Rock ‘n Roll High School

 

(1979) Directed by Alan Arkush; Written by Richard Whitley, Russ Dvonch, and Joseph McBride; Story by Alan Arkush and Joe Dante; Starring: P.J. Soles, Clint Howard, Vincent Van Patten, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Dey Young, The Ramones, and Dick Miller; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ***½

“…Roger [Corman], during preproduction, was the only one who thought it was still “Disco High,” because his script was the only one with that title still on it. Every other script said Rock ‘n’ Roll High School. What rock ‘n’ roller’s gonna read for a movie titled “Disco High” in 1979? Two weeks before shooting we broke it to him that the Ramones were not a disco band but punk rockers. `But why can’t they be disco?’ Roger asked. We said, ‘You can’t blow up a high school to disco music.’” – Alan Arkush (excerpted from Roger Corman’s book, How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime)

What do you get when you take an ordinary high school comedy, crank up the decibels of the soundtrack, and add generous portions of mayhem? Well, in this case, you get the Roger Corman classic, Rock ‘n Roll High School. Co-writers Alan Arkush (who also directed) and Joe Dante were no strangers to making an “everything goes” style comedy, having collaborated on the 1976 Corman-produced movie, Hollywood Boulevard. Before Rock ‘n’ Roll High School was known by that name, the concept and resulting script went through several iterations over the course of pre-production, from Girls’ Gym, to California Girls, to Disco High. Ultimately, greater wiser heads prevailed (with no offense intended for disco fans), as the focus eventually shifted to rock ‘n’ roll, showcasing the punk band, the Ramones, in what would essentially become their own warped version of A Hard Day’s Night.

The plot is about as simple as they come, but it’s all the music and gags in-between that make this movie worthwhile. Ramones superfan Riff Randell (P.J. Soles),*/**/*** is obsessed with the group beyond all reason (she experiences a fantasy sequence, complete with the band members visiting her at home). In addition to seeing the Ramones in concert, she schemes to bring her song, “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School,” to her favorite band’s attention. Her dreams are thwarted by the new principal, Miss Togar (Mary Woronov), who rules Vincent Lombardi High School with an iron fist (with the help of two toady hall monitors), and considers listening to rock a gateway to deviant behavior. But even when her treasured Ramones tickets are confiscated by Togar and her goons, Riff isn’t so easily deterred. Meanwhile, a love triangle ensues when Riff’s best friend Kate Rambeau (Dey Young) is smitten by dopey but amiable jock Tom Roberts (Vincent Van Patten). Unfortunately, for Kate, he’s gaga over Riff. Will Riff make it to the Ramones concert (and will they perform her song)? Will Togar’s authoritarian tactics prevail? And will Tom and Kate click together? All this and more will be answered before the end credits roll. 

* Fun Fact #1: Prior to filming Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, Soles had never heard of the Ramones. Her initial impression was less than favorable when Arkush gave her a cassette of their music, but their music and energetic performances eventually won her over. 

** Fun Fact #2: Because P.J. Soles was a bit of a hot property after appearing in Halloween (1978), her agent requested a salary above scale (a Corman no-no). Corman opposed paying extra, but ended up agreeing to the salary on the condition that Soles provide her own wardrobe. 

*** Fun Fact #3: Soles wasn’t the film’s only connection to Halloween, with director of photography Dean Cundey providing the cinematography.

The soundtrack in an eclectic yet enjoyable mess, ranging from punk to pop (“Teenage Depression” by Eddie and the Hot Rods, to “Did We Meet Somewhere Before?” a low-key effort from Paul McCartney). Naturally, of course, the main attraction is the seminal punk band the Ramones (Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, and Marky).* Based on their blazing-fast performance in the film,** it’s easy to see why they were a favorite with audiences wherever they played. 

* Fun Fact #4: If you have Sirius in your car, I highly recommend Marky Ramone’s show “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg” on the First Wave channel (End of shameless, sadly unpaid plug). 

** Fun Fact #5: The Ramones played every song from their on-screen concert set twice, so they could choose the better performance for each.

Joe Dante regular Dick Miller* shows up in a small but memorable role as the chief of police, who tries to bring some law and order to the ensuing pandemonium when the students riot. As usual, he doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but he steals the picture with the film’s best line (Sorry, I’m not going to spill it here. You’ll just have to find out). Clint Howard is amusing in his supporting role as the high school fixer, Eaglebauer, who runs a lucrative business out of the boys’ restroom. Paul Bartel (who frequently appeared with Mary Woronov in numerous films), plays an unlikely ally for the students. As the school’s music teacher, Mr. McGree, he discovers his own latent affinity for the Ramones. 

* Fun Fact #6: Watch for a cameo by Joe Dante, appearing opposite Miller as a fellow cop.

Lessons learned (this is about a high school, after all):

• In the 1970s, the average age of an American high school student was 25.
• In 1979, you could purchase 100 Ramones tickets for only $1,000.
• Your permanent record will follow you outside high school, for the rest of your life.
• Body searches by student workers were common practice in American public schools.
• Rock music causes mice to explode.
• Your favorite band will play your unsolicited song if you’re persistent enough.
• The Ramones didn’t need to hook their guitars up to amps, they were just that powerful.
• Don’t be alarmed if Dee Dee Ramone randomly appears in your shower. If you refrain from making eye contact or any sudden movements, he’ll eventually go away.
• More than just a punk band, the Ramones were a unifying force that united the rich and poor, young and old, and the jocks and nerds (Okay, this one might be true).

 

Reportedly, Johnny Ramone wasn’t pleased with how the band was portrayed in the movie, because he felt it softened their image. In later years, however, his opinion seemed to skew in favor of the film. Alan Arkush and Joe Dante (who made multiple contributions to the movie) keep Rock ‘n’ Roll High School moving at a frenetic pace. Woven throughout are a series of one-off and recurring gags including a hapless freshman (played by co-writer Russ Dvonch) who’s continually stuffed into lockers and other inhospitable places, and a giant mouse* who crashes the concert. Above all else, it’s a nice showcase for the Ramones and their music, for fans and the uninitiated, alike. It may not change your life, but then again, maybe it will. 

* Fun Fact #7: The mutant mouse costume was created and worn by a young Rob Bottin. Bottin also provided the “Pinhead” mask, for the Ramones’ concert sequence, which he continued to do for their subsequent concerts.

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Alan Arkush, PJ Soles, and Clint Howard; “How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime,” by Roger Corman (with Jim Jerome)