Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)

Director:

Allan Arkush

Writers:

Richard Whitley (screenplay) &
Russ Dvonch (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

Hey ho, Let's go!

Plot:

A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.

Plot Keywords:

Ramones | High School | Rock 'n' Roll | B Movie | Juvenile Delinquent

Cast

P.J. Soles	...	Riff Randell
Vincent Van Patten	...	Tom Roberts
Clint Howard	...	Eaglebauer
Dey Young	...	Kate Rambeau
Mary Woronov	...	Miss Evelyn Togar
Paul Bartel	...	Mr. McGree
Dick Miller	...	Police Chief
Don Steele	...	Screamin' Steve Stevens
Alix Elias	...	Coach Steroid
Loren Lester	...	Fritz Hansel
Daniel Davies	...	Fritz Gretel
Lynn Farrell	...	Angel Dust
Herbie Braha	...	Manager
Grady Sutton	...	School Board President
Chris Somma	...	Shawn

Also Known As:

Disco High (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Iceland:L (re-rating) | Finland:S (1990) | UK:15 (cut) | USA:PG (certificate #25611) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

El Segundo High School - 640 Main Street, El Segundo, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Originally, Todd Rundgren was to star as the musical act, but both sides could not come to an agreement. Next, Cheap Trick was contacted, but a similar situation happened. After that, talks were conducted with Warner Bros. Records, where Allan Arkush had a connection, to decide on which band they should use in the film. The first suggestion was Devo, but Arkush decided that they had too much of their own concept. Another band considered for the movie was Van Halen, but Warner execs warned Arkush that they were raucous and would be difficult to handle. Finally, an exec name-dropped the Ramones, who recorded for Sire Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. Arkush, being a huge fan of the band, agreed, and the rest is history. To this day, Rundgren regrets passing up the role he was offered.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Angel Dust and Riff Randall are continuing to argue about who's in line first, the Ramones pull up. They begin to push and shove each other. Angel's hair starts being pulled up, neatly. As her and Riff push to get the Ramone's attention, Angel's hair falls down. But after the Ramones are done singing, their manager approaches Angel, and her hair is up neatly once again.

Quotes:

Tom Roberts: The only thing I'll ever lay is a rug!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '70s: Volume 2" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Rock 'n' Roll High School

"Hey Kate, I'm getting some static!"...."Not as much as you're going to get."

P.J. Soles should have become a big star after playing Riff Randall, #1 fan of the punk rock group the Ramones. She's so exuberant, you don't care that she's obviously too old to still be in high school (that fact is leveled out by having all the high schoolers look 24). It's a fast-paced frolic that doesn't cop-out; everything gets blown to smithereens at the end, and that's just as it should be. Mary Woronov, an innately kinky and funny presence as the Nazi-like principal, gets a great, one-of-a-kind bit at the beginning where Frisbees fly dangerously close to her head (how many takes did they use on that, or was it a fluke?) and Dey Young is very appealing as Soles' best, Kate Rambeau. The weakest link, ironically enough, in this "High School" chain-gang is the Ramones. They can't act, they're not funny, and their concert segment goes on too long. One Ramones song, "I Want You Around", is treated as a fantasy and is well captured; other incidental songs are good, particularly a rare Paul McCartney & Wings ballad heard near the beginning ("Did We Meet Somewhere Before?"). Good show! *** from ****