Veronica (Winona Ryder, BEETLEJUICE) is the odd girl out in Westerburg High’s popular clique of girls named Heather. When she falls under the darkly alluring spell of new kid J.D. (Christian Slater, THE NAME OF THE ROSE), Veronica finds that maybe the only way out from under the rule of ruthless HEATHERS is over their dead bodies.

The filmmakers, writer David Waters especially, tout the film as a sort of anti-John Hughesian look at teens. The comedy turns dark as murder is disguised as teen suicide, events that are blown up by media coverage as dead high school students are practically sainted for not being able to deal with everything from peer pressure and teen angst to bullying and bulimia.

Misunderstood by studio bosses and critics at its inception, the film has enjoyed a cult following. Like most “cult classic” films, there are the flaws that fans can overlook without batting an eyelash. Does the film seem to shift tonally midway through? Sure. But the performances of up-and-coming stars Ryder and Slater never lose focus.

My only caveat is this: If you’re a big enough fan of the film to already own it on DVD, don’t waste your money on this so-called upgrade. Only one featurette is new, and it rehashes information you already get via the commentary and other featurette. If you’re a fan and you don’t own the DVD, take your pick as to which version you really want. It’s as simple as deciding whether you want the “simply Winona” cover or the “Winona and Christian” cover.

The “new, high quality transfer” didn’t exactly blow me away, but the picture is clear and sharp. Dolby Surround 5.1 track is adequate.

* Audio Commentary with Director Michael Lehmann, Producer Denise Di Novi and Writer Daniel Waters.
* Featurette: Return to Westerburg High (20:00)
* Featurette: Swatch Dogs And Diet Coke Heads (30:00)
* Original Ending Screenplay Excerpt (DVD-ROM)
* Theatrical Trailer