Movie Type: Sexploitation, Juvenile Delinquency Film
Themes: High School Life, Street Gangs, One Against the Mob
Main Cast: Miki Sugimoto, Reiko Ike, Kenji Imai, Nobuo Kaneko, Misuzu Ota
Release Year: 1973
Country: JP
Run Time: 88 minutes
Plot
The exploitation film Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom concerns a young woman who is sent to a reform school full of sadistic inmates, and even more dangerous guards. In this rough setting, she attempts to figure out who killed her best friend. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Review
Even viewers familiar with the excesses of Japanese exploitation filmmaking of the 1970s might not be ready for Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom. Simply put, this movie hits the viewer hard from the opening seconds and continues at top speed until its final frames. Its dizzying combination of prison-movie archetypes, social satire, and S & M-fueled kink is definitely not for all tastes, but there's a surprising amount of artistry behind it. In fact, Norifumi Suzuki's direction is often dazzling, making skillful use of the widescreen frame and using all manner of sonic affectations and odd lighting to enhance the wildly over-the-top nature of the storyline. Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom further benefits from a commanding performance by Miki Sugimoto as the heroic gang leader who defies the school's goon squad. No matter how crazy or perverted the storyline gets, Sugimoto remains a alluring oasis of cool in the midst of the insanity and never loses her composure or dignity. Her work is further aided by some nice supporting work by Reiko Ike as a cycle-riding rival who becomes an ally. Ultimately, Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom is probably too wild and perverse for the average viewer, but cult-movie addicts willing to test their mettle will be rewarded with a film that sets out to overwhelm in the most delirious style imaginable. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Terrifying Girls' High School: Women's Violent Classroom
Followed by
Terrifying Girls' High School: Delinquent Convulsion Group
Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom(恐怖女子高校 暴行リンチ教室,Kyōfu joshikōkō: bōkō rinchi kyōshitsu?) is a 1973 Japanese film in the sukeban (delinquent girl) sub-genre of Toei's "Pinky violence" style of Pink film. The second in the Terrifying Girls' High School series, this was the last entry in the series directed by Norifumi Suzuki and to pair Reiko Ike and Miki Sugimoto.
Allmovie critic Donald Guarisco says that Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom's "dizzying combination of prison-movie archetypes, social satire, and S & M-fueled kink is definitely not for all tastes, but there's a surprising amount of artistry behind it." He singles out Norifumi Suzuki's direction, which is "often dazzling, making skillful use of the widescreen frame and using all manner of sonic affectations and odd lighting to enhance the wildly over-the-top nature of the storyline." Lead actresses Miki Sugimoto and Reiko Ike are also praised in the review. Guarisco concludes his assessment of the film by warning, "Ultimately, Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom is probably too wild and perverse for the average viewer, but cult-movie addicts willing to test their mettle will be rewarded with a film that sets out to overwhelm in the most delirious style imaginable."[1]
Reel.com film critic Brie Beazley gives the movie a negative review, saying, "Those who are into exploitation flicks—especially ones featuring lots of naked Japanese women—will no doubt like the movie. For the rest of us, Terrifying Girls High School is an interminably long 88 minutes of surprisingly boring sex scenes and moments of sadism so explicit and gross that they border on violent pornography." She concludes, "There's precious little in Terrifying Girls High School that hasn't been seen before, whether it's the torture scenes in a Takashi Miike film or the pedestrian sex scenes found in most pornography. At least with porn and Miike's work there's a chance you'll be entertained; it's more than can be said for this Japanese import, which manages to be both boring and disgusting."[2]
Availability
On December 6, 2005, Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom was released on region-1DVD as part of the 4-disc Pinky Violence Collectionbox set released by Panik House.[3] The DVD was given a separate release on October 31, 2006.[4] Extras on the disc included the original theatrical trailer, poster images, and a commentary by Chris D., writer on Japanese exploitation cinema. Of the commentary, Reel.com notes, "The track touches on the usual production anecdotes, and fans of the movie will want to check it out."[2]
