Night School Review

Review of Night School (1981) by screenqueeen: 👍 3.5/5

HOOPTOBER 8.0

DAY 11 20 DAYS REMAINA well-spun American yellow murder mystery. I'm not a buff on these types of movies at all but this is about the third title that has ties to the Italian giallo style. I love how equally hopeless the law enforcement and the professor couple are in their endeavors as time goes on. Towards the finale the film ends up going along this chaotic path that Joel and Ethan Coen would tread well from BLOOD SIMPLE and beyond. It leans away from its college-bound premise a little too much for this to really feel dangerous. Focuses more instead on the relationship dynamic between Eleanor and Vincent and not as much on the hints of infidelity played with in the beginning (which now makes me think Bernard Rose could have stolen some inklings for CANDYMAN). Sags in the middle but the first and last acts help prop it up accordingly, giving it a fun, sleazy and breezy energy.**