User reviews

This movie had everything going for it as far as being a one of the awful horror movies that is so bad it's funny: it has a really horrible storyline, an even worse script, cheap special effects and some of the worst overacting I've seen in years.

The only downfall of this movie was Shannon Doherty, who, though extremely hot, wretched the entire "crappy movie" experience for me with her unnerving indifference. It's like she knew that this was a bad movie to begin with, and so she didn't even try, she might as well have been reading her lines from a teleprompter (which I think she was.

As I said, this ruined the experience for me, nothing is more funny to watch then people trying to make serious horror films and failing miserably.

Satan's School for Girls is not one of the slasher films that seem to be gathering box office money. In fact, if it were released in theatre's, I am sure it might not do that well. But as a TV-Movie, it really attracted an audience. When Shannen Doherty's sister commits suicide, Shannen (Beth) is positive that she was murdered. To find out how or even more, Beth enrolls herself into her sisters college, where she finds out secrets she wished she had never known. Being a huge fan of Shannen, I found this film a must-see, but I found that her character was a lot alike to Prue Halliwell, the witch she plays on Charmed. She even has powers in this film. But, like always, her performance was good, just similiar to her previous work. You might recognize Kate Jackson in this film, as the colleges head mistress. She even starred in the original film, yes, this is an Aaron Spelling remake. Julie Benz also turned in a great performance as Shannen's unsuspicious room-mate. The middle of the film is where the climax really begins, when you start to unravel the basic plot of the story. The ending may leaved some shocked, I didn't suspect it at all.

Remaking TV shows as big-screen movies is one thing (what makes a TV show a less justifiable source of material than a book or play or something? That's snobbery for you - as Lily Tomlin said, when you read a lot you're well read, but when you watch a lot of TV you're not well viewed), but when you start to remake TV movies, it's hard not to wonder if someone's pushing it.

Not having seen the original I have no idea if it's an improvement over the new "Satan's School For Girls," but I wouldn't be surprised if it was - much-maligned though TV movies are, you can find some gems there like "The Jericho Mile," "Son of the Morning Star," "The Day After," "The Night Stalker," "The Executioner's Song," "Pursuit," "Brian's Song" (which was just redone for TV) and "Duel" (which as long as Steven Spielberg is around will probably never be). But this tale, which like the original was made by Aaron Spelling's company, is sadly a lot closer to tosh like "Amazons," "Manhunt," "Fer-de-Lance" and "Detour To Terror."

"Sleeping with your history professor is so cliched," one of Shannen Doherty's friends says of the Julie Benz character in a pot/kettle/black moment, since she herself is a loudmouthed African-American student at the college around which the "action" revolves. With writing one step up from "Scooby-Doo," a hole-filled plot, chintzy effects (like the red eyes symbolizing that the crows, dogs etc are from the devil), acting that won't give the cast of "The West Wing" any sleepless nights and the worst disguising of locations since "The Frighteners" failed to convincingly pass off New Zealand as California (the movie's supposed to be set in Washington State, but it's all too obvious well before the end credits that it was filmed in Canada - Montreal, to be exact), this movie is everything people who hate "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" think that fine show is - silly, cheesy, and laughable. In truth, barring cast member Benz the two have nothing in common, including quality.

Watch "The Craft" instead. Or "Charmed." Or "Bewitched." Or "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Or even a Winsome Witch cartoon. Or, even, the original movie.

Released to TV in 2000, "Satan's School for Girls" is a remake of the 1973 TV movie of the same name. The story revolves around a young woman (Shannen Doherty) who enrolls at an all-girls college in Massachusetts to investigate her sister's supposed suicide. She befriends some girls (Julie Benz, Taraji P. Henson & Mandy Schaffer) and becomes involved with a dude (Daniel Cosgrove) while investigating the witchcraft of some Goth chicks (e.g. Victoria Sanchez). Kate Jackson plays the Dean and Richard Joseph Paul a girl-crazy professor.

While this is better than the underwhelming original version, it has its own flaws. Despite the TV budget, it starts out good and mysterious, which goes on for the better part of an hour, but then unravels into cartoony TV horror. Doherty is fine as the dispirited protagonist. While people complain about her dismal disposition it goes with the role. Sanchez stands out amongst the girls at the school, not to mention Schaffer. Despite this, the filmmakers generally drop the ball on the female front, considering the resources at their disposal (and I'm not talking' bout nudity or porn). The semi-sleazy professor is the creepiest character while Cosgrove is amiable as Doherty's boyfriend, but their sexual union seems premature and forced. Another thing I liked is a certain plot twist: You think the story's going one way and it suddenly changes. Of course, this is so common now it's no longer surprising.

As far as the last 35 minutes go, it's tough to pull off satanic ritual sequences with a straight face, which is why Roman Polanski limited the satanic sequence in his "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) to a mere two minutes at the climax (not that I'm a fan of that one-dimensional movie in light of it being 99% drama in an old NYC apartment and 1% horror). Filmmakers have to be careful with these kinds of scenes or they become more laughable than spooky. So most of the first two acts rate a solid "B" or, at least, "B-", but the final act is weak. Still, it's worth seeing for the positives.

The movie runs 87 minutes and was shot at John Abbott College and Montréal, Québec.

GRADE: C+

This movie was in Sweden 3 times 2001 an 2002. I don't think it was good. First, the whole "The Five" story was totally screwed. The acters were so bad, and the end was the most stupid ever. Not even the very good actress Shannen Doherty could save this pointless thriller...

Not only one of the worst titles for a film, but actually complete nonsense all round. Shannon "annoying actress of the 90's" Doherty reprises her annoying Beverly Hills type teenager role as she tries to find out what happened with her sister's suicide.

The phrase for this is predictable rubbish. Don't bother.

I caught this at 4:00 a.m. when obviously, there were minimal options to watch at SKY.

To be honest, I didn't know the title of the movie until now because it was translated as something involving cupid. Well, I recognized Shannen Doherty and I was immediately hooked in the movie.

The plot is simple to follow and deals with witchcraft but it's displayed in such a manner that it's almost comical and makes you wonder if it is an episode to any teen comedy or drama.

The performances are cheap but likable. Doherty demonsrtrates that she is a talented actress. Once again, I convince myself taht Doherty had chances to become a huge star but her attitude makes her lose more than she gains.

Anyways, this is a movie for fans of direct for t.v. Horror low budgeters. Although don't expect much Horror.

Not too many tv movies provide the sheer entertainment value that SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS delivered. It was definitely campy, but that added to the fun. Fans of Shannen Doherty will appreciate her stepping out of her bad-girl image to be the good girl for a change. And the rest of the cast did quite well, especially the three pretty friends Shannen meets that definitely prove that beauty is only skin deep. The tongue-in-cheek writing was better than I expected, and the 70's style special effects fit the genre.

To be honest, for personal reasons, I don't like Shannen Doherty at all. Believe me, she is nothing like the people she plays in these television movies and series. So, that was the first problem with this movie. Type casting is very important to movies ... and the casting was screwed in his case. However, I did enjoy seeing Kate Jackson, but she was miscast also. Personally, Kate is a very nice person ... even though it is believed that she is bi-polar and manic-depressive. Kate has the "IT" Factor and most of her fans were a case of love at first sight.

The special effects left a lot to be desired, and the last 20 minutes of the movie was a huge letdown. So, basically, if you want to see a good movie, watch the original Satan School For Girls ... that one is a classic as far as I am concerned. Yes, it had a few problems too ... but the casting was a huge improvement over the remake.

LadyShalene

Ostensibly a remake of the 1970s TV witchcraft classic of the same name, SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS in reality turns out to be a cheesy variant on the usual CHARMED storyline. Indeed it could be a feature length version of CHARMED and nobody would notice the difference, especially given the ultra-cheesy CGI effects and the presence of leading actress Shannen Doherty.

The film opens promisingly with the apparent suicide of a young woman who's a student at an exclusive girls' school. Her older sister subsequently enlists at the same school in order to investigate the death, and she soon becomes a member of a witch's circle where great magic power is wielded. Sadly none of this power translates much to the screen, where everything seems subdued and laboured.

The film is dull and cheesy, the worst kind of TV movie cheese there is. Incident in the storyline is limited to a couple of minor characters dying bloodlessly, and it all builds up to an ending chock-full of hilariously bad effects. It's fair to say that the acting is hardly remarkable, with a young Julie Benz (RAMBO) particularly irritating as a fellow student. Still as this is an Aaron Spelling production, the producers are happy to sit back and film the female students in (and out of) various figure-hugging attire, so they're happy.

This must be the WORST movie ever! SERIOUSLY! They didn`t even bother to add a plot...until the end (like "hurry up...come up with a plot, the movie is almost over...awh, this will do")

But hey...it is so incredibly FUNNY! I want this in my DVD collection, to watch over and over again! Laugh at the bad bad bad lines, lack of plot, as mentioned, and the actors who are doing their worst effort ever. Not that former 90210 actors usually says quality, but they are far more talented in anything else they ever did! And what is better then a bad bad bad bad movie? except a good one off course. Nothing!

Trust me...see this movie, if you dont like scary movies, this is the movie for you ( I am easily scared, you can take this) you will laugh and laugh.

So, Aaron, you are kidding, right? Because, if you are...BRILLIANT! If you aren`t...go back to teen soaps!

If there are anything you would like to say to me, please contact me, I like discussing movies.

When Jenny Hammersmith (Irene Contogiorgis) arrives at her sister's house, she is attacked by a weird shadow and stabbed. The police believe she committed suicide since she was alone in the house. And close the case. However, Beth (Shannen Doherty) is not convinced and refuses to accept that her sister traveled to commit suicide. She decides to join the Fallbridge College for Women where Jenny, to investigate what happened to her. She uses the alias of Karen Oxford to be not identified as Jenny's sister and is welcomed by Alison Kingsley (Julie Benz), Paige (Taraji P. Henson) and Courtney (Aimée Castle) and has an interview with the Dean (Kate Jackson). Soon she dreams with strange things in the college and tries to find out who The Five are. She also dates Mark Lantch (Daniel Cosgrove), who provides information from the Dean's files, until she discovers the dark secret of Fallbridge and The Five.

"Satan's School for Girls" (1973) is a weak, but cult horror movie with an atmospheric environment and some creepy scenes. This 2000 terrible remake is absolutely unnecessary and destroys the good parts of the storyline of the original film. The gorgeous Julie Benz and Shannen Doherty, and the Charlie's Angel Kate Jackson that worked in the original movie are the great attraction of this forgettable movie, only released on VHS in Brazil. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Lindas and Diabólicas" ("Beautiful and Diabolic")

Whether or not one has previously watched the 1973 feature of the same name, of which this is a remake, 'Satan's school for girls' immediately gives a certain impression - not a good one, I'm afraid to say. From the start it dresses up the narrative with its own flavor - small moments or scenes to round out the narrative with an updated sense of style. As it does so there's a direct frankness to the writing and direction that's dubious, and only worsens as the picture stretches on. The emphatic use of special effects seem to reflect a clear effort to cash in on supernatural-themed TV series of the late 90s and early 00s including 'Charmed,' 'Buffy the vampire slayer,' and 'Angel.' These and other visual effects are a little questionable - fine, I suppose, when employed sparingly, but the more we see of them (especially at the climax), the worse they look.

The 2000 TV movie readily dates itself with songs heard in passing on the soundtrack, and a pointed reference to a government leader and relationships with interns. Beyond the special effects, even the small touches of flair with which scenes are presented feel particular to the timeframe, and ham-handed: insertion of additional male characters (a love interest, because of course), the requisite scattering of birds to startle the protagonist, kitschy expositional dialogue, and more. The camerawork and editing is less than subtle, and plot development no less.

Though I'm not specifically familiar with her, Shannon Doherty has a long list of credits in film and especially television that makes her a prime candidate to be this feature's protagonist. I like Julie Benz, and I'll happily take any opportunity to watch her in something; indeed, here she obviously relishes the space her role allows her to play in, and it's a joy to watch her. Still, however - Doherty, Benz, and their co-stars are limited by the terrible blunt forthrightness of the screenplay and otherwise execution, showing everything to us with unwelcome brazen plainness. More than that: the 1973 version of 'Satan's school for girls' exceeded the bounds of its format with strong writing and performances. This 2000 rendition works so hard to embellish the core narrative with its own distinguishing flourishes and flashy effects that the story and the cast get lost in the process. What then was a brisk and engaging tale is here mostly reduced to tawdry, middling pablum.

It's not all bad. The slight twist that 2000's movie puts on its progenitor's narrative had its own potential. The assembled actors do the best they can under the circumstances. But there is simply not enough value here to outweigh many other elements that range from suspect to subpar. There are worse things you could watch, and if you're an especial fan of someone in the cast - sure, have at it, I guess. If you're a particular fan of the 1973 film I'm less certain about a recommendation, and likewise for viewers at large. 2000's 'Satan's school for girls' is a very mildly entertaining remake that just tries too hard, and is worse for it.

Shannen Doherty seemed a little old to be going to college (even if it was to investigate her sister's "suicide") - but my friends and I sure had fun watching her battle everyone from Goth girls to Kate Jackson. There were more twists in the plot than I expected, and several of the performances were good - i.e. the lead Goth girl, Julie Benz as the head Satanic girl, the guy from 90201 who played Shannen's boyfriend, and yes, even Ms. Doherty. On the downside, the special effects were pretty cheesy.

I know everybody likes to rag on Shannen Doherty and Aaron Spelling, but I have to say I was pretty impressed with this tv movie. Doherty plays a girl who goes to an all women's college to investigate the supposed suicide of her sister. Judging by the title, you can guess that this isn't your average university. It's full of pretty girls who just happen to be Satanic, and the Dean of Students is played by none other than ex-Charlie's Angel Kate Jackson. It's campy, funny, and even scary at times - and the supporting cast (including a great Julie Benz as Shannen's roommate) do an admirable job.

When Beth's (Beth is a witch, but a good one.) sister, Jenny dies, the police think it's suicide. Beth knows that Jenny would never do such a thing, so she decides to go investigate the death by herself. Beth then enrolls at Fallbridge College, the same college where Jenny attended. Beths goes under a different name though, Karen. Whilst Beth is there, she finds out some dark secrets, including one about a secret cult group who call themselves, The Five, who want Beth to join the group as there fifth member.

Satan's School For Girls stars, Shannen Doherty, Julie Benz, Daniel Cosgrove and Kate Jackson. They all give pretty good performances here.

I expected to like Satan's School For Girls. as I usually always like these kind of movies and as expected I did enjoy it. The movie had a good plot which kept you interested all the way through and it didn't get boring at all. This is a good TV movie. It's a shame it didn't make it to the big screen though.

I watched this film on Cable in Sydney here we have Foxtel and when I saw that Shannen Doherty was in this film I thought I'll watch it as it might be interesting, well it was Shannen Doherty makes you feel like she takes you in the film and you feel quite involved. She takes her acting seriously and does a good job and has proved to be an excellent actress. Not like the days of 90210 (which I enjoyed) which she got bad press for and charmed but I also liked her in Charmed it suited her. I hope to see her in more films as she has great potential. She has a natural beauty that most other actresses would need to get under the knife for. And so what if she does a lot of this types of films, series, they cast her she makes it she must be hot and it pays the rent doesn't it. Shannen - You Go Girl.

This was a very good movie. Shannen Dorhety is always a good actress. It is a must see teen movie. Julie Benz was also performed a good role in this movie also although she still had that dense but dangerous personality like she had in Jawbreaker. I felt the mixture of the Jawbreaker-Craft relationship because witchcraft was used and the girls who were in the movie had the attitude the girls had in Jawbreaker. FLAWLESS!! Hopefully they will make a sequel because of its suprising ending.