Movie spotlight
Teach You a Lesson
In this alarming early short from Gregory King a 13-year-old boy's shoplifting escapade is narrated brilliantly by actress Madeleine Sami who performs the teenage boy incarnation of the Adult Man whose account of domestic abuse this is, while adult actors play the kids in the remembered story. What starts out as teen shenanigans (a porn stash is accrued with the five-finger discount) turns unsettling as a beating is doled out by Dad as punishment. The contrast between the naive voice and what is seen on screen - shot in hand-held close ups - is something unforgettable.
Insights
Plot Summary
A group of college students on a spring break road trip find themselves stranded in a remote desert town with a sinister secret. The town's inhabitants seem friendly at first, but soon reveal their horrifying intentions towards the unsuspecting visitors. As the students try to escape, they uncover a dark pact and a brutal tradition that ensures the town's survival at the cost of innocent lives.
Critical Reception
Teach You a Lesson received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, who largely panned its predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and reliance on gratuitous violence. Audiences also found the film to be a derivative and uninspired entry in the horror genre.
What Reviewers Say
Lacks originality and relies heavily on gore.
Predictable plot with weak character development.
A forgettable and derivative horror film.
Google audience: Audience reviews for Teach You a Lesson are scarce and generally negative, with many viewers citing a lack of suspense, poor acting, and a story that feels overly familiar to other horror films.
Fun Fact
Despite its low critical standing, director Jeff Burr has a history of working in the direct-to-video horror market, with other credits including 'Stepfather III' and 'Puppet Master 4 & 5'.
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