The School of Rock (2003)

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writer (WGA):

Mike White (written by)

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

Take Notes.

Plot:

A wannabe rock star in need of cash poses as a substitute teacher at a prep school, and tries to turn his class into a rock band.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Teacher | Guitar | Student | Class

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Jack Black	...	Dewey Finn
Adam Pascal	...	Theo
Lucas Papaelias	...	Neil
Chris Stack	...	Doug
Sarah Silverman	...	Patty Di Marco
Mike White	...	Ned Schneebly
Lucas Babin	...	Spider
Joan Cusack	...	Rosalie Mullins
Jordan-Claire Green	...	Michelle
Veronica Afflerbach	...	Eleni
Miranda Cosgrove	...	Summer Hathaway
Joey Gaydos Jr.	...	Zack
Robert Tsai	...	Lawrence
Angelo Massagli	...	Frankie
Kevin Alexander Clark	...	Freddy Jones (as Kevin Clark)
Maryam Hassan	...	Tomika
Caitlin Hale	...	Marta
Cole Hawkins	...	Leonard
Brian Falduto	...	Billy
James Hosey	...	Marco
Aleisha Allen	...	Alicia
Zachary Infante	...	Gordon
Rebecca Brown	...	Katie
Jaclyn Neidenthal	...	Emily
Suzzanne Douglas	...	Tomika's Mother
Eron Otcasek	...	Musician
Carlos Velazquez	...	Musician
Kimberly Grigsby	...	Mrs. Sheinkopf
Lee Wilkof	...	Mr. Green
Kate McGregor-Stewart	...	Mrs. Lemmons
Wally Dunn	...	Gym Teacher
Tim Hopper	...	Zack's Father
Michael Dominguez-Rudolph	...	Art Student
Crash Cortez	...	Max
Nicky Katt	...	Razor
John Highsmith	...	Tony (as John E. Highsmith)
Heather Goldenhersh	...	Sheila
Timothy 'Speed' Levitch	...	Waiter
Scott Graham	...	Punk Rock Guy
Sharon Washington	...	Alicia's Mother
Kim Brockington	...	Leonard's Mother
Marty Murphy	...	Concerned Father
Kathleen McNenny	...	Freddy's Mother
Joanna Adler	...	Summer's Mother (as Joanna P. Adler)
Robert Lin	...	Lawrence's Father
Barry Shurchin	...	Cop
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Bus Driver
Amy Sedaris	...	Mrs. Haynish
Mary Fortune	...	Teacher's Assistant
Mandy Siegfried	...	Female Employee
Elisa Pugliese	...	Concert Goer
Carlos J. Da Silva	...	Security Guard
Ian O'Malley	...	Radio Exec
Chris Line	...	Radio DJ
Kyle Meaney	...	Toby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lauren Adler	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Kelly Anne Burns	...	Groupie (uncredited)
Leanne Cabrera	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Catherine A. Callahan	...	Concert Attendee (uncredited)
Brooke Campbell	...	Extra (uncredited)
Cedric Cannon	...	Leonard's Dad (uncredited)
Mike Clemente	...	Crazed Fan (uncredited)
Ambi Daniel	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Jane DeNoble	...	Billy's Mom (uncredited)
Riley G. Matthews Jr.	...	Blood Brothers MC Biker (uncredited)
The Mooney Suzuki	...	Themselves (uncredited)
Mateo Moreno	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Lian Moy	...	Student (uncredited)
Karen Nazarov	...	Groupie (uncredited)
Ryan O'Connor	...	No Vaccancy's Biggest Fan (uncredited)
Scott Ross	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Caileigh Scott	...	Girl at Concert (uncredited)
Johnny Sullivan	...	Guy in Crowd Who Catches Dewey (uncredited)
Joe Wachowski	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Frank Whaley	...	Battle of the Bands Director (uncredited)
Angus Young	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Linklater

Writing credits (WGA)
Mike White		(written by)

Produced by
Scott Aversano	....	executive producer
Steve Nicolaides	....	executive producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer

Original Music by
Craig Wedren

Cinematography by
Rogier Stoffers

Film Editing by
Sandra Adair

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
Jeremy Conway

Art Direction by
Adam Scher

Set Decoration by
Karin Wiesel		(as Karin Wiesel Holmes)

Costume Design by
Karen Patch

Makeup Department
Alan D'Angerio	....	hair stylist
Felice Diamond	....	makeup artist
Don Kozma	....	assistant makeup artist
Bernadette Mazur	....	makeup artist
Roz Music	....	makeup artist: Mr. Black
Michele Paris	....	makeup artist (as Michele Paris-Catanzarite)
Jerry Popolis	....	assistant hair stylist
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Joseph E. Iberti	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Hoffman	....	first assistant director
Michelle L. Keiser	....	second assistant director
Francisco Ortiz	....	dga trainee
Kathryn-Ann Oaks Shertzer	....	second second assistant director (as Kathryn Shertzer)

Art Department
Robert Barnett	....	camera scenic
Emily Beck	....	assistant art director
Jason De Bari	....	art department coordinator
Kim Jennings	....	assistant art director
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Martin Lasowitz	....	property master
Charles E. McCarry	....	assistant art director
Christopher Nelson	....	leadman
Ken Nelson	....	construction coordinator
Tim Okamura	....	artist: paintings
Robert Schleinig	....	on-set dresser
James Bono	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Craig Denham	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Brent Godek	....	props (uncredited)
Michael Jortner	....	props (uncredited)
Derrick Kardos	....	graphic designer: props (uncredited)
Carly Sorscher	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Christina K. Tonkin	....	first assistant decorator (uncredited)
Ryan Viniotis	....	construction shop manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bill Allen	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phillip Fuller	....	technical support: sound
Dan Fulton	....	assistant sound editor
Dan Korintus	....	dialogue editor
Avi Laniado	....	sound engineer
Jane McCulley	....	supervising adr editor
Danny Michael	....	production sound mixer
Bob Olari	....	sound re-recordist (as Bobby Olari)
Mike Patrick	....	sound recordist
Mike Poppleton	....	first assistant sound editor
Jacob Ribicoff	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator
Stuart Stanley	....	supervising foley editor
Jeffrey Stern	....	supervising dialogue editor
Robert Troeller	....	sound mix technician
Roland Vajs	....	sound editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	sound effects editor
Peter Waggoner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Daniel Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Jerry Yuen	....	utility sound
Patrick Arnheim	....	voice loop (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Stifanich	....	special effects coordinator (as John Sifanich)

Stunts
Bob Colletti	....	stunts
Vince Cupone	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Stephanie Finochio	....	stunts
Don Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Donald John Hewitt	....	stunts (as Donald J. Hewitt)
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Tina Mckissick	....	stunts
David Shumbris	....	stunts (as Dave Shumbris)
Johnny Sullivan	....	stunts
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Becchio	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Angela Bellisio	....	film loader
Matt Blades	....	grip
Rod Calarco	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael Cambria	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Mel Cannon	....	additional grip
Nicolas L. Charuet	....	grip (as Nicholas Luc Charuet)
Alisa M. Colley	....	assistant camera
Howard Davidson	....	grip
Edwin Effrein	....	first assistant camera (as Edwin A. Effrein)
Peggy Eisenhauer	....	lighting designer: concert lighting
Jules Fisher	....	lighting designer: concert lighting
Richie Ford	....	rigging gaffer
Jim Galvin	....	light board operator
Jendra Jarnagin	....	additional electrician
Nils Johnson	....	key video assist operator
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip (as William W. Kerwick)
Scott Kincaid	....	electrician
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Michael J. Maurer	....	electrician (as Mike Mauer)
Jim McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Jim McConkey	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bill O'Leary	....	gaffer (as William O'Leary)
Dave Rudolph	....	electrician
Michael Rudolph	....	electrician
Andrew D. Schwartz	....	still photographer (as Andrew Schwartz)
Eric Swanek	....	Steadicam assistant
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Tom Vulliez	....	grip (as Tommy Voulliez)
Robert Vuolo	....	electrician
James Harker	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician (uncredited)
Lorne MacDougall	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
James Scutakes	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Patti Carns Kalles	....	casting: Seattle
Jason James	....	casting: Seattle
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting
Laurie Levine	....	casting: Seattle
Valerie Lindquist	....	casting associate
Zoe E. Rotter	....	casting assistant
Janice Wilde	....	casting associate
Melissa Farnum	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)
Elizabeth Lang	....	additional casting scout (uncredited)
Kristian Sorge	....	extras casting associate (uncredited)
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephanie Biear	....	head seamstress
Kate Edwards	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sandi Figueroa	....	costumer: Jack Black
Cheryl Kilbourne-Kimpton	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Cheryl Kilbourn-Klimpton)
Joseph La Corte	....	key costumer
Debbie Lucas	....	seamstress
Chris Ann Pappas	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Adam Geiger	....	assistant editor
Harry Muller	....	color timer
Sarah Ogletree	....	post-production coordinator
David Rogow	....	first assistant editor
Andrew Weisblum	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mark Agostino	....	music editor
Jim Dunbar	....	music coordinator
Mick Gormaley	....	music editor
Stewart Lerman	....	recording engineer
Liam Lynch	....	soundtrack consultant
Jim O'Rourke	....	music consultant
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Nic Ratner	....	music editor
Karen Waltuch	....	music consultant
Lee Mars	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Carlos A. Acosta	....	location assistant
Shawn Alexander	....	production assistant
Daniela Barbosa	....	production assistant (as Daniela Tomc-Barbosa)
Q. Beck	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Josef Brandmaier	....	structured finance by
Adam Carroll	....	production assistant
Chris Cussen	....	executive assistant: Mr. Rudin
Gerry De Leon	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Eliza Dyson	....	location assistant
Jules Eggli	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
David L. Feinberg	....	production office assistant (as David Feinberg)
Daniel Fine	....	assistant accountant
Jay Floyd	....	clearance administrator
Rhonda George	....	assistant production office coordinator
Crystal Hawkins	....	production auditor
Vanessa Hoffman	....	production assistant
Steven Holtzman	....	production assistant
Ben Howe	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Jason Ivey	....	production assistant
Sara Johnson	....	assistant: Richard Linklater
Andrew S. Kahn	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin (as Andrew Kahn)
Ben LeClair	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
James D. Lee	....	assistant location manager
Kendra Levenberg	....	craft service
Terry McAllister	....	assistant security coordinator
Nolan B. Medrano	....	second assistant auditor (as Nolan Medrano)
Steve Moramarco	....	assistant: Mr. Black
Jasika Nicole	....	stand in: female: next to the character Ned Schneebly
Leda Nornang	....	production secretary
Julie Oppenheimer	....	script supervisor
Adesola A. Osakalumi	....	choreographer (as Adesola Osakalumi)
Wayne Petrucelli	....	security coordinator
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote head technician
John Rickard	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Marsha Robertson	....	publicist
Dave Rosenberg	....	production assistant
Debbie Rothstein	....	legal assistant
Chris Sanata	....	production assistant
Kris Schackman	....	location assistant
Thomas Sellitti Jr.	....	production assistant
Missy Simms	....	studio teacher (as Missy Sims)
Darryl A. Smith	....	first assistant auditor
Karen Koula Sossiadis	....	production coordinator (as Koula Sossiadis)
Robert T. Striem	....	location manager (as Robert Striem)
April Taylor	....	location assistant
Eva Vedock	....	craft service
Steven Wargo	....	craft service
Andrew Zolot	....	assistant: Mr. Nicolaides (as Andy Zolot)
Wade Couturiaux	....	office intern (uncredited)
Jared Cowan	....	intern (uncredited)
Matthew Mason	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Thomas Maxwell	....	production assistant (uncredited)
David Milhous	....	studio team (uncredited)
Jessica Peters	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Scott Rudin Productions
• MFP Munich Film Partners GmbH & Company I. Produktions KG
• New Century
• Sor Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Finland (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Finnkino (2004) (Finland) (video)
• Fox Network (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Veronica (2006) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• On Location Education  child cast tutoring
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering
• The McKenna Brothers  craft service
• AGM Productions  French voice recording
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack published by
• Bayerische HypoVereinsbank AG München  film banking [de]
• David Kramer's Looping Group  sound re-recording
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• WMG Soundtracks  soundtrack published by

Also Known As:

"School of Rock" - Germany, International (English title) (imdb display title), UK (imdb display title)
"School of Rock" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some rude humor and drug references

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40075) | Spain:T | Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | Finland:K-3 | South Korea:All

Filming Locations:

Buckley Country Day School - I.U. Willets Road, Herricks, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The riff of The Darkness song "Black Shuck" is used in the film, but "Growing On Me" appears on the soundtrack. This is because Black Shuck contains the line "Black Shuck, that dog don't give a fuck" repeatedly.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: While Zack is playing his newly composed song in the background as Billy and Dewey are discussing the band's outfits, you can hear the chords and notes change, yet Zack's fingering doesn't change for the last part in the shot.

Quotes:

Dewey Finn:Give up, just quit, because in this life, you can't win. Yeah, you can try, but in the end you're just gonna lose, big time, because the world is run by the Man. The Man, oh, you don't know the Man. He's everywhere. In the White House... down the hall...

Movie Connections:

References "Schoolhouse Rock!" (1973)

Soundtrack:

Ride Into The Sun

Great, hilarious performance by Jack Black

Dewey Finn is a lazy freeloader and a guitarist in a rock band who plays gigs every night and sleeps every day, in his friend Ned Schneebly's apartment. One day as he shows up late for band practice he notices a new guitar player who is replacing him. Poor Dewey feels so bad about it and also about Ned and his girlfriend threatening to kick him out since he doesn't pay any of the bills. After a few days of trying to sell his guitars, which doesn't go very well, the head of a school calls and asks for Ned Schneebly, who is a talented substitute teacher with a good reputation. In a desperate attempt to getting money fast, Dewey impersonates Ned and conveniently finds himself the teacher of a third grade ( or something like that ) class for several weeks ahead. Yet another one of his crazy ideas strikes him and his plan to turn his class into a rockband to win the Battle of the Bands competition is set in motion.

School Of Rock is a great feel-good comedy, fun for just about anyone of any age, kids or adults. Jack Black does carry a lot of this film on his own but I won't be too harsh on the kids in the movie, they did very well also. If anyone else should play Dewey Finn rather than Jack, it just wouldn't be the same. Since Jack is actually in a rock band in real life, and has played a few characters in films before who are also into music, he just seemed to fit right into this film. His real passion for rock music helps a lot in this film, and makes Dewey Finn one hell of a good character. The plot to this film is really good I think and Mike White did a great job on the screenplay. As did Linklater on the direction of the film.

This comedy should not be ignored just because there are kids in it, I enjoyed it a hell of a lot and you probably will too.

9/10