Class of 1984 (1982)

A new teacher at a troubled inner-city high school soon ends up clashing with the delinquent leader of a punk posse that runs the school.

Director:

Mark L. Lester (as Mark Lester)

Writers:

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

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

There's something strange going on at the graffiti-covered Lincoln High, as teachers are carrying loaded guns, and the students have to walk through a metal detector before they enter the classroom. Before long, the school's new music teacher, Andrew Norris, will learn firsthand that it's even worse than it looks, as the drug-plagued institution is the territory of the charismatic Peter Stegman and his brutal gang of crazed followers. Now, under those dire circumstances, it's only a matter of time before the professor and the pupil lock horns, with unforeseen consequences. But, do drastic times call for drastic measures? In the end, is there a cure for violence?

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Plot Keywords:

high school | sadism | violence | husband wife relationship | weapon | 

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Taglines:

Class of 1984. Is this the future?

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Detective Stewiski's (Al Waxman's) dialogue to Norris (Perry King) was taken word-for-word from a real-life police officer, while Mark L. Lester was researching for the film.

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Goofs

When Norris cuts the arm off the thug on the table saw, blood is clearly shown spattering into the left armpit of his white shirt. After he leaves the shop and is running in the hallway, the white shirt has no blood in that area.

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Quotes

[Patsy taunts Andy]
Patsy: Come and get it, teacher teacher!
[kiss kiss kiss; chuckles]

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: The original British Thorn EMI VHS release, when compared to the 2005 Mosaic DVD appears to have many scenes that were not merely edited for censorship but were different takes used in a 'tamer' version. Most obvious is the scene where Patsy introduces Sally to the gang as a potential prostitute. In the original Thorn EMI release she remains fully clothed throughout and when Fallon is asked if he wants to 'check out this piece of merchandise' him and Sally simply walk off screen. In the 2005 DVD Sally undresses in front of the gang at Patsy's insistence and is naked when Fallon approaches her. Another scene that was a different take is when Norris kills Fallon in the woodwork lab. In the Thorn EMI release he simply pushes Fallon back over the saw blade killing him almost instantly. In the 2005 DVD he cuts off Fallon's right arm first, Fallon then staggers upright and THEN Norris pushes him back on the blade. Other scenes cut completely and now reinstated are:

• The entire fight with Joo Joo's gang.
• The rape scene
• Barnyard, Patsy and Drugstore finding Fallon's body
• Drugstore's death scene (more close ups of his body)
• Norris hitting Barnyard more times on the head with the pipe.
• Stegman cutting Diane's breasts before fighting Norris. Also the 2005 DVD has written prologue and epilogue. The prologue states the amount of attacks on staff in US High Schools and states that 'no high school is as bad as Lincoln High....yet'. The epilogue states that 'Andy Norris was never prosecuted as the police couldn't find anyone who actually saw it.

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Connections

Featured in Blood and Blackboards (2006)

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Soundtracks

Fresh Flesh
Performed by Fear
Written by Lee Ving and Derf Scratch

User Reviews

Hits you like a motorcycle chain to the jaw

"Life is pain. Pain is everything. You will learn."

On its release 25 years ago, Class of 1984 was criticised for being too far fetched. Few critics could buy into director Mark Lester's ultra-violent vision of kids taking weapons into classrooms or schools fitted out with metal detectors.

Lester intended his flick as a wake up call to America about increasing levels of school violence. While Columbine may have proved that Lester's vision didn't go quite far enough, he sure as hell knows how to create the perfect B-movie.

Brutal, fast and fun, such outrageously violent scenes as Andy cutting off a gang member's arm with a circular saw or burning another pupil alive ensured that Class of 1984 was heavily cut and even banned in numerous countries (recent R2 and R1 releases are fully uncut).

Lester has claimed that he introduced America to punk rock with this movie. While that's debatable, the gang all look the part, although Stegman boasts an unfortunate haircut that puts the 'wave' in 'new', and the soundtrack mixes the likes of Fear and Teenage Head with Alice Cooper.

With its stylised brutality, punk rock soundtrack and relentless pace, Class of 1984 still hits you like a motorcycle chain to the jaw.

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Class of 1984

Filming Locations:

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:

1.85 : 1