Rock Rock Rock! (1956)

Dori is trying to get together enough money to buy a strapless gown; Daddy has cut off Dori's allowance, but gee, she's gotta go to the prom.

Director:

Will Price

Writers:

Milton Subotsky (screen play), Milton Subotsky (story)

Stars:

Alan Freed and his Rock 'n Roll Band, Fran Manfred, Tuesday Weld

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Freed and his Rock 'n Roll Band	...	Alan Freed and his Rock 'n Roll Band
Fran Manfred	...	Arabella
Tuesday Weld	...	Dori
Connie Francis	...	Dori (singing voice)
Teddy Randazzo	...	Tommy (as Teddy Randazzo of The Three Chuckles)
Jacqueline Kerr	...	Gloria
Ivy Schulman	...	Baby
The Moonglows	...	The Moonglows
Chuck Berry	...	Chuck Berry
The Flamingos	...	The Flamingos
Jimmy Cavallo and the House Rockers	...	Jimmy Cavallo and the House Rockers (as Jimmy Cavallo and His House Rockers)
The Johnny Burnette Trio	...	The Johnny Burnette Trio (as Johnny Burnette Trio)
La Vern Baker	...	La Vern Baker
Cirino and the Bowties	...	Cirino and the Bowties
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers	...	Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Storyline

A young teenage girl (Tuesday Weld) desperately tries to earn enough money to buy a dress for a school rock and roll dance. This early rock and roll feature, the 3rd in a series of 5 starring Disc Jockey and Rock N Roll impresario Alan Freed, includes performances by artist Chuck Berry, La Vern Baker, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, The Flamingos, The Moonglows and The Johnny Burnette Trio.

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Plot Keywords:

jukebox musical | teensploitation film | psychotronic film | teensploitation | rock music | 

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Taglines:

FRANKIE LYMON and THE TEEN-AGERS - HEAR them sing "I'm not a Juvenile Delinquent" SEE - Lovely LA VERN BAKER - HEAR her sing "TRA-LA-LA" SEE - The Inimitable CHUCK BERRY - HEAR him sing "YOU CAN'T CATCH ME"

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film features 21 songs. According to a contemporary source, all performances were lip-synced or dubbed. Due to the preponderance of popular musical performances over plot and dialog, this is an early example of a "jukebox musical".

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Goofs

When Dori mentions the dress Gloria is planning to wear, Arabella chimes in with a remark about how the dress will be blue. The color of the dress something Gloria had mentioned to Dori and Tommy, but not when Arabella was around.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Arabella: [sipping shakes at the malt shoppe] Is Tommy taking you to the school prom?
Dori: He - hasn't asked me, yet.
Arabella: He will. I sure hope I find someone as nice as Tommy.
Dori: Oh, you'll meet him someday.
Arabella: Well, I hope it's before the prom. Are you in love with Tommy?
Dori: Well...
[singing]
Dori: I never had a sweetheart, No Lovers Lane for me! No moonlight rides, No firesides, No romance by the sea, Oh no, that's never happened to me! I never had a sweetheart...

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Connections

Featured in Sputnik Fever (2007)

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Soundtracks

I Just Want to Rock
(uncredited)
Performed by Ivy Schulman

User Reviews

First scene looks like "Pennies From Heaven" for the sock-hop set!

Jaw-dropping black-and-white cheapie has typical teen scheming to get herself a strapless prom dress for the dance, which is being hosted by none other than Alan Freed (here desperately trying to sing and keep a beat). Tuesday Weld, very young and very green, opens the movie by bursting into song (with Connie Francis' vocals!). Corny, silly, deliriously dated but enjoyable on a garbage-flick level. Camp enthusiasts will be feasting on this trash-relic for years. Look fast for Valerie Harper as a rock-loving teen in the over-appreciative audience. ** from ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rock Rock Rock!

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vanguard Productions (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1