being loud is the same as being funny. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. The killer is known as the breather, because he breathes really heavy he or she is also happy to comment just before a kill. This is so much better than scary movie 1and 2 student. Joe returns with his condoms and is murdered by a stranger with a garbage bag.
We cap off the 31 day run of horror amads with 1981s horror movie spoof student bodies. Toby and hardy are ducking such lethal weapons such as paper clips, blackboard erasers and horse head bookends, they set about trying to find the mysterious breather and other things that go bump in the night. The breather uses many unusual objects to kill his female victims such as a paper clip, a chalkboard eraser and a horsehead bookend. This zany sendup of teen slasher flicks features a maniacal psycho known as the breather played by jerry belson, who stalks and murders promiscuous students at a suburban high school. Seeing, for instance, the shop teacher in his classroom surrounded by countless horse head bookends, or seeing paramedics cart off a body in the middle of a football field, still tied in a garbage bag, it would be easy to confuse a subpar slasher parody with a spoton david lynch parody. Student bodies is an american comedy horror film first released on august 7.
This is a mustsee horror comedy that will have you laughing till you pee. Reviewed in the united states on december 14, 2016. New listing horse head book end bust equestrian stallion colt angry grey set. The fanatical killers unusual weapons include paper clips, blackboard erasers and eggplants. No one is safe from the hilarious twists and turns of the looney plot, least of all the student bodies themselves.
Sure, its silly, and downright student bodies is a good example of parody done right. Every time i revisit student bodies, i have the same reaction. If you like movies like airplane and think you could get into an early 80s movie that is a combo of a thriller,dumb kids, and a serial killer you must see student bodies which came out in 1981. Is there one movie that you would strongly suggest more. The characters are ducking such lethal weapons such as paper clips, blackboard erasers and horse head bookends, they set about confronting the mysterious breather and other things that go bump in the night. Who didnt have a shop teacher as screwed up as this guy. Student bodies is a great, satirical take on the bevy of horror flicks that flooded theater and drivein screensand consequently, polluted video store shelvesin the eighties. Id really like to know where these folks went to, especially the actor who played malvert the custodian, a doublejointed human oddity listed in the credits only as the stick. Theres the shop teacher obsessed with horse head bookends, the biology teacher who hates frog dicks, the creepy principal, the cop on the. It isnt the killer comedy it claims to be get it, but it does enough to keep you moderately entertained. As a horror spoof in the vein of the zucker brothers, the humor of student bodies 1981 remains completely relevant and relatable 34 years after its initial release. Student bodies is by no means to be taken seriously, which you can probably figure out just by looking at the dvd cover. Student bodies is an american comedy horror film first released on august 7, 1981, written and directed by mickey rose, and released by paramount pictures it is a parody spoof of such films as prom night, halloween and friday the th. With kristen riter, matthew goldsby, jerry belson, joe flood.
Lecture on the fine art of making horse head bookends. Basically scary movie before there ever was scary movie, student bodies gleefully spoofs the slasher flicks that began achieving megapopularity in the late 70searly 80s, and features richard detective john munch belzer here credited as richard brando as the voice of. Also, i continue to be haunted by horse head bookends. Especially if you want tips on making horse head bookends, mans highest cultural achievement. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands. And there was the shop teacher with the horse head bookends. Paper clips, chalk board erasers, horse head bookends, egg plant, etc. There are a few moments that induce a chuckle, such as shop teacher mr. It is a parody satire of the slasher movies of its era and includes much lampshade hanging of the various tropes and cliches of that genre, with the. It had the janitor with the long arms and the cheese named malbert malbert pee red.
It still has enough to amuse, and for fans of slasher films, student bodies is a library essential. Among the most frequently lampooned genre films to be satirically targeted his horror. As bertha waits in the car, the killer attacks her with a wooden horse head bookend. Student bodies keeps the jokes flying constantly without mercy, the only problem is that a good seventypercent of them tend to fall flat. The movie starts out on friday the th and jumps right into the action as promiscuous teens are picked off with everything from paper clips to horse head bookends and. At the heart of student bodies is the tale of sweet, virginal toby kristen rittera teenager who ultimately becomes a prime suspect after a series of murders grips a high school campus with fear. The films style of humor can be compared to other spoof films, such as scary movie. Student bodies is a 1981 film directed by michael ritchie uncredited in that. And while the killers numerous dreary one liners are forgivable, the ridiculous scenarios in which the. I love that movie, its hilarious thanks for reminding me. The films cult also adores the shop teacher, played by joe flood, and his obsession with horse head bookends, but i couldnt follow the cult anywhere near that running gag. Student bodies im not sure if this really, truly counts as a good movie, but you cant fault a movie that flashes the current body count on screen after every death.
No one is safe from the crazy twists and turns of the looney plot, and a madcap twist of an ending. The acting was relatively rubbish, but melbert was simply outstanding in his role. Get the best deals on horse bookend when you shop the largest online selection at. This could be seen as either a testament to the strength of writerdirector mickey roses work on the film, or a sign of how developmentally arrested mainstream horror movies have been since the release of friday the th. I think we were about 16 and we use to reference it all the time especially the gum and the horse head bookends i endede up buying it really cheap on vhs and its still proudly in my movie cabinet 17. A murderer known as the breather kills off high schoolers. Just mock the horror films and get that right without worrying about the rest of popular culture. Student bodies is a good example of parody done right. Sure, its silly, and downright nonsensical in places, but its all the better for student bodies is a good example of parody done right. There is a killer, there is a final girl, there is a collection of potential victims and there are red herrings and horse head bookends galore. Dumpkin, the wood shop teacher, instructs his class on how to make horse head bookends, toby shows hardy the bloody horse head bookend she found. I did get some chuckles from a brief intermission where one of the films producers goes on a spiel about how they are going to get an rrating that ends with one of the movies few profanities, and actually.