Class of 1984 (1982)

Andy is a new teacher and an inner city high school that is like nothing he has ever seen before. The students have to go through a metal detector when they go through the front door and ... See full summary »

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Tom Holland (story), Mark L. Lester (screenplay),

Stars:

Perry King, Merrie Lynn Ross, Timothy Van Patten

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Perry King	...	Andrew Norris
Merrie Lynn Ross	...	Diane Norris
Timothy Van Patten	...	Peter Stegman
Roddy McDowall	...	Terry Corrigan
Stefan Arngrim	...	Drugstore
Michael J. Fox	...	Arthur (as Michael Fox)
Keith Knight	...	Barnyard
Lisa Langlois	...	Patsy
Neil Clifford	...	Fallon
Al Waxman	...	Detective Stewiski
Erin Noble	...	Deneen (as Erin Flannery)
David Gardner	...	Principal Morganthau
Steve Pernie	...	Rejack
Robert Reece	...	Leroy
Joseph Kelly	...	Jimmy

Storyline

Andy is a new teacher and an inner city high school that is like nothing he has ever seen before. The students have to go through a metal detector when they go through the front door and everything is basically run by a tough kid named Peter Stegman. Soon, Andy and Stegman become enemies and Stegman will stop at nothing to protect his turf and drug dealing business.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | teacher | city | blood splatter | teaching | 

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Taglines:

"We are the future!... and nothing can stop us."

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Classe de 1984

Filming Locations:

Central Tech. High School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$4,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Guerilla High Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.77 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in 45 days.

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Goofs

The opening title scene when Mr Norris first arrives at the school, he gets out of his car and walks past Biology Teacher Mr Corrigan, standing at his car, and notices a gun inside his opened briefcase, the barrel is pointing down to the opening of the briefcase. In the next shot, the gun's barrel is pointing to the right side of the briefcase, before Mr Corrigan shuts the briefcase.

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Quotes

Deneen: You jerks don't belong here.
Peter Stegman: Shut your hole, you little dyke!

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Connections

Referenced in Blood and Blackboards (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Let's Have a War"
Performed by Fear
Written by Lee Ving and Derf Scratch

User Reviews

One of the greatest exploitation movies of all time

Rape, gory violence, great villains, a killer signature song from Alice Cooper ("I Am The Future"), and solid performances from genre vets such as Perry King ("Mandingo", "Search and Destroy") and Roddy McDowell equal one of the greatest exploitation films of all time. King starts work at a crime-ridden school and is targeted by a nasty gang led by the disturbed, spoiled, vicious, gifted youth Stegman (Timothy Van Patten). Not able to ignore the non-stop assaults and abuse of other teachers and students, King wages a nasty war with Stegman and his goons and, in the process, endangers both his own life and the life of his wife. Director Mark Lester, who was handed the "Commando" gig after the surprise international success of this pic, never made another movie as tight, violent and dramatically coherent. It is a textbook example of how to do exploitation right. In addition to the mean-spirited mayhem, there are other special treats such as a moving scene in which the arrogant Stegman sits at a piano and plays like a maestro in front of his stunned class and teacher. Actor Van Patten, who gives a believable, knock-out performance, actually composed and played the piece himself. Michael J. Fox plays a nerdy student ally of King's, and McDowell, always reliable, is great as a teaching veteran pummeled into submission by decades of classroom violence. The film carried a prophetic message back in the early 80's when it was made, and it's a message that is even more appropriate today in our politically correct times where teachers have no power to discipline students and students have every right at their disposal and know it. The film's climax is explosive and Lester never lets a gory opportunity pass him by. A classic in every sense.